Neuroepidemiology
Volume 50, Issue 3-4, 2018, Pages 119-127

Place of Residence and Cognitive Function among the Adult Population in India (Article)

Xu H. , Ostbye T. , Vorderstrasse A.A. , Dupre M.E. , Wu B.*
  • a School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
  • b School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
  • c New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing, 433 First Avenue, New York, NY 10010, United States
  • d Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States, Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States, Department of Sociology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
  • e New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing, 433 First Avenue, New York, NY 10010, United States

Abstract

Background: The place of residence has been linked to cognitive function among adults in developed countries. This study examined how urban and rural residence was associated with cognitive function among adults in India. Methods: The World Health Organization Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health data was used to examine cognition among 6,244 community-residing adults age 50+ in 6 states in India. Residential status was categorized as urban, rural, urban-to-urban, rural-to-urban, rural-to-rural, and urban-to-rural. Cognition was assessed by immediate and delayed recall tests, digit span test, and verbal fluency test. Multilevel models were used to account for state-level differences and adjusted for individual-level sociodemographic, psychosocial, and health-related factors. Results: Urban residents and urban-to-urban migrants had the highest levels of cognition, whereas rural residents and those who migrated to (or within) rural areas had the lowest cognition. The differences largely persisted after adjustment for multiple covariates; however, rural-to-urban migrants had no difference in cognition from urban residents once socioeconomic factors were taken into account. Conclusion: Cognition among adults in India differed significantly according to their current and past place of residence. Socioeconomic factors played an important role in the cognitive function of adults in urban areas. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Author Keywords

Cognition India social determinants of health aging

Index Keywords

urban population urban area rural area India physiology human middle aged aging rural population social determinants of health Aged Humans neuropsychological test migrant Neuropsychological Tests psychology male female cognition Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics Article major clinical study adult human experiment world health organization recall
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85043511822&doi=10.1159%2f000486596&partnerID=40&md5=813b61d5553b19ef461b8c9a6f767d5a
DOI: 10.1159/000486596
ISSN: 02515350
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English