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Level of and Change in Cognitive Functioning among Dutch Older Adults: Does Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Matter?
Jonathan Wörn, Lea Ellwardt, Martijn A. Huisman, Marja Aartsen. Das Gesundheitswesen, 2016-09-15
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Along with demographic changes, issues of age-related cognitive decline and impaired cognitive functioning have become more prevalent. In attempts to identify predictors of cognitive functioning (i.e. the abilities to attend, think, reason and to recall information) in older adults, researchers have looked into features of the residential neighborhood of older adults, especially neighborhood socioeconomic status. Yet, previous findings have been inconclusive due to cross-sectional designs of the majority of studies. Since a true contextual neighborhood effect requires differences in the strength of cognitive decline over time, this study goes beyond the cross-sectional examination of level differences in cognitive functioning and additionally investigates whether the socioeconomic status of a neighborhood also predicts the strength of cognitive decline. We argue that neighborhoods with a higher (vs. lower) socioeconomic status are more likely to provide experiences that are beneficial for cognitive functioning, especially opportunities for social, intellectual and physical activities. Official statistics on neighborhood socioeconomic status were combined with three waves of data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA; waves from 1995, 1998, 2001), thus covering a 6-year period. The LASA data contain different cognitive tests which we use to model the change of cognitive functioning over time, applying a multilevel approach to growth curve modeling. Individual socioeconomic characteristics are controlled for to account for selection into neighborhoods. The analyses are based on more than 1,200 individuals aged 57 to 88 years at baseline in 1995. Preliminary findings show that the average level of older adults' cognitive functioning is higher in socioeconomically better off neighborhoods than in worse off neighborhoods. These socioeconomic differences at the neighborhood level are strongly reduced once individual socioeconomic characteristics are introduced to the models. As regards cognitive decline, we do not find systematic differences by neighborhood socioeconomic status. Thus, this study among Dutch older adults does not provide support for a strong role of neighborhood socioeconomic status in cognitive functioning and decline.
Key findings
- The analyses are based on more than 1,200 individuals aged 57 to 88 years at baseline in 1995.
- Preliminary findings show that the average level of older adults' cognitive functioning is higher in socioeconomically better off neighborhoods than in worse off neighborhoods.
- These socioeconomic differences at the neighborhood level are strongly reduced once individual socioeconomic characteristics are introduced to the models.
- As regards cognitive decline, we do not find systematic differences by neighborhood socioeconomic status.
- Thus, this study among Dutch older adults does not provide support for a strong role of neighborhood socioeconomic status in cognitive functioning and decline.
Why it matters
This study found that older adults in wealthier neighborhoods had somewhat higher cognitive test scores on average, but this difference largely disappeared once personal socioeconomic factors were considered. It found no systematic differences between neighborhoods in how fast cognition declined over the six years studied.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants1,200
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Das Gesundheitswesen) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Das Gesundheitswesen: journal h-index 56 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,200 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| 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 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| 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 | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Marja Aartsen: h-index 36 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam: institution h-index 1,014 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
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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
Wörn, J., Ellwardt, L., Huisman, M. A., & Aartsen, M. (2016). Level of and Change in Cognitive Functioning among Dutch Older Adults: Does Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Matter? Das Gesundheitswesen. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0036-1586525
Vancouver
Wörn J, Ellwardt L, Huisman MA, Aartsen M. Level of and Change in Cognitive Functioning among Dutch Older Adults: Does Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Matter? Das Gesundheitswesen. 2016. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1586525.
BibTeX
@article{worn2016-0571703d,
author = {Wörn, Jonathan and Ellwardt, Lea and Huisman, Martijn A. and Aartsen, Marja},
title = {{Level of and Change in Cognitive Functioning among Dutch Older Adults: Does Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Matter?}},
journal = {Das Gesundheitswesen},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1055/s-0036-1586525},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0036-1586525}
}
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