Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
Health and Welfare Center, Toyono Town, Osaka, 563-0103, Japan.
BMC Geriatr. 2022 Apr 28;22(1):375. doi: 10.1186/s12877-022-03061-z.
To answer whether older adults' cognitive function benefits from ICT use, we (1) examined the relationship between ICT use and cognitive decline during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) explored the potential role of ICT use in mitigating the relationship between loneliness, social isolation, and cognitive decline among community-dwelling older adults.
From February to March 2021, a mail survey was distributed to 1,400 older adults aged 70-89 years old. Responded participants were 1,003 (71.6% response rate). Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) was the independent variable. ICT use was assessed based on ICT use history and current ICT use activities. Loneliness was based on the Japanese version of the Three-Item Loneliness Scale. Social isolation was a total score of six items. Covariate-adjusted logistic regressions were performed and stratified by age groups (70-79 and ≥ 80 years).
During the COVID-19 epidemic, the proportion of people aged ≥ 80 years who reported cognitive decline was twice that of 70s. Non-ICT use was independently associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline in participants aged ≥ 80 years. Furthermore, the significant associations between cognitive decline and interaction items (non-ICT use by loneliness or social isolation) were observed in the ≥ 80 age group. No association was found in the 70-79 age group.
Non-ICT users with high loneliness or social isolation scores were more likely to experience cognitive decline for adults age ≥ 80 years. For older adults who were vulnerable to poor social relationships, ICT use is potentially an efficient intervention. Further longitudinal investigations are needed.
为了回答老年人的认知功能是否受益于信息通信技术（ICT）的使用，我们（1）检验了在 COVID-19 大流行期间 ICT 使用与认知能力下降之间的关系，以及（2）探讨了 ICT 使用在减轻社区居住的老年人中孤独感、社会隔离与认知能力下降之间关系的潜在作用。
2021 年 2 月至 3 月，我们向 1400 名 70-89 岁的老年人邮寄了一份调查。共收到 1003 份（71.6%的回复率）。主观认知下降（SCD）是自变量。基于 ICT 使用历史和当前 ICT 使用活动评估 ICT 使用情况。孤独感基于日本版的三项目孤独量表。社会隔离是六个项目的总分。进行了协变量调整的逻辑回归，并按年龄组（70-79 岁和≥80 岁）进行分层。
在 COVID-19 大流行期间，≥80 岁人群中报告认知能力下降的比例是 70 多岁人群的两倍。非 ICT 使用与≥80 岁参与者认知能力下降的风险增加独立相关。此外，在≥80 岁年龄组中观察到认知能力下降与交互项（孤独感或社会隔离的非 ICT 使用）之间存在显著关联。在 70-79 岁年龄组中未发现关联。
对于≥80 岁的老年人，孤独感或社会隔离评分较高且不使用 ICT 的人更容易出现认知能力下降。对于那些容易受到不良社会关系影响的老年人来说，ICT 使用可能是一种有效的干预手段。需要进一步进行纵向研究。
