Background Living arrangements are critical to the survival and well-being of older people, especially in China where the filial piety culture demands adult children care for and serve their parents. The study aimed to explore the association between living arrangements and cognitive decline among older people in China. Methods Participants included 6,074 older adults over 60 years old (49.65% male, mean age 67.2 years [range 60–98]) from four waves (2011–2018) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Two to four assessments were conducted over a follow-up of an average of 5.3 years (range, 2–7). Cognitive function was assessed using an adapted Chinese version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Living arrangements were classified as follows: living alone, living with spouse, living with adult children, living with spouse and adult children and living with others. Multilevel models were used to investigate the relationship between living arrangements and cognitive decline, as well as the gender difference. Results As the main type of living arrangements of the study participants (44.91%), living with spouse was taken as the reference group. Compared to the reference group, living alone (β=-0.126, P < 0.001), living with adult children (β=-0.136, P < 0.001), living with spouse and adult children (β=-0.040, P < 0.05) and living with others (β=-0.155, P < 0.05) were all related to a faster rate of cognitive decline. Further, the association between living arrangements and cognitive decline varied by gender. Living alone (β=-0.192, P < 0.001) was associated with a faster cognitive decline only in older men. Living with spouse and adult children (β=-0.053, P < 0.05) and living with others (β=-0.179, P < 0.05) were associated with faster cognitive decline only in older women. Conclusion This study suggests that living arrangements in older people in China were associated with cognitive decline, and these associations varied by gender. Greater attention to living arrangements might yield practical implications for preserving the cognitive function of the older population.

Background Physical performances including upper and lower limb functions have predictive roles in activities of daily living (ADL) disability, but they have rarely been incorporated into prediction models. This study primarily aimed to develop and validate novel physical performance-based models for ADL disability among Chinese older adults. Comparisons of predictive performance across multiple models were performed, and model simplification was further explored. Methods Data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in the 2011 and 2015 waves, containing 2192 older adults over 60 years old. Our models were constructed by logistic regression analysis, using a backward stepwise selection. Model performance was internally validated by discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility. Integrated Discrimination Improvement (IDI) and Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI) were used to assess the incremental benefit of the extended models. Moreover, nomograms were built for visualization. Results We selected gender, age, smoking, self-report health condition, BMI, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function into the fundamental model (Model 1). Based on Model 1, five novel prediction models were constructed by adding handgrip strength (Model 2), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) (Model 3), gait speed (Model 4), handgrip strength plus SPPB (Model 5), and handgrip strength plus gait speed (Model 6), respectively. Significant improvement in predictive values were observed for all five novel models compared with Model 1 (C-index = 0.693). The lower limb model (Model 3 SPPB model: C-index = 0.731) may play a key role in the prediction of ADL disability, reflecting a comparable predictive value to the comprehensive models combining both upper and lower limbs (Model 5 handgrip strength + SPPB model: C-index = 0.732). When we simplified the lower limb models by replacing SPPB with gait speed, the predictive values attenuated slightly (C-index: Model 3 vs Model 4: 0.731 vs 0.714; Model 5 vs Model 6: 0.732 vs 0.718), but still better than the upper limb model (Model 2 handgrip strength model: C-index = 0.701). Conclusions Physical performance-based models, especially lower limb model, provided improved prediction for ADL disability among Chinese older adults, which may help guide the targeted intervention.

Background: Living arrangements are critical for the survival and well-being of older people, especially in China, filial piety culture demands adult children should care for and serve their parents. The study aimed to explore the association between living arrangements and cognitive decline among older people in China. Methods: Participants included 6,074 older adults over 60 years old (49.65% male, mean age 67.2 years [range 60–98]) from four waves (2011-2018) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Two to four assessments were conducted over a follow-up of an average of 5.3 years (range, 2–7). Cognitive function was evaluated in three dimensions: mental status, episodic memory and visuo-construction. Living arrangements were classified as follows: living alone, living with spouse, living with adult children, living with spouse and adult children and living with others. Multilevel models were used to investigate the relationship between living arrangements and cognitive decline, as well as the gender difference. Results: As the main type of living arrangements of the study participants (44.91%), living with spouse was taken as the reference group. Compared to the reference group, living alone (β=-0.126, P<0.001), living with adult children (β=-0.136, P<0.001), living with spouse and adult children (β=-0.040, P<0.05) and living with others (β=-0.155, P<0.05) were all related to a faster rate of cognitive decline. Further, the association between living arrangements and cognitive decline varied by gender. Living alone (β=-0.192, P<0.001) was associated with a faster cognitive decline only in older men. Living with spouse and adult children (β=-0.053, P<0.05) and living with others (β=-0.179, P<0.05) were associated with faster cognitive decline only in older women. Conclusions: This study suggests that living arrangements in older people in China were associated with cognitive decline, and these associations varied by gender. Greater attention to living arrangements might yield practical implications for preserving the cognitive function of the older population.