Subjective cognitive complaints and objective cognitive performance among a sample of Yoruba community-dwelling older persons from Southwest Nigeria: A cross-sectional study
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online March, 2026
Subjective cognitive complaints and objective cognitive performance among a sample of Yoruba community-dwelling older persons from Southwest Nigeria: A cross-sectional study
Subjective cognitive complaints are common in older populations and may signpost incident Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
Objective
To determine the frequency and predictors of cognitive impairment and dementia among Yoruba-speaking community dwelling older persons (65 years and above) from 2 communities in Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria who have Subjective cognitive complaints.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional, observational study conducted within two urban communities in Oyo State, South West Nigeria and involving 150 consenting and voluntarily participating elderly participants aged 65 years and above who had subjective cognitive complaints. Demographic and clinical data were obtained using a pro forma. Participants also had cognitive screening and a focused clinical examination by a physician. Categorization following consensus diagnosis was according to International Classification of Diseases version 11 (ICD-11) namely dementia, mild cognitive impairment and no cognitive impairment.
Results
There were no statistically significant differences in the socio-demographic and cognitive performance scores on neuropsychological testing across sites. At final diagnosis, 4 participants had dementia (2.7%) while 15 participants (10%) had mild cognitive impairment. On logistic regression, only moderate-severe decline on the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale was significantly associated with higher odds of cognitive decline in this sample.
Conclusions
About 1 in 7 older persons in this study already had objective cognitive decline. Subjective cognitive complaints in older Yoruba Africans should prompt early screening. Prospective studies to identify the consistent predictors of cognitive decline in this population are needed.
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