Cross-Cultural Comparisons of Subjective Cognitive Complaints in a Diverse Primary Care Population.

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.