Ethnic Differences in Cognitive Function Over Time
Received 13 March 2009; accepted 27 June 2009. published online 06 August 2009.
Purpose
Minority group membership in old age has been implicated as a risk factor for lower scores on cognitive function tests, independent of education level. In addition, differential rates of cognitive decline by ethnic group have been identified in several epidemiologic studies. However, others have not been able to detect differences.
Methods
In order to determine if health disparities in cognitive function scores extend to rates of decline, the current research examined rates of change in memory and mental status over the course of 9 years (1996–2004) in a nationally representative sample of late middle-aged and older white, black, and Hispanic adults who were part of the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study. Change in cognitive function was measured by separate indices of memory and mental status items and analyzed with multivariable mixed modeling.
Results
Results indicated that, after controlling for demographic, social, and health-related variables, ethnicity was associated with cognitive function scores across waves (P<0.01), but did not greatly impact rates of decline. Furthermore, although education was associated with cognitive function scores across waves (P<0.01), education level did not impact decline rates.
Conclusions
Some health disparities in cognitive function exist even in late middle age, but ethnic differences in rates of decline are mixed.
aSchool of Health Professions, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
bPreventive Medicine & Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Address correspondence to: Dr. Meredith C. Masel, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, School of Health Professions, 301 University Blvd., Route 1137, Galveston, TX 77555-1137. Tel.: (409) 772-9554. Fax: (409) 747-1638.
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging T32 AG00270 and by Health of Older Minorities NIH/NIA T32 AG00270.
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
ABSTRACT