Leisure-activity participation to prevent later-life cognitive decline: a systematic review

AbstractObjective: A systematic literature review was conducted to characterise the current state of knowledge concerning the definition, categorisation, and operationalisation of leisure activity in studies examining its possible role in preventing later-life cognitive decline. Following PRISMA guidelines for a systematic review, the study examined peer-reviewed empirical research publications focused on leisure activity, cognitive decline, and prevention. Methods: Searches in the PubMed/Medline reSEARCH, CINHAL, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, PsychoINFO, ERIC Proquest, the Cochrane library, and PsycARTICLES databases for the years 2000 to 2011 identified 52 publications for inclusion. Results: The results are discussed and based on these findings are further interpreted using the Model of Human Occupation, which focuses on key factors identified in the review that are salient to associations between participation in leisure activities and prevention of dementia. Conclusions: While the findings su...