title: Associations of educational attainment and cognitive level of job with old age verbal ability and processing speed: The mediating role of chronic diseases.
abstract: We investigated whether the relation of educational attainment and cognitive level of job to performance in verbal ability and processing speed in old age was mediated via the number of chronic diseases. A total of 2,812 older adults participated. Psychometric tests on verbal ability and processing speed were administered. Individuals were interviewed regarding their education, midlife occupation, and chronic diseases in old age. Higher educational attainment and higher cognitive level of job were correlated with better performance in verbal ability and processing speed (.15 ≤ r ≤ .33, ps < .001). 1.4 to 7.3% of these relations was mediated via the number of chronic diseases (β = .01, ps < .026). In conclusion, individuals with higher educational attainment and higher cognitive level of job may possibly suffer from fewer chronic diseases later in life. Possibly, this may finally be related to better performance in verbal ability and processing speed in those individuals in old age.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|b Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ihle
authors.affiliation: b Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oris
authors.affiliation: b Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fagot
authors.affiliation: b Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|c Neuropsychology Unit, Neurology Clinic, Department of Clinical Neurosciences , Geneva University Hospitals , Geneva , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chicherio
authors.affiliation: b Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bernadette W A
authors.initials: BWA
authors.lastname: van der Linden
authors.affiliation: b Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sauter
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|b Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kliegel
mesh_terms: D000076363:Academic Success; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cognitive functioning; comorbidity; health; older adults