Educational Attainment and Dementia: Mediation by Mid-Life Vascular Risk Factors.

INTRODUCTION: Lower education is associated with higher burden of vascular risk factors in mid-life and higher risk of dementia in late life. We aim to understand the causal mechanism through which vascular risk factors potentially mediate the relationship between education and dementia. METHODS: In a cohort of 13,368 Black and White older adults in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, we assessed the relationship between education (grade school, high school without graduation, high school graduate or equivalent, college, graduate/professional school) and dementia among all participants and among those with incident stroke. Cox models were adjusted for age, race-center (a variable stratified by race and field center), sex, apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype, and family history of cardiovascular disease. Causal mediation models assessed mediation by mid-life systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, body mass index, and smoking. RESULTS: More education was associated with 8 to 44% lower risk of dementia compared to grade school-level education in a dose-response pattern, while the relationship between education and post-stroke dementia was not statistically significant. Up to 25% of the association between education and dementia was mediated through mid-life vascular risk factors, with a smaller percentage mediated for lower levels of education. INTERPRETATION: A substantial proportion of the relationship between education and dementia was mediated through mid-life vascular risk factors. However, risk factor modification is unlikely to fully address the large educational disparities in dementia risk. Prevention efforts must also address disparities in socioeconomic resources leading to divergent early-life education and other structural determinants of mid-life vascular risk factors. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:13-26.

Associations Between Family and Peer E-Cigarette Use With Adolescent Tobacco and Marijuana Usage: A Longitudinal Path Analytic Approach.

INTRODUCTION: Research indicates a link between adolescent e-cigarette use and combustible tobacco cigarette (CTC) initiation, and recent studies suggest their connection with marijuana uptake. Our 3-year longitudinal cohort study investigated the implications of adolescent, peer, and family e-cigarette use with adolescents' expectations and willingness to initiate CTC use, and subsequent CTC and marijuana use. AIMS AND METHODS: Relationships were examined in a secondary analysis of a 3-year longitudinal cohort subsample involving adolescents enrolled in alternative California high schools (N = 1025). Analyses examined responses over three yearly observations. Family, peer, and respondents' e-cigarette use, respondents' positive cigarette expectancies and willingness to use CTCs were assessed in the study's first year (T1). CTC use in the survey's second year (T2) and marijuana use in the third year (T3) were assessed via path analysis. RESULTS: Respondents reporting at least one family member or peer using e-cigarettes were more likely to use e-cigarettes at T1 than those whose peers/family members did not. They reported more positive expectancies about CTCs and greater willingness to initiate use. These variables predicted CTC use at T2, which directly anticipated marijuana use in the survey's third year (T3), as did adolescents' use of e-cigarettes at T1. All model relations were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis demonstrated the strong association of family members' and peers' behaviors with adolescent e-cigarette use, and the temporal precedence of e-cigarette use with subsequent CTC and marijuana uptake. The predictive implications of e-cigarettes for other dangerous substance use should be examined in future prevention campaigns. IMPLICATIONS: The presented study expands upon existing literature connecting adolescent e-cigarette use and later CTC and marijuana use. The findings indicate the significant implications of exposure to e-cigarette use by parents and peers and demonstrate in a longitudinal 4-year panel survey the direct and indirect predictive implications of e-cigarette use for CTC and marijuana uptake. The research illustrates the utility of programs and campaigns that target peer and family groups to maximize impacts on adolescent willingness to try CTCs, positive expectancies, and possible onset of CTC and marijuana use.

A longitudinal analysis of nondaily smokers: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

PURPOSE: Nondaily smoking is increasing in the United States and common among Hispanic/Latino smokers. We characterized factors related to longitudinal smoking transitions in Hispanic/Latino nondaily smokers. METHODS: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos is a population-based cohort study of Hispanics/Latinos aged 18-74 years. Multinomial logistic regression assessed the baseline factors (2008-2011) associated with follow-up smoking status (2014-2017) in nondaily smokers (n = 573), accounting for complex survey design. RESULTS: After ∼6 years, 41% of nondaily smokers became former smokers, 22% became daily smokers, and 37% remained nondaily smokers. Factors related to follow-up smoking status were number of days smoked in the previous month, household smokers, education, income, and insurance. Those smoking 16 or more of the last 30 days had increased risk of becoming a daily smoker [vs. < 4 days; relative risk ratio (RRR) = 5.65, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.96-16.33]. Greater education was inversely associated with transitioning to daily smoking [>high school vs.