TY - JOUR T1 - Cognitively intact and happy life expectancy in the US. JF - The Journals of Gerontology, Series B Y1 - 2021 A1 - Anthony R. Bardo A1 - Scott M Lynch KW - Cognitive Ability KW - Longevity KW - Well-being AB -

OBJECTIVES: We examine the number of years to be lived with and without cognitive impairment and with high self-assessed quality of life (i.e., happiness) among a nationally representative sample of Americans age 65 years and older. Two key questions are addressed: Can people have a high quality of life despite being cognitively impaired? Which is longer: happy life expectancy or cognitively intact life expectancy?

METHOD: Data from nine waves of the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2014) were used to estimate transition probabilities into and out of cognitively intact/impaired-un/happy states, as well as to death. Recently extended Bayesian multistate life table methods were used to estimate age-specific cognitively intact and happy life expectancy net of sex, race/ethnicity, education, and birth cohort.

RESULTS: Happiness and cognitive impairment were shown to coexist in both the gross cross-tabulated data and in the life tables. Happy life expectancy is approximately 25 percent longer than cognitively intact life expectancy at age 65, and by age 85 happy life expectancy is roughly double cognitively intact life expectancy, on average.

DISCUSSION: Lack of cognitive impairment is not a necessary condition for happiness. In other words, people can have a high quality of life despite being cognitively impaired.

VL - 76 IS - 2 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Education, lifelong learning and self-rated health in later life in the USA JF - Health Education Journal Y1 - 2019 A1 - Takashi Yamashita A1 - Anthony R. Bardo A1 - Liu, Darren A1 - Yoo, Ji Won KW - Education KW - Health Disparities KW - Self-reported health AB - Objective: This study examined the mediating effects of lifelong learning on the association between self-rated health and educational attainment among a nationally representative sample of US residents aged 50 years and older. Setting: Socioeconomic disparities in health are a major public health concern in economically developed nations where improving socioeconomic status (e.g. formal educational attainment) at the population level is challenging. In the light of population ageing, alternative approaches to improve health through malleable factors are urgently needed. Recent research suggests that participation in organised learning activities – lifelong learning – could attenuate the lack of formal educational attainment on health. Methods: Data come from the 2012 wave of the US Health and Retirement Study. Structural equation models with bootstrapping were used to estimate the mediation effect of lifelong learning activity in the relationship between self-rated health and formal educational attainment. Results: Approximately 3%–5% of the effect of formal education on self-rated health was mediated by lifelong learning activity. Findings from this study support the notion that ongoing participation in organised learning activities is beneficial for health in later life. Conclusion: Lifelong learning reflects a promising autonomous and sustainable strategy to improve health in later life. Future public health and education policy as well as education institutions should consider providing more learning opportunities for older populations. VL - 78 IS - 3 JO - Health Education Journal ER -