Race, Productive Activities, and Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Ronica Rooks, Ishrat Noor Mirza, Elizabeth Vasquez
Primary Institution: University of Colorado Denver
Hypothesis
Older adults working or volunteering will have higher cognition, and each productive activity will attenuate the relationship between race and cognition.
Conclusion
Older Black volunteers showed cognitive protection despite racial disparities in cognitive scores.
Supporting Evidence
- Older Black adults scored -4.4 points lower than White adults in cognitive tests.
- Women and those with higher education levels scored higher on cognitive tests.
- Each additional year of age and having diabetes were associated with lower cognitive scores.
- Older Black volunteers scored 2.0 points higher on cognitive tests compared to their non-volunteering counterparts.
Takeaway
Doing work or volunteering can help older people think better, and Black older adults who volunteer may do better than those who don't.
Methodology
Linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze the relationship between race, productive activities, and cognitive functioning.
Limitations
The study did not find significant results for working or volunteering in relation to cognition.
Participant Demographics
Community-dwelling, well-functioning Black (48.4%) and White (51.6%) older adults aged 70-79.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website