A Person-Centered Exploration of Mental and Cognitive Health Risk Profiles in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

IntroductionThis study extends prior work by identifying multidimensional profiles of co-occurring mental health and cognitive symptoms that better reflect the complexity of aging and identify high-risk subgroups with more severe symptom profiles.MethodsThis secondary analysis used Wave II data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP). Latent profile analysis was conducted to identify distinct symptom profiles and examine associated sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics.ResultsA three-profile solution of "Mild," "Moderate," and "Severe" was identified. These profiles differed significantly across sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender, education, employment, income, and access to technology), clinical factors (self-rated health and chronic conditions), and lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, alcohol use, sleep quality, and social engagement).DiscussionThese findings highlight substantial heterogeneity in mental health and cognitive symptom profiles among older adults and underscore the need for targeted, accessible, and person-centered interventions to support their mental and cognitive well-being.