Role of cumulative biological risk in mediating socioeconomic disparities in cognitive function in the elderly: a mediation analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To evaluate whether allostatic load (AL), a measure of cumulative biological risk, fully or partially mediates observed socioeconomic status (SES) differences in cognitive function in the elderly.

Design

Cross-sectional mediation analysis.

Setting

Community-dwelling US elderly who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Participants

The NHANES uses a complex, multistage, probability sampling design to select a nationally representative sample. Of the 4976 elderly (60 years or older) who were selected, 3234 agreed to participate in the household and medical exam interviews (65% response rate).

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Performance on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST)-a measure of cogni

SUBMITTER: Akrivos J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7511641 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature