scholarly journals Childhood Socioeconomic Status and Cognitive Aging: An Intersectional Life Course Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 519-519
Author(s):  
Addam Reynolds ◽  
Emily Greenfield ◽  
Sara Moorman ◽  
Laurent Reyes
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The South ◽  
Structural Racism ◽  
Black Adults ◽  
Childhood Socioeconomic Status

Abstract Greater childhood socioeconomic status (cSES) is associated with better later life cognition. Largely absent from this literature is how structural racism potentially influences this relationship. Guided by intersectional life course theory, we examined if the influence of cSES and region of schooling on later life cognitive outcomes differs among non-Hispanic White (NHW) and Black older adults. We used data from the 2010-2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study for participants ages 65 and older in 2010. Using growth mixture modeling, we estimated the associations between race, cSES (parental education, social, and financial capital), and region of schooling at age 10 (southern versus not) on cognitive performance. Consistent with prior research, there was a main effect of race on cognitive performance levels (but not with decline over time), with lower scores among older Black adults, on average. Among NHWs, higher cSES was protective for later life cognition, especially for NHW participants from the South. Although Black older adults who attended school outside of the South had higher levels of cognitive performance than their counterparts who attended school at age 10 in the South, Black older adults who attended school outside of the South--regardless of cSES--still had lower average scores on cognition at baseline than the most disadvantaged NHW participants. This paper implicates the effects of structural racism on cognitive performance among older Black adults, indicating the need for heightened attention to structural racism within interventions for optimizing brain health and promoting equitable cognitive aging across the life course.

scholarly journals THE DIFFERENTIAL INFLUENCE OF REGIONAL CONTEXT ON LATER-LIFE HEALTH AND MORTALITY

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S806-S806
Author(s):  
Alicia Riley
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Health Effect ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
The South ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Health And Mortality ◽  
The U.S

Abstract This study examines regional disparities in later life health from a life course perspective. To sort out when and how region influences health over the life course, I focus on the sharp contrast between the South and the rest of the U.S. in health and mortality. I draw on data from the National Life Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults in the U.S., to estimate the differential risk of multiple health outcomes and mortality by regional trajectory. I find that older adults who leave the South are worse off in multiple outcomes than those who stay. I also find evidence of a protective health effect of community cohesion and dense social networks for the Southerners who stay in the South. My results suggest that regional trajectory influences health in later life through its associations with socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, and social rootedness.

scholarly journals Early Life Circumstances and Cognitive Aging: Longitudinal Evidence From China Health and Retirement Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 62-62
Author(s):  
Zhuoer Lin ◽  
Xi Chen
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Cognitive Deficit ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Childhood Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Life Circumstances

Abstract Objectives: This study examines the long-term relationship between early life circumstances and later life cognitive aging. In particular, we differentiate the long-term effects of early life circumstances on level of cognitive deficit and rate of cognitive decline. Methods: Cognitive trajectories were measured using three waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Surveys (CHARLS 2011-2015). Linear mixed-effect model was used to decompose the individual level of cognitive deficit and rate of cognitive change in a sample of Chinese middle-aged and older adults 45-90 years of age (N=6,700). These two dimensions of cognition were matched to four domains of early life circumstances using CHARLS Life History Survey (2014), including childhood socioeconomic status, neighborhood environment, social relationships and health conditions. Their associations were examined by linear regressions. Stratification analysis was further conducted to investigate the mediating effect of education on early life circumstances and cognitive aging. Results: Childhood socioeconomic status, childhood friendship and early life health conditions were significantly associated with both the level of cognitive deficit and rate of decline. In contrast, the community environment, including childhood neighborhood safety and social cohesion, only affected the baseline level of cognitive deficit; and childhood relationship with parents only affected the rate of cognitive decline. Moreover, education was found to be a mediating factor of these relationships. Conclusion: Exposure to disadvantaged early life circumstances have significant negative effects on later life cognitive deficit as well as rate of cognitive decline. Nevertheless, these long-term impacts can be partially ameliorated by higher educational attainment.

scholarly journals The Association between Childhood Conditions and Heart Disease Among Middle-Aged and Older Population in China: A Life Course Perspective

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingyue Zhang ◽  
Nan Lu
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Childhood Conditions ◽  
Populations At Risk ◽  
Childhood Socioeconomic Status

