Open Access

ARTICLE

Age-trends in Cognitive Function and Quality of Life: Sex Differences in a Community Population in Taiwan

Shu-Yu Wu¹, Yu-Chi Huang¹, Chi-Fa Hung^1,2,3, Liang-Jen Wang^4,*

1 Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 000800, Taiwan
2 Department of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
3 College of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Pintung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
4 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 000800, Taiwan

* Corresponding Author: Liang-Jen Wang. Email:

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2022, 24(6), 989-998. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2022.022784

Received 25 March 2022; Accepted 06 July 2022; Issue published 28 September 2022

Abstract

Population aging has developed into a significant area of concern in developed countries, especially in relation to the preservation of functional independence and the quality of life (QoL). However, information on the contribution of sex differences in quality of life and cognitive function is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate potential differences in cognitive function and QoL between males and females. For this study, we recruited 382 healthy subjects aged 19–79 years from communities in Southern Taiwan. Cognitive function and QoL were assessed using the UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment, Brief Version (UPSA-B) and World Health Organization Quality of Life Instruments (WHOQOL-BREF), respectively. The effects of sex, age groups, and interaction of sex and age on the UPSA-B and WHOQOL-BREF scores were examined. We found that the financial and communication domains of the UPSA-B showed declining trends with age in both sexes, although these trends were more obvious in females than in males. In the domain of Physical Capacity, QoL showed an age-increased trend in males, while QoL in the Environment domain showed an age-increased trend in females. Regarding the relationships between cognitive function and QoL, we found that the financial skill and communication skill of UPSA-B was positively correlated to the psychological well-being domain of WHOQOL-BREF, in males of age <40 years. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate differential relationships between cognitive function and QoL between males and females, which could serve as a basis for further study between cognitive function and quality of life in communities.

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Keywords

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