Cognition and other determinants of wellbeing in old age: a 12 year longitudinal study

Subjective wellbeing is a self-defined appraisal of happiness that includes judgments of life satisfaction and overall affect. Health-related quality of life is an appraisal of wellbeing focused on one's health status. Factors influencing these different aspects of wellbeing in old age remain unclear, with particular uncertainty around cognition. This study examined these relationships through assessments over 12 years.

One-thousand-and-thirty-seven people without dementia were recruited as part of a population-based cohort study. Participants completed a neuropsychological battery, medical history, and measures of life satisfaction, positive affect, health-related quality of life, depression, and anxiety biennially over 12 years. Participants also completed personality measures and informants completed measures of function. Linear mixed models were used to examine whether cognition and other variables were associated with wellbeing measures.

Life satisfaction, positive affect, and health-related quality of life were moderately correlated at baseline. Cognition had a small, but statistically significant longitudinal association with each of these outcomes after adjusting for potential confounders. Physical health, function, personality, and anxiety also predicted wellbeing measures.

Cognition is associated with subjective wellbeing and health-related quality of life in older people. Physical health, function, personality, and anxiety are also important predictors of wellbeing in old age.