Health Conditions and Memory Performance: a study with older adult women

• Main Authors: Alice Milani Nespollo, Samira Reschetti Marcon, Nathalie Vilma Pollo de Lima, Tatiane Lebre Dias, Mariano Martínez Espinosa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem
• Series: Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem
• Subjects: Personas Mayores; Cognición; Memoria; Pruebas Neuropsicológicas; Nivel de Salud
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-71672017000300640&lng=en&tlng=en
• ISSN: 1984-0446

ABSTRACT Objective: to verify the correlation between health condition and memory performance of older adult women in the community. Method: Analytical cross-sectional study developed with 28 older adult women living in Cuiabá-MT. They answered the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and a shortened Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) to screen for dementia and depression symptoms. Memory skills were assessed through Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Results: The mean age was 66.36 years and 75% of the participants had educational level higher than 7 years. The MMSE mean score was 28.45. The correlations found were: educational level and immediate memory (r = 0.49; p = 0.008); delayed recall and immediate memory (r = 0.71; p < 0.001); memory recognition and immediate memory (r = 0.43; p = 0.021) and recognition memory with delayed recall (r = 0.47; p = 0.012). Conclusion: High scores in the MMSE and a satisfactory health perception among the participants were evident. There was no correlation between memory performance and health perception.