Prevalence and risk factors of cognitive impairment among geriatric patients at Prince Sultan Military Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Cognitive impairment and dementia represent a growing public health challenge among the aging population in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment and identify associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Prince Sultan Military Hospital Geriatric Clinic in Taif from November 2024 to May 2025. A sample of patients aged ≥65 years were recruited via simple random sampling. Data on sociodemographics, clinical history, and lifestyle were collected. Cognitive function was screened using the Arabic version of the Eight-item Alzheimer's Dementia (AD8) questionnaire, administered to knowledgeable informants who had known the participant for at least 5 years with a score ≥ 2 indicating likely impairment. The study sample consisted of 182 geriatric patients. Bivariate analysis revealed that cognitive impairment was significantly associated with below-average income (<i>P</i> = 0.01), requiring daily assistance (<i>P</i> = 0.001), depression (<i>P</i> = 0.034), hypothyroidism (<i>P</i> = 0.026), lack of regular exercise (<i>P</i> = 0.01), and subjective cognitive complaints (<i>P</i> < 0.001). After multivariable adjustment using stepwise logistic regression, independent predictors of cognitive impairment were: any cognitive complaint (aOR = 17.99, 95% CI: 7.8-46.3, <i>P</i> < 0.001), hypothyroidism (aOR = 4.27, 95% CI: 1.4-14.3, <i>P</i> = 0.014), below-average income (aOR = 3.40, 95% CI: 1.6-7.8, <i>P</i> = 0.003), and lack of regular exercise (aOR = 2.61, 95% CI: 1.1-6.2, <i>P</i> = 0.027). This study found a high prevalence of cognitive impairment among geriatric clinic patients in Taif. Key predictors include modifiable risks like physical inactivity, treatable conditions such as hypothyroidism, and socioeconomic and personal factors. The findings support routine cognitive screening and highlight priority areas for multidisciplinary interventions to reduce cognitive decline.