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. 2023 Nov 27:9:23337214231215274.
doi: 10.1177/23337214231215274. eCollection 2023 Jan-Dec.

Health Disparities in Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: Role of Social Strain, Depression, and C-Reactive Protein

Ayse Malatyali  1 , Atami Sagna De Main  2 , Tom Cidav  3 , Renata Komalasari  4 , Rui Xie  1 , Ladda Thiamwong  1   1
Affiliations

Health Disparities in Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: Role of Social Strain, Depression, and C-Reactive Protein

Ayse Malatyali et al. Gerontol Geriatr Med. .

Abstract

We investigated the association of social strain from friends, depression, and systemic inflammation (C-Reactive Protein [CRP]) with cognitive impairment without dementia (CIND) and dementia among 9,262 participants (age ≥ 65). We analyzed data from the Health Retirement Study (HRS), performing Chi-squared and logistic regression analyses. Measures included the 27-point HRS cognition scale, social strain scale, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale, and dried-blood CRP levels. Black and Hispanic participants had a significantly increased dementia risk (OR = 2.69 and OR = 2.54). Black participants also had a high risk of CIND (OR = 2.80), but no association of Hispanic participants with CIND. Increased social strain from friends and depression were significantly associated with CIND (OR = 1.50 and OR = 1.44) and dementia (OR = 1.57 and OR = 1.78). Elevated CRP levels were only linked to CIND risk (OR = 1.03), not dementia. Early detection and interventions targeting social strain, depression, and CRP levels may help promote cognitive functioning in older adults.

Keywords: cognitive impairment; dementia; depression; disparities; social strain; systemic inflammation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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