Association of the combination of social isolation and living alone with cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults: The IRIDE Cohort Study

•Social isolation among older adults living alone leads to cognitive impairment.•Living alone may be associated with cognitive impairment, but findings remain inconsistent.•Regardless of living alone, social isolation was associated with cognitive impairment.•Healthcare workers should focus on social interactions to prevent cognitive impairment. Living alone has been associated with cognitive impairment; however, findings have been inconsistent. Social isolation among older adults who live alone may contribute to cognitive impairment. This study was carried out to examine the association of social isolation and living alone with cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults. In this cross-sectional study, data from the Integrated Research Initiative for Living Well with Dementia Cohort Study, which comprises pooled data from five community-based geriatric cohorts, was used. Social isolation was defined as infrequent interactions with others. Participants were categorized into four groups based on their social isolation and living alone statuses. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, with a score