Life-Space and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults in Different Social and Economic Contexts: Longitudinal Results from the IMIAS Study

Psychosocial, socioeconomic and sociocultural aspects can influence cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults. Life-space restriction is potentially related to cognitive status. We examined the longitudinal association between life-space mobility and changes in cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults in different social settings of North and South America and Europe. We used data from 1486 participants of the International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) conducted at five sites: Tirana (Albania), Natal (Brazil), Manizales (Colombia), Kingston and Saint-Hyacinthe (Canada). Life-space mobility was assessed using the Life-Space Assessment (LSA) questionnaire at baseline (2012), and the Leganes Cognitive Test was used to evaluate cognitive function at baseline and follow-up (2016). The Quantile regressions (QR) were used to evaluate the factors associated with cognitive score in 2016 by adjusting for the cognitive score in 2012, with two distinct models for analyzing variables. A decrease in the cognitive function was observed at all research sites, except in Manizales. Participants with more restricted life-space at baseline had a decrease in their cognitive function 4 years later (β = -0.79, 95% CI: -1.400 to -0.18, p value<0.01) compared to those with the highest level. This decrease was independent of gender, age, research site, education, income sufficiency, social support, depression, cognitive function at baseline, chronic conditions and physical performance. Restriction in life-space is an important prognostic factor for cognitive function. Maintaining life-space can be a goal in public policies aimed at encouraging healthy aging, and might be useful in clinical practice to promote health status and to monitor older people at higher risk of cognitive decline.