Distinct clusters of older adults with common neuropsychological symptoms: Findings from the National Health and Aging Trends Study

Abstract

This study aims to identify distinct clusters of community-dwelling older adults (N = 7580) based on characteristics of common neuropsychological symptoms and examine how these clusters differ in socio-demographics and health-related attributes. Four clusters were identified: 1-No Symptoms (41%), 2-Pain Only (32%), 3-Pain+Moderate+Insomnia+Mild Depression+Mild Anxiety (17%), and 4-Pain+Mild insomnia+Moderate Depression+Moderate Anxiety (10%). Compared to clusters 1 and 2, individuals in clusters 3 and 4 tended to be older, Hispanic or non-Hispanic Black, female, obese, have high school education or less, not live with anyone, and rate their health fair or poor. Compared to cluster 1, others were significantly associated with worse health-related attributes. This association was distinctly stronger in clusters with more symptoms that were more severe. Interventions focusing on pain may need to incorporate strategies to deal with sleep and psychological symptoms and the severity to improve associated health-related attributes and reduce health care burden.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Insomnia; Older adults; Pain.