[Factors related to impaired mental function of elderly in a rural community]

Factors related to impaired mental function of the elderly population living in a rural community were analyzed in a study of 573 elderly residents (238 males, 335 females) aged 70 years and over living in a village in the northeastern part of Japan. A comprehensive health and social survey including interviews and blood tests was performed in 1985. The major results obtained were as follows; 1) Mental function of the elderly declined with age and correlated with deterioration of physical function and frequencies of psychiatric symptoms. Those with deteriorated mental function tended to have histories of having cerebrovascular diseases and living with their children's household. 2) Multiple logistic regression model analysis revealed that the likeliness for impaired mental function (measured by Hasegawa's Mental Scale, a widely used scheme in Japan) was well explained by such independent variables as age, serum hemoglobin level, level of ability to feed oneself, social activities, and existence of anxiety. 3) Explanatory factors such as these are considered to be useful for public health nurses to detect in the community those who require further psychiatric attention and to facilitate early intervention to enable demented elderly to live in their own homes as long as possible.