RT Journal Article
T1 Subjective memory complaints in elderly: relationship with health status, multimorbidity, medications, and use of services in a population-based study
A1 Montejo, Pedro
A1 Montenegro Peña, María Mercedes
A1 López-Higes Sánchez, Ramón
A1 Montejo, Borja
AB Background: This study examines the associations between subjective memory complaints (SMC) and health variables: multimorbidity, presence of certain diseases, health perceived state, difficulties seeing and hearing, pain, and use of medications and health services. Furthermore, we aim to identify risk groups based on multimorbidity and calculate the effect size for each of these relationships. Methods: Cross-sectional epidemiological study using a face-to-face interview with a structured questionnaire. Sample size: 1,342 people aged 65 years and older taken from a random sample of the census tracts. SMC were studied using questions regarding memory complaints. Results: Multimorbidity and polypharmacy are associated with SMC, so are impaired vision and hearing. SMC are more frequently present in people who use health services more intensively and exhibit reduced functional activity as a result of diseases. With respect to specific diseases, only cerebrovascular accidents and chronic constipation were associated with SMC. In regression analysis, predictors of SMC were vision and hearing impairment, poor self-perceived health, pain, and general practitioner visits. However, the effect size of these factors is low. The variables that indicate risk groups are number of diseases, reduced functional activity, hearing impairment, and poor self-perceived health. Conclusions: Memory complaints are a heterogeneous phenomenon. Our results confirm that multimorbidity, polypharmacy, greater use of health services, pain, and poor self-perceived health are associated with SMC. We identified two risk groups with a high percentage of complaints and a healthy group with a low percentage. Detecting these factors and these risk and healthy groups is useful in achieving proper patients management.
PB Cambridge University Press
SN 1041-6102
SN 1741-203X
YR 2016
FD 2016-07-29
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/102458
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/102458
LA eng
NO Montejo, P., Montenegro, M., López-Higes, R., & Montejo, B. (2016). Subjective memory complaints in elderly: relationship with health status, multimorbidity, medications, and use of services in a population-based study. International Psychogeriatrics, 28(11), 1903-1916.
DS Docta Complutense
RD 19 dic 2025