Menor deterioro cognitivo en ancianos de los Andes peruanos y otros factores asociados a la dependencia

Introduction: Cognitive impairment in the elderly is associated with dependence, but has not been studied in geographic highlanders. Objective: To determine the association between cognitive impairment and other factors associated with dependence in elderly people from the Peruvian Andes. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 110 elderly residents of the city of Huancayo, Peru, were surveyed. Cognitive impairment (Pfeiffer test) and dependence (Lawton and Brody test) were measured. Results: In the multivariate analysis, dependence was higher for older age (RPa: 1.05; 95 % CI: 1.02-1.08; p-value = 0.002), cocaine or coke use (RPa: 1.63; 95 % CI: 1.05-2.54; p-value = 0.002), cocaine or coke use (RPa: 1.63; 95 % CI. 1.05-2.54; p-value = 0.030), poverty (RPa: 1.65; 1.11-2.47; p-value = 0.014), previous hospitalization (RPa: 1.57; 95 % CI: 1.01-2.15; p-value = 0.046) and moderate or severe Pfeiffer test (RPa: 1.93; 95 % CI: 1.33-2.80; p-value = 0.001); all adjusted for educational level. Conclusions: Cognitive impairment in elderly people in the Peruvian highlands is related to dependence, which was also associated with age, coca consumption, poverty, previous hospitalization and chronic diseases.