Affiliations: [a] Departments of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| [b] Departments of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Emmeline Ayers, MPH, Division of Cognitive & Motor Aging, Saul R Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1225 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, New York 10461, USA. Tel.: +1 718 430 3835; Fax: +1 718 430 3829; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: Background: Very few studies have explored the utility of subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) in primary care settings. Objective: We aim to investigate associations between SCCs (item-level), objective cognitive function (across domains and global), and mood in a diverse primary care population, including subjects with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: We studied 199 (75.9%females; 57.8%Hispanics; 42.2%African Americans) older adults (mean age 72.5 years) with memory concerns at a primary care clinic. A five-item SCC questionnaire, and objective cognitive assessments, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Geriatric Depression Scale, were administered. Results: Logistic regression analyses showed associations between SCC score and depressive symptoms. A memory-specific (“memory worsening”) SCC predicted scores on the MoCA (p = 0.005) in Hispanics. Conclusion: SCCs are strongly linked to depressive symptoms in African Americans and Hispanics in a primary care setting; a specific type of SCC is related to global cognitive function in Hispanics.
Keywords: Cognitive function, cross-sectional, depressive symptoms, primary care, subjective health complaint, underserved populations
