Prevalence and correlates of cognitive impairment and depression among elderly people in the world's fastest growing city, Chongqing, People's Republic of China

Background: Cognitive impairment and depression are major mental health problems affecting older people. The current study was designed to explore the prevalence of cognitive impairment and depression in representative sample of elderly people aged >= 60 years and to examine the correlates of cognitive impairment and depression with other sociodemographic variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study based on comprehensive geriatric assessment of 538 elderly Chinese people was conducted from September 2011 to August 2012. Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Chinese version of Mini-Mental State Examination, and depressive symptoms were assessed by 30-item geriatric depression scale. Results: The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 12.6%. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the following were significant independent predictors of cognitive impairment: female, having a low level of education, increasing age, and depression. The overall prevalence of depression was 24.3%, and in adjusted model, cognitive impairment was only associated with increased risk of depression. Conclusion: Cognitive impairment and depression are prevalent in elderly Chinese people. Among a number of factors identified in our study, cognitive impairment and depression were highly correlated in elderly people aged >= 60 years.