Socioeconomic position across the lifecourse and cognitive function in late middle age

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorTurrell, G.
dc.contributor.authorLynch, J.W.
dc.contributor.authorKaplan, G.A.
dc.contributor.authorEverson, S.A.
dc.contributor.authorHelkala, E.L.
dc.contributor.authorKauhanen, J.
dc.contributor.authorSalonen, J.T.
dc.date.issued2002
dc.description.abstractOBJECTIVES: To examine the influence of childhood and adult socioeconomic position, socioeconomic mobility, and cumulative disadvantage across the lifecourse on cognitive function in late middle age. METHODS: Cross-sectional population-based study of 486 men age 58 and 64 from eastern Finland. Respondent's socioeconomic position in childhood was measured using parent's education and occupation, and respondent's position in adulthood was indicated by attained education and personal income. Cognitive function was assessed using five neuropsychological tests: Trail Making, Selective Reminding, Verbal Fluency, Visual Reproduction, and the Mini-Mental State Exam. RESULTS: Each indicator of socioeconomic position made statistically independent contributions to levels of cognitive function: Respondents from poor childhood backgrounds, and those who attained a limited education and earned a low income, performed worst on each test. Men who occupied a disadvantaged socioeconomic position in childhood and then experienced upward mobility over the lifecourse exhibited better cognitive performance than those with similar socioeconomic origins but limited or no upward mobility. Conversely, men from advantaged childhood backgrounds who later in life experienced downward mobility scored poorer on each cognitive test than their counterparts who remained in the most advantaged groups throughout the lifecourse. There was a strong, graded association between cumulative socioeconomic disadvantage and cognitive function: Men who occupied a low socioeconomic position during both childhood and adulthood scored worse on every test than those who occupied a high position at all points in their lives. DISCUSSION: Socioeconomic conditions across all stages of the lifecourse appear to make unique contributions to cognitive function in late middle age. These results also suggest that in terms of cognitive function, origin is not necessarily destiny, as disadvantaged socioeconomic circumstances in childhood may be overcome to some extent by upward mobility later in life.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityGavin Turrell, John W. Lynch, George A. Kaplan, Susan A. Everson, Eeva-Liisa Helkala, Jussi Kauhanen, and Jukka T. Salonen
dc.identifier.citationJournals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 2002; 57(1):S43-S51
dc.identifier.doi10.1093/geronb/57.1.s43
dc.identifier.issn1079-5014
dc.identifier.issn1758-5368
dc.identifier.orcidLynch, J.W. [0000-0003-2781-7902]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/86823
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherGerontological Society of America
dc.rightsCopyright 2002 by The Gerontological Society of America
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/57.1.s43
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectSeverity of Illness Index
dc.subjectPopulation Surveillance
dc.subjectPrevalence
dc.subjectCross-Sectional Studies
dc.subjectLife Change Events
dc.subjectCognition Disorders
dc.subjectNeuropsychological Tests
dc.subjectSocioeconomic Factors
dc.subjectCareer Mobility
dc.subjectAged
dc.subjectMiddle Aged
dc.titleSocioeconomic position across the lifecourse and cognitive function in late middle age
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

Files

Collections

Public Health publications