%0 Journal Article %J J Aging Health %D 2016 %T Racial/Ethnic Differences in Trajectories of Cognitive Function in Older Adults. %A Elizabeth Vasquez %A Anda Botoseneanu %A Joan M. Bennett %A Benjamin A Shaw %K Aged %K Aged, 80 and over %K Black People %K Cognition %K Cognition Disorders %K Female %K Health Behavior %K Hispanic or Latino %K Humans %K Male %K White People %X

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to (a) examine racial/ethnic differences in trajectories of cognitive function and (b) evaluate the role of education and health behaviors (physical activity [PA] and smoking) as mediators of racial/ethnic differences in the rate of decline in cognitive function in older adults.

METHOD: Data for this study came from the Health and Retirement Study ( n = 3,424). Hierarchical linear models were used to define the trajectory of cognitive function between 2002 and 2008. Participants were classified based on PA as non-vigorously active, intermittent vigorously active, and consistently vigorously active.

RESULTS: After adding education, the Hispanic's and Black's disparities in cognitive performance were slightly attenuated (Hispanics, β = -1.049, p < .001; Blacks, β = -3.397, p < .001) but were still different from Whites. Smoking was not associated with the cognition intercept or rate of decline.

DISCUSSION: We found education had a partial mediating effect on racial differences in levels of cognition but not on the rate of change over time.

%B J Aging Health %V 28 %P 1382-1402 %8 2016 Dec %G eng %U http://jah.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/12/29/0898264315620589.abstract %N 8 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26719488?dopt=Abstract %4 cognition/education/ethnicity/physical activity/smoking %$ 999999 %R 10.1177/0898264315620589 %0 Journal Article %J J Aging Health %D 2010 %T Evolving self-rated health in middle and old age: how does it differ across Black, Hispanic, and White Americans? %A Jersey Liang %A A. R. Quinones %A Joan M. Bennett %A Wen Ye %A Xiao Xu %A Benjamin A Shaw %A Mary Beth Ofstedal %K Age Factors %K Aged %K Aging %K Black or African American %K Diagnostic Self Evaluation %K Female %K Health Status Disparities %K Hispanic or Latino %K Humans %K Linear Models %K Male %K Middle Aged %K United States %K White People %X

OBJECTIVE: This research focuses on ethnic variations in the intraindividual changes in self-rated health.

METHOD: Data came from the Health and Retirement Study involving up to 6 repeated observations between 1995 and 2006 of a national sample of 18,486 Americans above 50 years of age. Hierarchical linear models were employed in depicting variations in self-rated health across White, Black, and Hispanic Americans.

RESULTS: Subjective health worsened over time albeit moderately. Relative to younger persons, older individuals rated their health poorer with a greater rate of deteriorating health. With reference to ethnic variations in the intercept and slope of perceived health, White Americans rated their health most positively, followed by Black Americans, with Hispanics rating their health least positively. This pattern held even when socioeconomic status, social networks, and prior health were adjusted.

DISCUSSION: Significant ethnic differences exist in the evolvement of self-rated health in middle and late life. Further inquiries may include analyzing ethnic heterogeneities from a person-centered perspective, health disparities across subgroups of Hispanics, effects of neighborhood attributes, and implications of left truncation.

%B J Aging Health %I 22 %V 22 %P 3-26 %8 2010 Feb %G eng %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2833212/ %N 1 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19952367?dopt=Abstract %2 PMC2833212 %4 Self-rated health/trajectory/ethnic differences/Mortality/Disabilities %$ 69322 %R 10.1177/0898264309348877 %0 Journal Article %J J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci %D 2008 %T Gender differences in functional status in middle and older age: are there any age variations? %A Jersey Liang %A Joan M. Bennett %A Benjamin A Shaw %A Ana R Quiñones %A Wen Ye %A Xiao Xu %A Mary Beth Ofstedal %K Activities of Daily Living %K Age Factors %K Aged %K Aged, 80 and over %K Disabled Persons %K Female %K Health Status %K Humans %K Linear Models %K Longitudinal Studies %K Male %K Middle Aged %K Sex Factors %K United States %X

OBJECTIVES: The present study examines gender differences in changes in functional status after age 50 and how such differences vary across different age groups.

METHODS: Data came from the Health and Retirement Study, involving up to six repeated observations of a national sample of Americans older than 50 years of age between 1995 and 2006. We employed hierarchical linear models with time-varying covariates in depicting temporal variations in functional status between men and women.

RESULTS: As a quadratic function, the worsening of functional status was more accelerated in terms of the intercept and rate of change among women and those in older age groups. In addition, gender differences in the level of functional impairment were more substantial in older persons than in younger individuals, although differences in the rate of change between men and women remained constant across age groups.

DISCUSSION: A life course perspective can lead to new insights regarding gender variations in health within the context of intrapersonal and interpersonal differences. Smaller gender differences in the level of functional impairment in the younger groups may reflect improvement of women's socioeconomic status, greater rate of increase in chronic diseases among men, and less debilitating effects of diseases.

%B J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci %I 63B %V 63 %P S282-92 %8 2008 Sep %G eng %N 5 %L newpubs20081205_Liang_etal.pdf %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18818448?dopt=Abstract %2 PMC3454348 %4 GENDER-DIFFERENCES/Health Physical %$ 19500 %R 10.1093/geronb/63.5.s282