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The role of education in the association between race/ethnicity/nativity, cognitive impairment, and dementia among older adults in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Marc A. Garcia

    (University of Nebraska–Lincoln)

  • Joseph Saenz

    (Arizona State University)

  • Brian Downer

    (University of Texas Medical Branch)

  • Rebeca Wong

    (University of Texas Medical Branch)

Abstract

Background: Older Black and Hispanic adults are more likely to be cognitively impaired than older White adults. Disadvantages in educational achievement for minority and immigrant populations may contribute to disparities in cognitive impairment. Objective: Examine the role of education in racial/ethnic and nativity differences in cognitive impairment/no dementia (CIND) and dementia among older US adults. Methods: Data comes from the 2012 Health and Retirement Study. A total of 19,099 participants aged >50 were included in the analysis. Participants were categorized as having normal cognition, CIND, or dementia based on the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) or questions from a proxy interview. We document age and educational differences in cognitive status among White, Black, US-born Hispanic, and foreign-born Hispanic adults by sex. Logistic regression is used to quantify the association between race/ethnicity/nativity, education, and cognitive status by sex. Results: Among women, foreign-born Hispanics have higher odds of CIND and dementia than Whites. For men, Blacks have higher odds for CIND and dementia compared to Whites. The higher odds for CIND and dementia across race/ethnic and nativity groups was reduced after controlling for years of education but remained statistically significant for older Black and US-born Hispanic adults. Controlling for education reduces the odds for CIND (women and men) and dementia (men) among foreign-born Hispanics to nonsignificance. Contribution: These results highlight the importance of education in CIND and dementia, particularly among foreign-born Hispanics. Addressing inequalities in education can contribute to reducing racial/ethnic/nativity disparities in CIND and dementia for older adults.

Suggested Citation

  • Marc A. Garcia & Joseph Saenz & Brian Downer & Rebeca Wong, 2018. "The role of education in the association between race/ethnicity/nativity, cognitive impairment, and dementia among older adults in the United States," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 38(6), pages 155-168.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:38:y:2018:i:6
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2018.38.6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shannon Sisco & Alden L. Gross & Regina A. Shih & Bonnie C. Sachs & M. Maria Glymour & Katherine J. Bangen & Andreana Benitez & Jeannine Skinner & Brooke C. Schneider & Jennifer J. Manly, 2015. "The Role of Early-Life Educational Quality and Literacy in Explaining Racial Disparities in Cognition in Late Life," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 70(4), pages 557-567.
    2. Hill, Terrence D. & Angel, Jacqueline L. & Balistreri, Kelly S. & Herrera, Angelica P., 2012. "Immigrant status and cognitive functioning in late-life: An examination of gender variations in the healthy immigrant effect," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2076-2084.
    3. Eileen M. Crimmins & Jung Ki Kim & Kenneth M. Langa & David R. Weir, 2011. "Assessment of Cognition Using Surveys and Neuropsychological Assessment: The Health and Retirement Study and the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 66(suppl_1), pages 162-171.
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    Cited by:

    1. Elizabeth Vásquez & Meghana A Gadgil & Weihui Zhang & Jacqueline L Angel, 2022. "Diabetes, disability, and dementia risk: Results from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (H-EPESE)," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(7), pages 1462-1469, November.
    2. Liu, Chelsea & Murchland, Audrey R. & VanderWeele, Tyler J. & Blacker, Deborah, 2022. "Eliminating racial disparities in dementia risk by equalizing education quality: A sensitivity analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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