Correlates of SuperAging in Two Population-Based Samples of Hispanic Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: "SuperAgers" are generally defined as people 80+ years old with episodic memory performance comparable to those 20 years younger. Limited knowledge exists to describe characteristics of SuperAgers, with even less known about Hispanic SuperAgers. METHODS: We examined indicators of cognitive, physical, and psychological resilience in relation to the likelihood of being a SuperAger using data from 2 population-based studies of Hispanic older adults (Puerto Rican Elderly: Health Conditions [PREHCO] Study; Health and Retirement Study [HRS]). SuperAgers were defined as (1) ≥80 years old, (2) recall scores ≥ the median for Hispanic respondents aged 55-64, and (3) no cognitive impairment during the observation period. Overall, 640 PREHCO participants and 180 HRS participants were eligible, of whom 45 (7%) and 31 (17%) met SuperAging criteria. RESULTS: Logistic regressions controlling for age and sex demonstrated that higher education (PREHCO: odds ratio [OR] = 1.20, p < .001; HRS: OR = 1.14, p = .044) and fewer instrumental activities of daily living limitations (PREHCO: OR = 0.79, p = .019; HRS: OR = 0.58, p = .077; cognitive resilience), fewer activities of daily living limitations (PREHCO: OR = 0.72, p = .031; HRS: OR = 0.67, p = .068; physical resilience), and fewer depressive symptoms (PREHCO: OR = 0.84, p = .015; HRS: OR = 0.69, p = .007; psychological resilience) were associated with SuperAging, although not all results reached threshold for statistical significance, presumably due to low statistical power. Additionally, known indicators of physical health (e.g., chronic conditions and self-rated health) did not relate to SuperAging. DISCUSSION: Increasing access to education and recognizing/treating depressive symptoms represent potential pathways to preserve episodic memory among older Hispanic adults.

A life course approach to mortality in Mexico / Un enfoque de ciclo de vida para la mortalidad en México

Objective. Research on early life socioeconomic status (SES), education and mortality is less established in developing countries. This analysis aims to determine how SES and education are patterned across the life course and associated with adult mortality in Mexico. Materials and methods. Data comes from 2001-2012 Mexican Health & Aging Study (Mexican adults age 50+, n= 11 222). Cox proportional hazard models predict mortality using baseline covariates. Results. In unadjusted analyses, similar mortality was seen across levels of early life SES. Lower early life SES was associated with better survival after accounting for education in the younger cohort. Lower education was only associated with mortality in the younger cohort. Conclusions. Early life SES was associated with education but the relationship between education and mortality differed across cohorts in Mexico. Selective survival and differential returns to education may explain differences.

Objetivo. Determinar cómo el estatus socioeconómico (ES) en la vida temprana y la educación alcanzada están asociados con la mortalidad adulta en México. Material y métodos. Se usaron datos longitudinales del Estudio Nacional de Salud y Envejecimiento en México 2001-2012 sobre adultos de 50 años o más (n= 11 222), por cohortes de edad. Para predecir la mortalidad, se utilizaron modelos proporcionales de Cox con covariables en la encuesta basal. Resultados. Con datos no ajustados, la mortalidad resultó similar entre niveles de ES en la vida temprana. Después de ajustarlos por educación, se encontró que un bajo ES en la vida temprana está asociado con baja mortalidad y que la educación predice mortalidad solamente en las cohortes de edad joven. Conclusiones. El ES temprano está asociado con la educación alcanzada, pero la relación entre educación y mortalidad difiere por cohortes de adultos mayores en México. La selectividad en sobrevivencia y el beneficio diferencial de la educación pueden explicar las diferencias identificadas entre cohortes de edad.