Role of Socio-Demographic Variables on Cognitive Functioning among Older People in Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

In India, around 8% of populations are 60 years of age and which is growing rapidly.  The need to study for older population is indeed a requirement in modern day scenario. Normal aging is accompanied by changes in cognitive function and brain function. Studies have confirmed that age is closely related to cognitive function, and cognitive decline is an obvious feature of aging. Cognitive functioning plays a major role in everyday functioning of the individual. In old age, people experience profound changes and face important challenges, including modifications in their roles, retirement, and the death of loved ones (friends and family members). As part of ICMR Project, the present study was carried out to examine the status of cognitive functioning and to see the relationship with socio demographic variables among healthy older people living in the community. Total sample of 240 healthy older Population was drawn with 126 Male and 114 female population from the rural and urban areas of Rayalaseema region. The subjects were contacted individually by taking individual consent the standardized tools were administered to them. The results clearly indicates that the sub-groups like the subjects in the age group of 60-65, male, and the subjects with high school and college education, those who are living in the nuclear families, from the rural area, subjects with pension and those belongs to middle class and the married subjects reported good cognitive function compared to their counterparts indicates the role of socio-demographic variables in the cognitive function.