ABSTRACT
Introduction: Cognitive disorders are one of geriatrics outcomes that can cause a vast spectrum of disorders in older people. This change in cognitive function may see as an early sign before behavioral manifestations. Thus early diagnosis in high risk older people can be an important step in prevention in cognitive disorders and disabilities in this population. The purpose of this study is assessment of older people cognitive status based on demographic characteristics
Methods: This study is a cross-sectional, descriptive study that was conducted in 1389-1388 in Rasht. 194 older people that retired form governmental organization participate in that and were selected in regular randomized sampling. The instrument for gathering data was Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE] that has 5 parts in orientation, data recording, concentration and calculation, remembering and verbal skills. Data were assessed after gathering and were analyzed by SPSS v.16 and Kruskal Valise, Man Whitney U and Spear man statistical test
Results: The findings showed that among 194 older people 70.6 percent were man and 29.4 percent were women. 91 percent of illiteracy older people had normal cognitive status, 7.5 percent of them had mild cognitive disorder and 1.5 percent of them had moderate cognitive disorder. Among graduate persons, 82 percent had normal cognitive status, 17.3 percent had mild cognitive disorder and 0.8 percent had moderate cognitive disorder. Among demographic character [age, sex, marries, education and morbidity] cognitive status has a significant correlation with age [P<0.03], marriage status [P<0.002] and education [P<0.0001]
Conclusion: The study showed that cognitive status assessment by health care professionals can help in detecting the high risk patients and promote their caring. Moreover it can help to potential senilement health care and help to delay in starting and progressing cognitive disorders among older people