Impaired Daily Activities due to Cognitive Decline among Older Koreans Living with a Family Member with Dementia

Cohabiting with a family member with dementia may be associated with declines in the caregiver's own cognitive function. However, existing studies have been focused solely on spousal caregivers, highlighting the need for broader research across more diverse populations.

This cross-sectional study used data from the 2024 Korea Community Health Survey. The analysis included individuals aged 50 years and older who had a family member with dementia (n=17,596). The dependent variable was self-reported impairment in daily activities due to cognitive decline. The main independent variable was cohabitation with a family member with dementia. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the association between cohabiting with a family member with dementia and impaired daily activities due to cognitive decline.

Of the 17,596 participants, 52.3% were women, 17.6% cohabited with a family member with dementia, and 9.4% reported impairments in daily activities due to cognitive decline. The prevalence of impaired daily activities due to cognitive decline was 23.3% among individuals cohabiting with a family member with dementia, compared to 7.8% among those who were not (p<0.0001). After adjusting for sociodemographic and health and behavioral factors, cohabiting with a family member with dementia remained significantly associated with increased risk of impaired daily activities due to cognitive decline (odds ratio=1.86, p<0.0001).

Cohabiting with a family member with dementia is associated with impaired daily functioning due to cognitive decline. These findings underscore the need for policy measures to monitor and support the cognitive health of family caregivers of individuals with dementia.