The association between subjective cognitive decline and quality of life: A population-based study

This study evaluated the association between subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and the quality of life (QoL).

This nation-wide cross-sectional study investigated 177,882 adults (78,362 men, 99,520 women) who participated in the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey. Multiple sociodemographic and psychosocial variables were evaluated and compared between participants with (n = 37,614) and without SCD (n = 140,518); the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to determine the presence of depression and QoL was assessed using the EuroQol five-dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire.

Depression as defined by PHQ-9 scores ≥ 10 was reported significantly more often in the SCD group (9.2%) than in the non-SCD group (1.7%) (p < 0.001). The mean EQ-5D index scores were significantly lower in the SCD group (score 0.83) than in the non-SCD group (score 0.90; p < 0.001). The multivariate odds ratio (OR) for depression (PHQ9 ≥ 10) was3.11 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.10-3.13) and the lowest quartile of the EQ-5D index scores was 1.88 (95% CI, 1.88-1.89) in the SCD group versus that in the non-SCD group. Participants in the SCD group were more likely to be physically active (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.20-1.33) and have self-control (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.34-1.37), daily activity (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.33-1.36), pain (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.56-1.57), and anxiety/depression (OR, 2.71; 95% CI, 2.68-2.73).

Subjective cognitive decline is associated with depression and impaired quality of life, particularly if anxiety/depression is present.