Abstract Background: Heart disease is a severe health problem among adult populations in China. The prevalence rates of heart disease increase with age. The pathogenic causes of heart disease are often related to conditions in early life. Using a nationally representative data from adults aged 45 or older in China, we examined the association between childhood conditions and heart disease in later life from a life course perspective.Methods: The data used in this study were derived from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study; specifically, the life history module and 2015 wave. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from respondents aged 45 or older. Missing data were handled by multiple imputation, generating a final analytic sample of 19,800. Doctor-diagnosed heart disease was the main dependent variable. Random-effects logistic regression models were conducted to test the hypotheses.Results: A total of 16.6% respondents reported being diagnosed with heart disease by doctors. Regarding childhood socioeconomic status, 8.2% of the respondents considered that they were (a lot) better off than their neighbors, and 31.1% considered that their health status in childhood was better than their peers. More than 90% of respondents did not have severe illnesses during their childhood, and around 80.3% had access to health resources nearby in childhood. Socioeconomic status, self-rated health, and severe illnesses in childhood were significantly associated with heart disease after controlling for conditions in adulthood and older age (socioeconomic status: odds ratio (OR) = 0.950; self-rated health: OR = 0.923; severe illnesses: OR = 1.191).Conclusions: Childhood conditions play important roles in influencing the onset of heart disease in middle and older age in China. Poor childhood conditions should be considered as screening criteria to identify populations at risk of heart disease. Community-based preventive strategies and interventions should also be implemented to enhance health in later life.

Life-Course Religious Attendance and Cognitive Functioning in Later Life

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 217-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence D. Hill ◽  
Dawn C. Carr ◽  
Amy M. Burdette ◽  
Benjamin Dowd-Arrow
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Religious Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Religious Attendance ◽  
Retirement Study

Although several studies suggest that religious attendance is associated with better cognitive functioning in later life, researchers have generally failed to connect with any established life-course perspectives or theories of cognitive aging. Building on previous work, we examine the effects of life-course religious attendance on a range of cognitive functioning outcomes. We employ data from the religious life histories module of the 2016 Health and Retirement Study, a subsample of 516 adults aged 65 and older. Our key findings demonstrate that older adults who attended religious services for more of their life course tend to exhibit poorer working memory and mental status and better self-rated memory than older adults who attended less often. We contribute to previous research by reconceptualizing religious attendance as a cumulative life-course exposure, exploring the effects of religious attendance net of secular social engagement, and examining a wider range of cognitive functioning outcomes.

scholarly journals CHILDHOOD CONDITIONS AND ARTHRITIS AMONG MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS IN CHINA: THE MODERATING ROLES OF GENDER

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S275-S275
Author(s):  
Nan Lu ◽  
Bei Wu ◽  
Nan Jiang ◽  
Tingyue Dong
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Childhood Conditions ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Childhood Socioeconomic Status

Abstract This study examined the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between childhood conditions and arthritis among middle-aged and older adults in China. The data were derived from the 2015 wave and the life history module of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal study. The sample included 19800 respondents age 45 and over. Multiple imputation was used to handle the missing data. A multilevel logistic regression was used to test the proposed models. Childhood socioeconomic status, mother’s education, subjective health, access to health care and medical catastrophic event were found to be significant factors associated with arthritis in later life, after controlling for adulthood and older age conditions. Furthermore, the effects of childhood socioeconomic status on arthritis were found to be higher among men than women. The findings highlight the important role of childhood conditions that affect the onset of arthritis in later life. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.

scholarly journals RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES IN LATER LIFE: EXAMINING THE ROLE OF SES AND HEALTH DISADVANTAGE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S149-S149
Author(s):  
Nirmala Lekhak ◽  
Tirth Bhatta ◽  
Timothy Goler
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Racial Differences ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Black Adults ◽  
Opposite Pattern ◽  
Contemplative Practices ◽  
Private Prayer

