Cardiovascular health and education as sources of individual variability in cognitive aging among African Americans.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the interrelated effects of cardiovascular health, education, and cognitive functioning in African Americans.


METHODS
The present study utilized data from the Baltimore Study of Black Aging to examine whether (a) cardiovascular health and educational attainment predicted cognitive functioning, after controlling for age, and (b) there was an interaction between cardiovascular health and education in predicting cognitive functioning.


RESULTS
Using hierarchical regression analyses, results showed education was significant for all cognitive measures; however, cardiovascular health was significant for only three.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that although self-reported cardiovascular health contributes to variability in late life cognition in African Americans, education is a more universal predictor that should be further examined.
Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Adrienne T
AT
Aiken Morgan
Regina C
RC
Sims
Keith E
KE
Whitfield
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors