title: The effect of race and health-related factors on naming and memory. The MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the analyses was to examine the impact of health-related variables on race differences in neuropsychological functioning (Boston Naming Task).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using cross-sectional data from the MacArthur Successful Aging Study, the authors examined the relationship of demographic characteristics, health status, health habits, physical functioning, and speed of performance to naming and incidental recall of items from the Boston Naming Task.  Participants were 1,175 healthy African American and European American older persons 70 to 79 years old.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regression analyses indicated that although race differences persisted for confrontational naming after controlling for demographic and health factors, there was no effect due to race for incidental recall scores or for savings scores for recall.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The racial differences found in test performance may reflect differences in cultural appropriateness of the material rather than differences in ability.
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, USA.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Whitfield
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Fillenbaum
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pieper
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Berkman
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Blazer
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seeman
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D003469:Culture; D003710:Demography; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D044469:Racial Groups; D014481:United States; D044465:White People