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Gender Inequality and Late-Life Cognition
Jinkook Lee, Marco Angrisani, Urvashi Jain. Innovation in Aging, 2020-12-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Abstract Indian women’s disadvantage in cognition has been documented in several studies, additionally noting geographic variations. The gender gap in late-life cognition could be a manifestation of gender discrimination. Using national data from LASI-DAD together with information drawn from administrative data, we construct a state-level composite index of gender inequality, following the UNDP definition. We investigate and find strong evidence that cross-state differences in gender inequality are significantly associated with the gender gap in cognition. Women in the most discriminating state (Bihar) perform significantly worse than men (-0.21 s.d.), after controlling for key risk factors such as age and education. The gender gap in the least discriminating state (Kerala) is much smaller (-0.10 s.d.). We also find that gender inequality is strongly associated with education, early marriage, labor force participation, and social activities. This has important implications for public health policy aimed at reducing the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.
Key findings
- We investigate and find strong evidence that cross-state differences in gender inequality are significantly associated with the gender gap in cognition.
- Women in the most discriminating state (Bihar) perform significantly worse than men (-0.21 s.d.), after controlling for key risk factors such as age and education.
- We also find that gender inequality is strongly associated with education, early marriage, labor force participation, and social activities.
Why it matters
Across Indian states, higher levels of gender inequality were linked to a larger gap in cognitive test performance between women and men. The study suggests social conditions like education, early marriage, and labor force participation are connected to this gap, but it does not test any treatment or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 27/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Innovation in Aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Innovation in Aging: journal h-index 48 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Urvashi Jain: h-index 6 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Southern California: institution h-index 1,521 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 27 / 100 | — |
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Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Lee, J., Angrisani, M., & Jain, U. (2020). Gender Inequality and Late-Life Cognition. Innovation in Aging. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2278
Vancouver
Lee J, Angrisani M, Jain U. Gender Inequality and Late-Life Cognition. Innovation in Aging. 2020. doi:10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2278.
BibTeX
@article{lee2020-874e270b,
author = {Lee, Jinkook and Angrisani, Marco and Jain, Urvashi},
title = {{Gender Inequality and Late-Life Cognition}},
journal = {Innovation in Aging},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2278},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2278}
}
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