title: The association between social support and cognitive function in Mexican adults aged 50 and older.
abstract: Social support networks are crucial for the health of older adults; however, personal characteristics and time of life may diminish the protective effect of social support.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to determine if the presence of social support networks were associated with cognitive impairment among Mexican adults aged 50 or older and if this relationship was different based on age.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study analyzed data from the National Representation Survey performed in Mexico, Study on Global Ageing (SAGE) wave 1. Cognitive function was evaluated by a standardized test, social support was evaluated through latent class analysis (LCA). The LCA was run to obtain three subgroups of different Social Support Levels (SSL): low, medium, and high. Logistic regression models, stratified by age, were performed to analyze the association between SSL and cognitive function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For respondents ages 71-80 y/o, there was an inverse relationship with cognitive impairment for those with medium (OR 0.23, p=0.020) and high (OR 0.07, p=0.000) SSL in comparison with low SSL. While social support helped to improve cognitive function in older adults aged 71-80, this same association was not observed in adults of other ages. Those younger than 70 y/o may not need such a strong support network as a result of being more self-sufficient. After 80, social networks were not enough to help diminish the negative impact of cognitive impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social support could improve the cognitive function of adults ages 71 and 80; suggesting there could be a window of opportunity to improve cognitive functioning for this group.
authors: Department of Health Attention, Autonomous University of Mexico, Calzada del Hueso 1100, Col. Villa Quietud, Delegación Coyoacán, Mexico City, 04960, Mexico. Electronic address: mireyaza@yahoo.com.mx.
authors: Mireya
authors: M
authors: Zamora-Macorra
authors: Reproductive Health Division, Center for Population Health Research National Institute of Public Health, 7a. Cerrada de Fray Pedro de Gante #50, Col. Sección XVI Tlalpan, Del. Tlalpan, Mexico City, 14080, Mexico.
authors: Elga Filipa Amorin
authors: EF
authors: de Castro
authors: Department of Geriatrics, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubiran, Mexico City, 14000, Mexico.
authors: José Alberto
authors: JA
authors: Ávila-Funes
authors: Centre for Evaluation Research and Surveys, National Institute of Public Health, Universidad 655 Colonia Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cerrada Los Pinos y Caminera C.P. 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
authors: Betty Soledad
authors: BS
authors: Manrique-Espinoza
authors: Center for Research on Population Health, National Institute of Public Health, Universidad 655 Colonia Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cerrada Los Pinos y Caminera C.P. 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
authors: Ruy
authors: R
authors: López-Ridaura
authors: Laboratory of Dementias, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Tlalpan, La Fama, 14269, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors: Ana Luisa
authors: AL
authors: Sosa-Ortiz
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 12611 Gould Road. Silver Springs, MD 20906 Silver Spring, MD, USA.
authors: Pamela L
authors: PL
authors: Shields
authors: American British Cowdray Medical Center, Sur 136 116, Álvaro Obregón, 01120 Ciudad de México, D.F. Mexico City, Mexico.
authors: Daniel Samano Martin
authors: DS
authors: Del Campo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Cognitive function; Older adults; Social support; Study on Global Aging (SAGE)