Document Detail


Church attendance mediates the association between depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning among older Mexican Americans.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18511751     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to examine how the effect of depressive symptoms on cognitive function is modified by church attendance.
METHODS: We used a sample of 2759 older Mexican Americans. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at baseline, 2, 5, 7, and 11 years of follow-up. Church attendance was dichotomized as frequent attendance (e.g., going to church at least once a month) versus infrequent attendance (e.g., never or several times a year). Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D; score >or=16 vs <16). General linear mixed models with time-dependent covariates were used to explore cognitive change at follow-up.
RESULTS: In unadjusted models, infrequent church attendees had a greater decline in MMSE scores (drop of 0.151 points more each year, standard error [SE] = 0.02, p <.001) compared to frequent church attendees; participants having CES-D scores >or=16 also had greater declines in MMSE scores (drop of 0.132 points more each year, SE = 0.03, p <.001) compared to participants with CES-D score <16 at follow-up. In fully adjusted models, a significant Church attendance x CES-D x Time interaction (p =.001) indicated that, among participants with CES-D scores >or=16, infrequent church attendees had greater decline in MMSE scores (drop of 0.236 points more each year, SE = 0.05, p <.001) compared to frequent church attendees at follow-up.
CONCLUSION: Church attendance appears to be beneficial for maintaining cognitive function of older persons. Church attendance moderates the impact of clinically relevant depressive symptoms on subsequent cognitive function.
Authors:
Carlos A Reyes-Ortiz; Ivonne M Berges; Mukaila A Raji; Harold G Koenig; Yong-Fang Kuo; Kyriakos S Markides
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences     Volume:  63     ISSN:  1079-5006     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci.     Publication Date:  2008 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-05-30     Completed Date:  2008-07-15     Revised Date:  2013-06-05    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9502837     Medline TA:  J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  480-6     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Sealy Center on Aging, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0460, USA. careyeso@utmb.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aged
Cognition*
Depression* / epidemiology
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Mexico
Spirituality*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
AG10939/AG/NIA NIH HHS; P50 CA105631/CA/NCI NIH HHS; R01 AG010939-08/AG/NIA NIH HHS
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