A First Look Into Cognitive Impairment In The Republic Of Armenia: A Population With A History And Present Reality Of Collective Trauma

Author

Patelle JivalagianFollow

Date of Award

January 2023

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Joan Monin

Abstract

The Republic of Armenia, a largely homogenous population burdened with a history of collective trauma, presents a unique opportunity to explore aging and cognition. The population survived a genocide in 1915 but, continues to face threats to existence today due to geopolitics. Studying the Armenian population can provide insight about the role of mental health in cognitive impairment. This study aimed to examine characteristics associated with cognitive impairment at mobile clinics across 6 provinces in Armenia and provided a first look into the national health profile of the likelihood of dementia progression in Armenia.Participants consisted of 262 subsample of older adults who were screened for cognitive impairment. They also completed a Health Questionnaire including items about health behaviors and chronic health conditions. Statistical analysis was used to investigate the demographic trends of cognitive impairment and to test for significant associations. The MoCA scores indicate the following levels of cognition in this population: 65.6% normal cognition, 27.5% mild cognitive status, 5.0% moderate cognitive status, and 1.9% severe cognitive status. The most common health behavior was poor sleeping quality. The most prevalent chronic conditions included history of heart disease, hypertension, history of COVID, and history of depression. All health behaviors and chronic health conditions were significantly associated with cognitive impairment. This was the first study to investigate trends of cognitive impairment in an older Armenian adult subpopulation. It is recommended for future research to explore beyond descriptive information. Testing which risk factors are more and less predictive of cognitive status in a larger sample of older adults in Armenia is needed.

Comments

This is an Open Access Thesis.

Recommended Citation

Jivalagian, Patelle, "A First Look Into Cognitive Impairment In The Republic Of Armenia: A Population With A History And Present Reality Of Collective Trauma" (2023). Public Health Theses. 2275.
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysphtdl/2275