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Occupational position and complexity in relation to Black‐White cognitive disparities
Monica E. Walters, Jordan D Palms, Brooke A. Huizenga, Ketlyne Sol, Vivian Ku, Emily P. Morris, Kiana Alexis Scambray, Lauren J. Taylor et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2025-08-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Black participants had low (vs high) OP, which predicted worse episodic memory and global cognition (4% to 7% mediated). OC did not mediate cognitive disparities. Disparities in cognition operated through inequities in OP, education, and income. Effects were driven by participants not currently working. Occupation may influence cognitive disparities primarily through socioeconomic, rather than cognitive stimulation, pathways. Policies targeting workforce inequities may reduce racial disparities in dementia risk. HIGHLIGHTS: OP mediated 4% to 7% of racial cognitive disparities. OC did not uniquely mediate racial cognitive disparities. Sequential mediation highlighted life course socioeconomic pathways of disparities. Socioeconomic factors more strongly relate to cognitive disparities than engagement. Findings were driven by participants who were not currently in the workforce.
Key findings
- Black participants had low (vs high) OP, which predicted worse episodic memory and global cognition (4% to 7% mediated).
- OC did not mediate cognitive disparities.
- Disparities in cognition operated through inequities in OP, education, and income.
- Effects were driven by participants not currently working.
- Occupation may influence cognitive disparities primarily through socioeconomic, rather than cognitive stimulation, pathways.
Why it matters
Lower occupational position among Black participants predicted worse episodic memory and global cognition, mediating 4% to 7% of racial cognitive disparities, while occupational complexity did not mediate them. The authors suggest policies targeting workforce inequities may reduce disparities, but this does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
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 (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.3× 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 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Laura B. Zahodne: h-index 47 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Michigan: institution h-index 2,240 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40760692) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Walters, M. E., Palms, J. D., Huizenga, B. A., Sol, K., Ku, V., Morris, E. P., et al. (2025). Occupational position and complexity in relation to Black‐White cognitive disparities. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70455
Vancouver
Walters ME, Palms JD, Huizenga BA, Sol K, Ku V, Morris EP, et al. Occupational position and complexity in relation to Black‐White cognitive disparities. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz.70455. PMID: 40760692.
BibTeX
@article{walters2025-40760692,
author = {Walters, Monica E. and Palms, Jordan D and Huizenga, Brooke A. and Sol, Ketlyne and Ku, Vivian and Morris, Emily P. and Scambray, Kiana Alexis and Taylor, Lauren J. and others},
title = {{Occupational position and complexity in relation to Black‐White cognitive disparities}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz.70455},
pmid = {40760692},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70455}
}
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