Abstract Substantial scholarly attention has been placed on prayer as a buffer of life events’ adverse influences on well-being in later life. The disproportionate distribution of adverse life events among Black adults has also attracted scholarly interest in racial differences in contemplative practices. Black adults have been found to more likely engage in private prayer than White adults, whereas studies have observed an opposite pattern for meditation. The contribution of stratification in socioeconomic status and health to racial differences in contemplative practices, especially in meditation has received relatively less attention. Drawing from a subsample from Health and Retirement Survey (N = 1102), this study takes a next necessary step to assess the contribution of socioeconomic status, multimorbidity, and depressive symptoms to racial differences in both prayer and meditation use in later life. Consistent with prior studies, the odds of engaging in private prayer (OR=2.78, p<0.01) was higher among Blacks than White older adults. Our findings of higher odds (OR=2.92, p<0.001) of meditation among Black older adults than White older adults, however, do not align with previous studies. The disadvantage in socioeconomic status, health, and psychological well-being completely explain racial differences in prayer, but this difference in meditation persist even after adjusting for those factors. Our findings call for further research on contextually influenced underlying individual motivations that drive older adults of different racial and social economic groups to engage in various contemplative practices. Further research is also warranted on how older adults, particularly Blacks differentiate between private prayer and meditation.

scholarly journals Economic Inequality Over the Life Course: Causes and Effects of Cumulative Dis/Advantage Processes

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 585-586
Author(s):  
Jessica Kelley ◽  
Stephen Crystal ◽  
Jessica Kelley
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Student Loans ◽  
Economic Inequality ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Structural Racism ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Economic inequality has grown rapidly in all age groups in the past several decades. In each successive cohort, the wealth gap grows for young people and seems to accelerate faster over the life course. While rising inequality has taken its toll on Baby Boomers, we have become acutely aware of the increasing economic pressures across the entire life course (work precarity; student loans) that will manifest in the greatest degree of inequality in older adulthood seen to date. This session explores the forces that have shaped the degree of inequality among current older adults and are setting the stage for future cohorts of older adults. Presenters will explore several aspects of this issue: the growing state of the “risk retirement,” the impact of income inequality on later-life wealth and health, the structural racism written into economic policies intended to help Americans accumulate wealth and maintain health, and the market disadvantage for GED recipients compared to high school diploma recipients.

scholarly journals Contextual Correlates of Cognitive Aging in Black Older Adults: Examining the Neighborhood

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 49-49
Author(s):  
Ketlyne Sol ◽  
Tanisha Hill-Jarrrett
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Cognitive Outcomes ◽  
Black Adults ◽  
The Life Course

Abstract Black older adults have a unique history that includes enslavement and legalized segregation. This history shapes the present-day experiences of older Blacks, in part, through the neighborhoods in which they live. The neighborhood is a reflection of both the physical and social contexts, and reflects the most natural and intimate context through which a person experiences life. Combined, the unique history and neighborhoods of Black older adults may contribute to their disproportionately experiencing impairments in cognitive function in older age. There is growing interest in how lived experiences across the life course affect cognitive trajectory and, ultimately, cognitive outcomes of older Black adults. In this presentation, we will review recent literature on psychosocial and physical contextual factors and their influence on cognitive aging in older blacks through the lens of the neighborhood.

scholarly journals Life-course pathways from childhood socioeconomic status to type 2 diabetes in mid-late Chinese adulthood

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoning Zhang ◽  
Xue Jiang ◽  
Mengqi Sha ◽  
Qiong Zhou ◽  
Wen Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Food Shortage ◽  
Late Adulthood ◽  
Childhood Health ◽  
Childhood Socioeconomic Status

AbstractThe relationship between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains inconclusive, and the pathways and mechanisms driving this relationship have yet to be clarified. This study aimed to examine the pathways linking childhood SES to T2D prevalence in mid-late adulthood in a low- and middle-income country. The incidence of T2D diagnosed in mid-late Chinese adulthood was assessed using self-reports from the Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Childhood SES was assessed by the education, occupation, survivorship of the parents and the financial situation of the family, whereas adulthood SES was assessed by education and wage. This study performed structural equation modeling to clarify the direct and indirect pathways from childhood SES to T2D via childhood health, childhood food shortage, adulthood SES and physical activity. A total of 15,132 participants were included, and the prevalence of T2D was 5.24%. This study found that childhood SES was directly associated with T2D in mid-late adulthood, the probability of developing T2D increased by 9.20% of the standard deviation for each decrease in standard deviation in childhood SES. Childhood SES was indirectly associated with T2D via adulthood SES, physical activity, childhood health and food shortage. Adulthood SES and physical activity mainly mediated the indirect pathway from childhood SES and T2D. This study showed direct and indirect pathways from disadvantaged childhood SES to increased risk of T2D in mid-late Chinese adulthood. Childhood SES, adulthood SES, physical activity, childhood health and food shortage were identified as life-course interventional targets that should be considered in the development of effective strategies to reduce the burden of T2D and SES-related health inequities in childhood.

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