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Rural depopulation and the rural‐urban gap in cognitive functioning among older adults
Rebecca Glauber. University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester), 2022-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Purpose As the population ages, the number of people with cognitive impairment will rapidly increase. Although previous research has explored the rural-urban gap in physical health, few studies have analyzed cognitive health. The purpose of this study was to examine rural-urban differences in cognitive health, with a focus on the moderating effect of population decline. Methods The study used individual-level nationally representative data from the 2000-2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 152,444) merged to county-level contextual characteristics. Hierarchical linear models were used to predict the cognitive functioning of US adults aged 50 and over by rural-urban residence, county depopulation, and their interactions while controlling for individual-level and county-level demographic and contextual factors. Findings Older adults living in rural counties had lower cognitive functioning than urban adults. The interaction between living in a rural and depopulated county was statistically significant (P < .001). The rural penalty in cognitive functioning was 40% larger for those who lived in counties that lost population between 1980 and 2010 compared to those who lived in stable or growing rural counties. These results were independent of race-ethnicity, gender, age, education, income, region, employment status, marital status, physical health, and depression as well as the county's racial-ethnic composition, age structure, economic and educational disadvantage, and health care shortages. Conclusions The results have important implications for those seeking to reduce health disparities both between rural and urban older adults and among different groups of rural people. Interventions targeting those living in rural depopulating areas are particularly warranted.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Glauber, R. (2022). Rural depopulation and the rural‐urban gap in cognitive functioning among older adults. University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester). https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12650
Vancouver
Glauber R. Rural depopulation and the rural‐urban gap in cognitive functioning among older adults. University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester). 2022. doi:10.1111/jrh.12650.
BibTeX
@article{glauber2022-ab6cf20b,
author = {Glauber, Rebecca},
title = {{Rural depopulation and the rural‐urban gap in cognitive functioning among older adults}},
journal = {University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester)},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.1111/jrh.12650},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12650}
}
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Key findings
- The interaction between living in a rural and depopulated county was statistically significant (P < .001).
- The rural penalty in cognitive functioning was 40% larger for those who lived in counties that lost population between 1980 and 2010 compared to those who lived in stable or growing rural counties.
- These results were independent of race-ethnicity, gender, age, education, income, region, employment status, marital status, physical health, and depression as well as the county's racial-ethnic composition, age structure, economic and educational disadvantage, and health care shortages.
- Conclusions The results have important implications for those seeking to reduce health disparities both between rural and urban older adults and among different groups of rural people.
Why it matters
Older adults in rural counties had lower cognitive functioning than urban adults, and this gap was 40% larger in rural counties that had lost population. The study identifies a pattern over time but does not test any treatment or prevention for cognitive decline.
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Study details
- Participants152,444
- Evidence strengthLow
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. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 29 of the 64 points we could judge it on, which is 45 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester)) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| 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 | 3 / 5 | 2022 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 4 / 4 | 152,444 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 | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 29 / 64 | Scored on 12 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 29 of the 64 points we could judge it on is 45 out of 100. |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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