TY - JOUR T1 - Education and physical activity mediate the relationship between ethnicity and cognitive function in late middle-aged adults. JF - Ethn Health Y1 - 2010 A1 - Meredith C. Masel A1 - Raji, Mukaila A1 - M. Kristen Peek KW - Black People KW - Body Mass Index KW - Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale KW - Cognition Disorders KW - Educational Status KW - Exercise KW - Female KW - Health Status KW - Hispanic or Latino KW - Humans KW - Longitudinal Studies KW - Male KW - Memory Disorders KW - Middle Aged KW - United States KW - White People AB -

OBJECTIVE: Minority status has been implicated as a risk factor for disparate scores on cognitive function tests in older adults. Research on ethnicity and cognitive function has yielded socioeconomic status, particularly education, as a primary reason for the discrepancy. Other factors, such as physical activity may provide insight into the relationship. Despite this knowledge, few studies have thoroughly examined the mediating characteristics of education or physical activity in the relationship between ethnicity and cognitive function in younger aged groups. Most research conducted focuses only on older adults during a time when degeneration of brain tissue may complicate the exploration of the relationships among ethnicity and cognitive function. The current research will expand existing knowledge about education, physical activity, and cognitive function in minority groups.

DESIGN: The study presents data from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative sample of late middle-aged White, Black, and Hispanic adults (n=9204, mean age+/-SD = 55.8+/-3.1). Regression and mediation testing determined the mediating effects of education and physical activity in the relationship between ethnicity and cognitive function.

RESULTS: Significant association between White ethnicity and higher scores on cognitive tests was evident as early as late middle age. The magnitude of the association significantly diminished on adjusting for education and leisure time physical activity.

CONCLUSION: Our data suggest a potential mediating role of education and physical activity on the ethnic differences in cognitive tests in late middle-aged White, Black, and Hispanic adults. Our findings suggest a need for studies to understand if adult education and culturally appropriate physical activity interventions in middle age influence ethnic disparities in prevalence of cognitive impairment in old age.

PB - 15 VL - 15 IS - 3 N1 - Using Smart Source Parsing pp. Jun Taylor and Francis, Abingdon UK U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20401816?dopt=Abstract U3 - 20401816 U4 - Minorities/Cognitive Function/ethnic differences/Physical Activity/methodology/Cognition/physical Fitness ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Ethnic differences in cognitive function over time. JF - Ann Epidemiol Y1 - 2009 A1 - Meredith C. Masel A1 - M. Kristen Peek KW - Black or African American KW - Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale KW - Cognition Disorders KW - Educational Status KW - Female KW - Hispanic or Latino KW - Humans KW - Logistic Models KW - Longitudinal Studies KW - Male KW - Memory Disorders KW - Middle Aged KW - Odds Ratio KW - White People AB -

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.

PB - 19 VL - 19 IS - 11 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19656690?dopt=Abstract U2 - PMC2761993 U4 - Cognitive Function/Minorities ER -