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Subjective cognitive impairment and quality of life: a systematic review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 August 2017

Nikki L. Hill Open the ORCID record for Nikki L. Hill [Opens in a new window] ,
Caroline McDermott ,
Jacqueline Mogle ,
Elizabeth Munoz ,
Nicole DePasquale ,
Rachel Wion  and
Emily Whitaker
Nikki L. Hill*
Affiliation:
College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
Caroline McDermott
Affiliation:
College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
Jacqueline Mogle
Affiliation:
College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
Elizabeth Munoz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
Nicole DePasquale
Affiliation:
Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
Rachel Wion
Affiliation:
College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
Emily Whitaker
Affiliation:
College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Nikki L. Hill, College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, 201 Nursing Sciences Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA. Phone: +(814) 867-3265; Fax: +814-863-1027. Email: nikki.hill@psu.edu.
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Abstract

Background:

Older adults with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) experience increased affective symptoms, reduced engagement in a range of activities, as well as more functional problems when compared to those without SCI. These associations suggest that SCI may be detrimental to older adults’ quality of life (QoL). The purpose of this paper is to advance understanding of the SCI–QoL relationship through a comprehensive review of the empirical literature relating SCI and QoL.

Methods:

A systematic literature review was conducted in CINAHL, PsycINFO, and PubMed per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria. Eligible articles were appraised using the weight of evidence (WoE) framework to evaluate methodological quality, methodological relevance, and topic relevance. A narrative synthesis of results was conducted, based on conceptual definitions of QoL.

Results:

Eleven articles were identified that met eligibility criteria. WoE ratings ranged from low to high scores. Studies reviewed reported that the presence, greater frequency, or greater severity of SCI is associated with lower QoL regardless of methodological quality rating, sample characteristics (e.g. geographic location, clinical vs. community settings), study design (e.g. cross-sectional vs. longitudinal), and operationalization of SCI or QoL.

Conclusion:

Across studies, QoL was negatively associated with SCI. However, a frequent limitation of the reviewed literature was the mismatch between the conceptual and operational definitions of SCI and QoL. Similarly, SCI measures varied in quality across the reviewed literature. This suggests future empirical work should focus on the appropriate strategies for conceptually and operationally defining these constructs.

Keywords

Quality of life (QoL)Cognitive impairment
Type
Review Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 29 , Issue 12 , December 2017 , pp. 1965 - 1977
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2017 

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