Objective : This study aimed to identify factors associated with cognitive impairment among Korean adults aged 50 years and older, focusing on the relationship between general characteristics, oral health behaviors, and cognitive decline using data from the 2024 Korea Community Health Survey (KCHS).
Methods : A total of 154,033 participants were included in this secondary data analysis. Complex sample cross-tabulations and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine differences in general and oral health characteristics according to cognitive impairment and to identify influencing factors by age group.
Results : Overall, 26.9% of participants reported experiencing cognitive impairment. Significant influencing factors included sex, age, residence, education level, economic activity, marital status, alcohol consumption, subjective health status, hypertension diagnosis, subjective oral health, chewing discomfort, weekday sleep duration, and perceived stress level (p<.001). Females, older adults, those without economic activity, with poor subjective health, poor oral condition, chewing discomfort, shorter or excessive sleep, and higher stress levels were more likely to experience cognitive impairment. In subgroup analyses, cognitive impairment in the 50–64 age group was influenced by sex, cohabitation, education, economic activity, marital status, alcohol use, subjective health and oral status, chewing discomfort, sleep duration, and stress level, whereas in those aged 65 and older, residence, education, economic activity, marital status, alcohol use, subjective health, chewing discomfort, sleep duration, and stress were significant predictors.
Conclusion : These findings suggest that improving oral health and lifestyle habits should be integrated into community-based strategies to prevent cognitive decline among middle-aged and older adults. Future longitudinal studies and the development of oral health–cognition linkage programs are recommended.