Background

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is associated with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease and all-cause dementia. The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias among Mississippi Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older is 12.9%, which exceeds the national average.  Mississippi adults experiencing multiple social determinants of health/health equity risk factors may have increased odds of SCD compared to those experiencing no social determinants of health/health equity risk factors. We examined the association between a summary measure of SDOH/HE and SCD among Mississippi adults.

Methods

Using the SDOH and Health Equity (SDOH/HE) Module data from 2395 respondents who self-identified as non-Hispanic Blacks or Whites and 45 years or older in the 2023 Mississippi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, we conducted multivariable logistic regression models to examine the association between a SDOH/HE summary measure and SCD.

Results

Mississippi adults 45 years or older experiencing SCD is 19.3%. Mississippians 45 years or older experiencing 1 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.63),  2 (AOR, 6.29), 3 (AOR, 7.07)  and 4 or more (AOR, 16.35)  of SDOH/HE risk factors had higher odds of SCD compared to those experiencing no SDOH/HE risk factors respectively.

Conclusions

Mississippi adults with multiple SDOH/HE risk factors had significantly higher odds of SCD than those with no SDOH/HE risk factors. These findings highlight the importance of addressing multiple SDOH/HE factors of cognitive decline outcomes and the need for targeted interventions among Mississippi adults experiencing multiple SDOH/HE risk factors.