Imagine your brain as a complex machine that keeps running smoothly throughout your life. But as you age, this intricate machinery can start to experience wear and tear. The latest research from Bahir Dar city in Ethiopia reveals that neurocognitive impairment is a significant problem among the elderly population. This impairment, which includes both mild and major cognitive decline, not only affects the individual’s quality of life but also places a burden on their families and society as a whole. The study found that 42.1% of elderly individuals in Bahir Dar city suffered from neurocognitive impairment. Factors such as being without a spouse, having depression, lifetime alcohol use, and low or moderate family support were closely associated with this cognitive decline. The findings suggest that addressing mental health issues and strengthening social support systems are crucial for preventing and managing neurocognitive impairment. To delve deeper into the study and understand its implications, check out the full article!

BackgroundNeurocognitive impairment is a widely common problem in the elderly. It encompasses mild and major cognitive impairment, which will lead to disability and increase the risk of death. It also compromises the quality of life of the patient and poses a burden on the family and society as a whole. However, there is a paucity of information concerning neurocognitive impairment among the elderly in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of neurocognitive impairment and associated factors among the elderly in Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia 2020.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 respondents using a simple random sampling technique from 1 June to 30 June 2020. Neurocognitive impairment was measured using the Mini-Mental State Exam adjusted cutoff point (presence or absence) by the level of education of the participants. Data were entered into EpiData version 4.62 and exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis: descriptive statistics were used for summarization and presentation and binary logistic regression for a measure of association between exposures and outcome variable.ResultsThe prevalence of neurocognitive impairment was 42.1%. Factors such as having no spouse [AOR = 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08–2.86], having depression (AOR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.80–5.14), lifetime alcohol use (AOR = 2.90, 95% CI: 1.19–7.07), and having low family support (AOR = 3.07, 95% CI: 1.35–6.96) and moderate family support (AOR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.10–3.06) were significantly associated with neurocognitive impairment.Conclusion and RecommendationThe prevalence of neurocognitive impairment was high in Bahir Dar city administration. Neurocognitive impairment has shown significant association with no spouse, depression, alcohol use, and low and moderate family social support. It is important to pay attention to old age with comorbid mental illness and also to strengthen social support systems to prevent and manage neurocognitive impairment.

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