Social participation, race, and cognitive function in later life

• In Event: Aging and the Life Course Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): 10: Social Connection and Engagement Among Older Adults

Abstract

Previous research reports a positive relationship between social participation and cognitive function, but few studies have examined potential nonlinear and interactive effects to clarify how social activities in later life are associated with cognitive function. I use longitudinal data (2014-2020) from the Health and Retirement Study and growth curve models to examine the relationship between social participation, race, and changes in cognitive function (N=5,300). The relationship between total social participation frequency was nonlinear for both Black and White adults, but in distinct ways. For White adults, the relationship between social participation and baseline cognitive function was strongest at moderate levels of participation and weakest and low and high levels of frequency. Social participation was associated with higher baseline cognitive function for Black adults, but only at high levels of frequency. The relationship between social participation and baseline cognitive function was weaker at lower levels of participation for Black adults compared to White adults, but stronger at higher levels of social participation. Although cognitive function declined within adults over time, social participation was not associated with changes in cognitive function. Frequency of social participation matters for cognitive function in later life, but the relationship is conditional on level of frequency and race.

Author

• Mallory Bell, Purdue University