Program Area: Behavioral and Social Sciences
Yuan Zhang, PhD
Postdoctoral scholar
Carolina Population Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina, United States
Joseph Saenz, PhD
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Gerontology
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, United States
Joseph Saenz, PhD
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Gerontology
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, United States
Mateo Farina, PhD
Post Doctoral Scholar
School of Gerontology
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, United States
Lindsay Kobayashi, PhD
Assistant Professor
Epidemiology
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Yuan Zhang, PhD
Postdoctoral scholar
Carolina Population Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina, United States
Cognitive aging is a highly complex, dynamic, and context-dependent process; and is influenced by individual and community characteristics and experiences across the life course. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are critical components of the international dementia research community because the burden of dementia is rapidly rising in LMICs, and low-resource settings may have unique social and economic determinants of cognitive health. However, little population-based research focuses on these regions. The papers in this symposium use high-quality population survey data from Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, and China to study critical social determinants of cognitive function in countries across the globe. These papers cover a range of social and economic factors, including food insecurity, education, household material resources, and urban-rural settings and policy. First, Saenz will present findings on how food insecurity, throughout life, relates with cognitive function among older Mexican adults. Next, Farina will present evidence on both indirect and direct pathways from education to cognitive function among older Brazilians. Third, Kobayashi will present longitudinal data evaluating level and change in household resources in relation to subsequent cognitive function in South Africa. Finally, Zhang will present evidence on the interplay of rural/urban residence and household registration system across the life-course in creating cumulative advantage/disadvantage in cognitive aging using longitudinal data from China. The papers in this symposium provide new insights into social determinants of cognitive health in diverse contexts and have significant policy implications for improving cognitive health in LMICs across the globe.
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Joseph Saenz, PhD – University of Southern California
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Mateo Farina, PhD – University of Southern California
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Lindsay C. Kobayashi, PhD – University of Michigan
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Yuan S. Zhang, PhD – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill