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Relationship between education and dementia: an updated systematic review
Sharp ES, Gatz M.. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders, 2011-10-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective The purpose of this study was to review the relationship between education and dementia. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted of all published studies examining the relationship between education and dementia listed in the PubMed and PsycINFO databases from January 1985 to July 2010. The inclusion criteria were a measure of education and a dementia diagnosis by a standardized diagnostic procedure. Alzheimer disease and Total Dementia were the outcomes. Results A total of 88 study populations from 71 studies met inclusion criteria. Overall, 51 studies (58%) reported significant effects of lower education on risk for dementia, whereas 37 studies (42%) reported no significant relationship. A relationship between education and risk for dementia was more consistent in developed regions compared with developing regions. Age, sex, race/ethnicity, and geographical region moderated the relationship. Conclusions Lower education was associated with a greater risk for dementia in many but not all studies. The level of education associated with risk for dementia varied by study population and more years of education did not uniformly attenuate the risk for dementia. It seemed that a more consistent relationship with dementia occurred when years of education reflected cognitive capacity, suggesting that the effect of education on risk for dementia may be best evaluated within the context of a lifespan developmental model.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Sharp, E. S., & Gatz, M. (2011). Relationship between education and dementia: an updated systematic review. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders. https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0b013e318211c83c
Vancouver
Sharp ES, Gatz M. Relationship between education and dementia: an updated systematic review. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders. 2011. doi:10.1097/wad.0b013e318211c83c. PMID: 21750453.
BibTeX
@article{sharp2011-21750453,
author = {Sharp, E. S. and Gatz, M.},
title = {{Relationship between education and dementia: an updated systematic review}},
journal = {Alzheimer disease and associated disorders},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1097/wad.0b013e318211c83c},
pmid = {21750453},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0b013e318211c83c}
}
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.
Key findings
- Results A total of 88 study populations from 71 studies met inclusion criteria.
- Overall, 51 studies (58%) reported significant effects of lower education on risk for dementia, whereas 37 studies (42%) reported no significant relationship.
- A relationship between education and risk for dementia was more consistent in developed regions compared with developing regions.
- Conclusions Lower education was associated with a greater risk for dementia in many but not all studies.
- The level of education associated with risk for dementia varied by study population and more years of education did not uniformly attenuate the risk for dementia.
Why it matters
This systematic review of 71 studies found that 51 studies (58%) reported significant effects of lower education on risk for dementia while 37 studies (42%) reported no significant relationship, and that more years of education did not uniformly attenuate the risk. The authors conclude that the relationship with dementia was more consistent when years of education reflected cognitive capacity, so the link between education and dementia risk is not uniform.
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Study details
- Participants88
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 63/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a systematic review of all the studies on the question. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer disease and associated disorders) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders: journal h-index 131 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A systematic review of all the studies on the question (from PubMed type “Systematic Review”) |
| 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 | 1 / 5 | 2011 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 88 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 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 591 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 34.8 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 29 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 172 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Margaret Gatz: h-index 95 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Southern California: institution h-index 1,521 (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 21750453) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 63 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1097/wad.0b013e318211c83c
- PubMed: 21750453
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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