Cognitive Reserve and Physical Function in Older African-Americans

This study examined the relationship between cognitive reserve and physicalfunction in older African-Americans. The concept of cognitive reserve postulates that aspects of life experience (e.g., education, occupational complexity, leisure activity, and socioeconomic status) may provide cognitive reserve, in theform of a set of skills or repertoires, that allow some people to cope better than others with illness and alter the clinical expression of decline in functional status. This study used a descriptive correlational design. Physicalfunction was assessed with the SF-36 (physicalfunction subscale). The mean scorefor the SF-36 PF subscale was 47 (SD = 10), indicating that the participants had good physical functioning. Physical function was associated with occupational complexity, educational attainment, and income. The study provides baseline data about the relationship between cognitive reserve and physicalfunction.