TY - JOUR T1 - The Effect of Childhood Socioeconomic Position and Social Mobility on Cognitive Function and Change Among Older Adults: A Comparison Between the United States and England. JF - The Journals of Gerontology: Series B Y1 - 2021 A1 - Jessica Faul A1 - Erin B Ware A1 - Mohammed U Kabeto A1 - Fisher, Jonah A1 - Kenneth M. Langa KW - Cognition KW - Cross-national comparison KW - Early origins of health KW - Education KW - ELSA KW - Life course analysis AB -

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine the relationship between childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and cognitive function in later life within nationally representative samples of older adults in the United States and England, investigate whether these effects are mediated by later-life SEP, and determine whether social mobility from childhood to adulthood affects cognitive function and decline.

METHOD: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the English Longitudinal Survey of Ageing (ELSA), we examined the relationships between measures of SEP, cognitive performance and decline using individual growth curve models.

RESULTS: High childhood SEP was associated with higher cognitive performance at baseline in both cohorts and did not affect the rate of decline. This benefit dissipated after adjusting for education and adult wealth in the United States. Respondents with low childhood SEP, above median education, and high adult SEP had better cognitive performance at baseline than respondents with a similar childhood background and less upward mobility in both countries.

DISCUSSION: These findings emphasize the impact of childhood SEP on cognitive trajectories among older adults. Upward mobility may partially compensate for disadvantage early in life but does not protect against cognitive decline.

VL - 76 IS - Supplement_1 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Loneliness Following Widowhood: The Role of the Military and Social Support. JF - The Journals of Gerontology: Series B Y1 - 2021 A1 - Brittany M. King A1 - Dawn C Carr A1 - Miles G Taylor KW - Bereavement KW - Life course analysis KW - Social networks KW - Veteran widows AB -

OBJECTIVES: Increased loneliness is a common consequence of widowhood in later life. However, individuals with high levels of perceived social support from friends tend to cope more effectively following major social losses like widowhood. Military service is associated with cultivation of strong social support structures. This effect may not only influence those who serve, but also their spouses. Roughly half of older women today are married to veterans, which could shape how they cope with widowhood. We tested two hypotheses: (a) widows of veterans will be less lonely following widowhood compared to their nonveteran counterparts, and (b) this effect will be explained by perceived social support from friends.

METHODS: We used the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine changes in loneliness following widowhood among wives of veterans and nonveterans. We used Ordinary Least Squares regression and mediation tests to address our hypotheses.

RESULTS: Net of baseline differences, widows of veterans reported statistically lower levels of loneliness (p < .05) following widowhood compared to widows of nonveterans. Widows of veterans retained the same level of perceived social support from friends pre- and postwidowhood, whereas nonveteran wives experienced a loss. Perceived social support from friends mediated the association between veteran status of the deceased spouse and loneliness.

DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest wives of veterans may have more resilient social support structures than nonveteran spouses, helping them cope at widowhood. Future research should explore whether these effects persist in association with other major stressful events in later life.

VL - 76 IS - 2 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Childhood Misfortune and Late-Life Stroke Incidence, 2004–2014 JF - The Gerontologist Y1 - 2020 A1 - Zaborenko, Callie J A1 - Kenneth F Ferraro A1 - Monica Williams-Farrelly KW - Cerebrovascular disease KW - Epidemiology KW - Life course analysis AB - Although most strokes occur in later life, recent studies reveal that negative exposures decades earlier are associated with stroke risk. The purpose of this study was to examine whether accumulated and/or specific domains of early misfortune are related to stroke incidence in later life.A decade of longitudinal data from stroke-free participants 50 years or older in the Health and Retirement Study were analyzed (N = 12,473). Incident stroke was defined as either self-reported first incident stroke or death due to stroke between 2004 and 2014.Analyses revealed that accumulated misfortune was associated with increased stroke risk, but the relationship was moderated by wealth. Examining specific domains of childhood misfortune revealed that stroke incidence was greater for persons with behavioral/psychological risks, but that this relationship also was moderated by higher wealth for those with only one behavioral/psychological risk.Accumulated childhood misfortune and adolescent depression heighten the risk of stroke in later life, but the influence is remediable through adult wealth. Reducing poverty in later life may decrease stroke incidence for persons exposed to negative childhood exposures. VL - 60 SN - 0016-9013 IS - 6 ER -