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Updated: Nov 10, 2025
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Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
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Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics and Cognitive Functioning among Diverse Older Adults: An Intersectional
Amy D Thierry1, Kyler Sherman-Wilkins2, Marina Armendariz3
1Department of Public Health Sciences, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA.
Summary
Neighborhood conditions impact cognitive health, especially for older adults. Education modifies how neighborhood quality affects cognitive function differently across racial/ethnic groups.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Neighborhood conditions are associated with health disparities.
- Limited research explores neighborhood effects on cognitive health in diverse older adult populations.
- An intersectional approach is needed to understand these complex relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how race/ethnicity, gender, and education moderate the association between neighborhood perceptions and cognitive functioning in older adults.
- To investigate racial/ethnic disparities in cognitive aging influenced by neighborhood contextual factors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 8023 adults aged 65+ from the Health and Retirement Study (2010-2016).
- Employed race/ethnicity-stratified linear regression models.
- Assessed cognitive functioning using the Telephone Interview Cognitive Screen (TICS) and neighborhood characteristics (cleanliness, safety, social cohesion).
Main Results:
- Among White adults, poor neighborhood conditions correlated with lower cognitive function in those with less education.
- For Black adults, worse neighborhood perceptions were linked to lower cognitive function in those with more education.
- Among Mexicans, neighborhood uncleanliness was associated with lower cognitive function for those with less education, but higher function for those with more education.
Conclusions:
- Neighborhood characteristics significantly influence cognitive functioning in older adults, with effects varying by race/ethnicity and education.
- Higher education does not universally buffer against the negative cognitive impacts of unfavorable neighborhood environments across all racial/ethnic groups.
- Findings highlight the complex interplay of social determinants in cognitive aging and underscore the need for tailored interventions.
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