School Racial Segregation and Cognitive Outcomes in Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Lin Zhuoer PhD, Wang Yi PhD, Gill Thomas M. MD, Chen Xi PhD
Primary Institution: Yale School of Public Health
Hypothesis
Childhood exposure to high levels of school segregation is associated with poorer later-life cognitive outcomes, especially among Black individuals.
Conclusion
Childhood exposure to school segregation was associated with lower cognitive scores and a higher likelihood of cognitive impairment and dementia among Black individuals.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants exposed to high segregation had lower cognitive scores (13.6 vs 14.5).
- 37.0% of participants in high segregation states had cognitive impairment compared to 28.0% in low segregation states.
- Black participants exhibited a higher likelihood of cognitive impairment (AOR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.12-1.63) when exposed to high segregation.
Takeaway
Kids who went to schools that were mostly one race might have a harder time thinking as they get older, especially if they are Black.
Methodology
This cross-sectional study used data from the Health and Retirement Study, linking historical school segregation data to cognitive assessments of older adults.
Potential Biases
Potential biases from sample attrition and reliance on secondary data.
Limitations
State-level segregation measures may not fully capture localized segregation, and the study design cannot assess causality.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 3566 Black and 17,555 White individuals aged 65 years and older.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI, −0.43 to −0.09
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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