Neuropsychological and psychiatric outcomes among community-dwelling young Chinese older adults affected by falls in the past year with and without vision impairment

Abstract

Objective: This study was to investigate the differences between young older adults with and without vision impairment on neuropsychological and psychiatric outcomes following falls during the past year and to identify predictors of cognitive decline or mental distress.

Methods: A secondary analysis of 668 young older Chinese adults aged 65 ∼ 79 years old with a history of falls was conducted from the cross-sectional survey data in the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS).

Results: Participants with vision impairment scored significantly higher on anxiety and depression and lower on cognitive function and SWB than those without vision impairment. And vision impairment was a significant predictor of adverse outcomes for all four neuropsychological and psychiatric measures.

Conclusion: Neurocognitive deficits, psychological problems, and decreased self-sufficiency are quite common among community-dwelling older adults with visual impairment who have a history of falls within a year.

Keywords: Anxiety; Cognitive impairment; Depression; Fall; Vision impairment; Young older adults.