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Neighbourhood racial/ethnic composition and segregation and trajectories of cognitive decline among US older adults
Stephanie Ann Kovalchik, Mary E. Slaughter, Jeremy N. V. Miles, Esther M. Friedman, Regina A. Shih. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 2015-05-22
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
In models adjusting for individual demographic and health characteristics, Hispanic composition had a significant positive association with cognitive function (standardised β=0.136, p<0.05) and moderate evidence of an association with greater cognitive decline (standardised β=-0.014, p=0.09). Greater Hispanic-white segregation was associated with statistically significant higher cognitive function at baseline (standardised β=0.099, p<0.001) and greater cognitive decline (standardised β=-0.011, p<0.01). For a 20 percentage-point increase in Hispanic composition and segregation, the observed associations implied 1 and 1.25 additional years of cognitive ageing over 10 years, respectively. These effects did not differ by individual race/ethnicity and were not explained by neighbourhood socioeconomic status or neighbourhood selection. Black composition and black-white segregation did not have a significant influence on cognitive ageing. This study demonstrates disparities in the progression of cognitive ageing according to racial/ethnic characteristics of the neighbourhood environment.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Kovalchik, S. A., Slaughter, M. E., Miles, J. N. V., Friedman, E. M., & Shih, R. A. (2015). Neighbourhood racial/ethnic composition and segregation and trajectories of cognitive decline among US older adults. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2015-205600
Vancouver
Kovalchik SA, Slaughter ME, Miles JNV, Friedman EM, Shih RA. Neighbourhood racial/ethnic composition and segregation and trajectories of cognitive decline among US older adults. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. 2015. doi:10.1136/jech-2015-205600. PMID: 26002968.
BibTeX
@article{kovalchik2015-26002968,
author = {Kovalchik, Stephanie Ann and Slaughter, Mary E. and Miles, Jeremy N. V. and Friedman, Esther M. and Shih, Regina A.},
title = {{Neighbourhood racial/ethnic composition and segregation and trajectories of cognitive decline among US older adults}},
journal = {Journal of Epidemiology \& Community Health},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1136/jech-2015-205600},
pmid = {26002968},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2015-205600}
}
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Key findings
- In models adjusting for individual demographic and health characteristics, Hispanic composition had a significant positive association with cognitive function (standardised β=0.136, p<0.05) and moderate evidence of an association with greater cognitive decline (standardised β=-0.014, p=0.09).
- Greater Hispanic-white segregation was associated with statistically significant higher cognitive function at baseline (standardised β=0.099, p<0.001) and greater cognitive decline (standardised β=-0.011, p<0.01).
- For a 20 percentage-point increase in Hispanic composition and segregation, the observed associations implied 1 and 1.25 additional years of cognitive ageing over 10 years, respectively.
- These effects did not differ by individual race/ethnicity and were not explained by neighbourhood socioeconomic status or neighbourhood selection.
- Black composition and black-white segregation did not have a significant influence on cognitive ageing.
Why it matters
This study found that living in neighbourhoods with greater Hispanic composition or Hispanic-white segregation was linked to higher cognitive function at baseline but also to greater cognitive decline over time. It does not test a dementia treatment or prevention, so it cannot show how to cure or prevent dementia.
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Study details
- Participants6,150
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health: journal h-index 263 (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 | 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 | 2015 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 6,150 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 44 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.4 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 15 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Regina A. Shih: h-index 45 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | RAND Corporation: institution h-index 492 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26002968) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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