Impact of Smoking and Drinking on Cognitive Health in Taiwan and the US
Author Information
Author(s): Su Yan-Jhu, Shih Yao-Chi
Primary Institution: University of Massachusetts Boston, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences
Hypothesis
How do smoking and drinking behaviors affect cognitive health differently across genders in Taiwan and the US?
Conclusion
Smoking and drinking negatively affect cognitive health, with significant gender differences observed between Taiwanese and US populations.
Supporting Evidence
- Smoking and drinking negatively affect cognitive health in both the US and Taiwan.
- Taiwanese women aged 60 and older have lower cognitive scores than similar men.
- In the US, middle-aged and older women perform better in cognitive tests than men.
- No gender moderating effects of smoking were found in older adults from both countries.
- Some drinking was protective for Taiwanese women, while binge drinking negatively impacted US women.
Takeaway
Smoking and drinking can hurt your brain, and how much they affect you can depend on whether you're a man or a woman and where you live.
Methodology
Cross-sectional study using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Taiwan Longitudinal Study in Aging (TLSA).
Limitations
The study may not account for all cultural and social factors influencing cognitive health.
Participant Demographics
Participants included older adults from Taiwan and the US, with a focus on gender differences.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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