Prospective associations between the state minimum wage and cognitive function in older Americans

Area of Science:

• Social Gerontology
• Public Health Policy
• Cognitive Aging Research

Background:

• Limited research exists on the impact of social policies on cognitive function in older adults.
• The U.S. state minimum wage is a social policy that could potentially influence health outcomes.
• Understanding these associations is crucial for developing effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between U.S. state minimum wage policies and subsequent cognitive function in older American adults.
• To investigate if this association differs across various demographic and employment subgroups.
• To contribute to the understanding of socioeconomic determinants of cognitive aging.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (1998-2020) for non-self-employed workers aged 50-75 without dementia.
• Employed fixed-effects linear models to assess the relationship between state minimum wage and cognitive function (Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status - TICS).
• Analyzed lagged effects (2, 6, 10 years) and stratified analyses by wage level, working hours, race/ethnicity, and sex.

Main Results:

• No significant association was found between state minimum wage and cognitive function for all workers.
• A $1 increase in state minimum wage was linked to improved cognitive function (TICS scores) 6 years later for low-wage and part-time workers.
• Hispanic low-wage workers showed lower cognitive function with a 2-year lag but higher function with a 6-year lag following minimum wage increases.

Conclusions:

• Increases in state minimum wage may positively impact cognitive health among low-earning older adults.
• Potential heterogeneities in the effects of minimum wage on cognitive function exist across racial and ethnic groups.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the complex interplay between socioeconomic policies and cognitive aging.