Abstract
Background
Chronic pain may be an important factor influencing cognitive impairment; however, there is limited research on that link in older adults with disabilities. We aimed to determine the association between chronic pain and cognitive impairment in older adults with disabilities.
Methods
This 24-month prospective cohort study involved 143 Japanese older adults (≥65 years of age) with long-term care insurance. Chronic pain was defined as pain persisting for ≥3 months, and cognitive impairment was defined as a Mini-Mental State Examination score ≤ 23. We employed logistic regression analysis with chronic pain as the independent variable and cognitive impairment as the dependent variable after propensity score matching (PSM).
Results
Sixty-six participants were selected using PSM, and logistic regression analysis showed that chronic pain was significantly associated with cognitive impairment (odds ratio: 4.103, 95% confidence interval: 1.455–11.567, P = 0.008).
Conclusion
To prevent cognitive impairment in older adults with disabilities, the management of chronic pain should be considered, as they are related.