Background: Cognitive leisure activity, such as reading, playing mahjong or cards and computer use, is common among older adults in China. Previous studies suggest a protective role of cognitive leisure activity against cognitive impairment. However, the relationship between cognitive leisure activity and all-cause mortality has rarely been reported.
Objectives: This study aims to explore the relationships between cognitive leisure activity and all-cause mortality in a community-based elderly cohort in China.
Methods: The current study sample comprised 4003 community residents aged ≥ 60 y who were enrolled in June 2015, and were followed up every year from 2015 to 2018. Reading, playing mahjong or cards and computer use were measured by questionnaires and summed into a cognitive leisure activity index (CLAI) score. Cox proportional hazards analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to examine the association of cognitive leisure activity with all-cause mortality.
Results: During the 4-year follow-up of 4003 participants, 208 (5.2%) deaths were registered. Of all participants, 66.8%, 26.7%, 6.1% and 0.35% reported CLAI scores of 0, 1, 2 and 3, respectively. A strong association was noted between the CLA score and all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.72, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.54-0.96, P = 0.025). Stratified analysis suggested that a higher CLAI score was significantly associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality mainly among those who were male, aged ≥ 80 y, cognitively impaired, and not diagnosed with cancer (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Cognitive leisure activity has beneficial effect on reduced risk of death from all cause among the elderly in China, which helped promote a comprehensive understanding of health characteristics at advanced ages.

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Figure 3
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
Supplementary Figure S1: Kaplan-Meier survival curves of dichotomized individual cognitive leisure activity with survival. (a) playing mahjong or cards. (b) reading. (c) computer use. Supplementary Table S1: Prevalence and death rate of all 8 combinations of cognitive leisure activity behaviors. Supplementary Table S2: The distribution of education level and individual cognitive leisure activity in Men and Women. Supplementary Table S3: The distribution of cardiovascular disease, cancer and BMI in PA active and PA inactive.
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Posted 18 Jan, 2021
On 10 Jan, 2021
Received 10 Jan, 2021
On 10 Jan, 2021
Invitations sent on 06 Jan, 2021
On 06 Jan, 2021
Received 06 Jan, 2021
On 05 Jan, 2021
On 05 Jan, 2021
On 05 Jan, 2021
On 05 Dec, 2020
Received 04 Dec, 2020
Received 14 Nov, 2020
On 25 Oct, 2020
On 27 Sep, 2020
Invitations sent on 27 Jul, 2020
On 14 Jul, 2020
On 13 Jul, 2020
On 13 Jul, 2020
On 13 Jul, 2020
Posted 18 Jan, 2021
On 10 Jan, 2021
Received 10 Jan, 2021
On 10 Jan, 2021
Invitations sent on 06 Jan, 2021
On 06 Jan, 2021
Received 06 Jan, 2021
On 05 Jan, 2021
On 05 Jan, 2021
On 05 Jan, 2021
On 05 Dec, 2020
Received 04 Dec, 2020
Received 14 Nov, 2020
On 25 Oct, 2020
On 27 Sep, 2020
Invitations sent on 27 Jul, 2020
On 14 Jul, 2020
On 13 Jul, 2020
On 13 Jul, 2020
On 13 Jul, 2020
Background: Cognitive leisure activity, such as reading, playing mahjong or cards and computer use, is common among older adults in China. Previous studies suggest a protective role of cognitive leisure activity against cognitive impairment. However, the relationship between cognitive leisure activity and all-cause mortality has rarely been reported.
Objectives: This study aims to explore the relationships between cognitive leisure activity and all-cause mortality in a community-based elderly cohort in China.
Methods: The current study sample comprised 4003 community residents aged ≥ 60 y who were enrolled in June 2015, and were followed up every year from 2015 to 2018. Reading, playing mahjong or cards and computer use were measured by questionnaires and summed into a cognitive leisure activity index (CLAI) score. Cox proportional hazards analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to examine the association of cognitive leisure activity with all-cause mortality.
Results: During the 4-year follow-up of 4003 participants, 208 (5.2%) deaths were registered. Of all participants, 66.8%, 26.7%, 6.1% and 0.35% reported CLAI scores of 0, 1, 2 and 3, respectively. A strong association was noted between the CLA score and all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.72, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.54-0.96, P = 0.025). Stratified analysis suggested that a higher CLAI score was significantly associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality mainly among those who were male, aged ≥ 80 y, cognitively impaired, and not diagnosed with cancer (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Cognitive leisure activity has beneficial effect on reduced risk of death from all cause among the elderly in China, which helped promote a comprehensive understanding of health characteristics at advanced ages.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
Supplementary Figure S1: Kaplan-Meier survival curves of dichotomized individual cognitive leisure activity with survival. (a) playing mahjong or cards. (b) reading. (c) computer use. Supplementary Table S1: Prevalence and death rate of all 8 combinations of cognitive leisure activity behaviors. Supplementary Table S2: The distribution of education level and individual cognitive leisure activity in Men and Women. Supplementary Table S3: The distribution of cardiovascular disease, cancer and BMI in PA active and PA inactive.
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