How economic status and community shape cognitive aging

John Best, a University Research Associate at the SFU Gerontology Research Centre, explored how an individual's socioeconomic status (SES) and neighbourhood environment affect cognitive decline.

His publication, Individual Socioeconomic Status, Neighbourhood Disadvantage, and Cognitive Aging: A Longitudinal Analysis of the CLSA, aimed to provide insights for preventing and addressing cognitive impairment.

Cognitive decline in middle and late adulthood is influenced by several factors. To better understand how to support older adults, the study examined the relationships among individual SES, neighborhood factors, and cognitive decline in three age groups: middle-aged adults (45-64), "young-old" adults (65-74), and "old-old" adults (75+).

Individual SES was measured by household income and wealth (savings and investments), while two neighbourhood factors were also considered: material disadvantage (lack of wealth, goods, and conveniences) and social disadvantage (lack of support from family, workplace, or community). Understanding the interaction between these factors is important, as it helps determine whether household income and wealth directly impact cognitive decline based on the neighbourhood a person lives in.

The study tracked cognitive decline over six years. Among middle-aged adults, both individual SES and neighbourhood disadvantages were linked to cognitive decline, although neighbourhood factors explained only part of the connection. In both the middle-aged and young-old groups, individual SES had a direct association with cognitive decline, independent of neighbourhood conditions. The findings suggest that improving an individual’s financial situation should be combined with efforts to enhance neighbourhood resources, both material and social, to help prevent cognitive decline.