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Neighborhood‐based social capital and cognitive function among older adults in five low‐ and middle‐income countries: Evidence from the World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health
Author(s) -
Jiang Nan,
Wu Bei,
Lu Nan,
Dong Tingyue
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.5239
Subject(s) - social capital , cognition , china , population , population ageing , gerontology , psychology , environmental health , geography , medicine , political science , archaeology , neuroscience , law
Objectives This study aims to investigate which neighborhood‐based social capital components are associated with a higher level of cognitive function in LMICs. Methods This international population‐based study used cross‐sectional survey data from the World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), a study of adults aged 50 years or older in China, Ghana, India, the Russian Federation, and South Africa from 2007 through 2010 (N = 29 528). Associations between neighborhood‐based social capital indicators (trust in neighbors, perceived neighborhood safety, and community participation) and cognitive function were examined using ordinary least squares regressions and random‐effects meta‐analyses. Results Results of the meta‐analyses of within‐country effects indicated that trust in neighbors were positively associated with cognitive function across India, Russia, and Ghana, but negatively associated in South Africa ( β = −0.041, SE = .013, P < .01) and no effect in China ( P > .05). The significant effect of perceived neighborhood safety was only found in South Africa ( β = 0.051, SE = .007, P < .001) and China ( β = 0.030, SE = .005, P < .001). Community participation approached a null effect in South Africa ( P > .05). Discussion Different indicators of neighborhood‐based social capital, which are well‐established protective resources for cognitive function, may have varied relationships with cognitive function cross‐nationally. This finding provides a better understanding of the mechanisms by which neighborhood social capital may contribute to better cognitive function in LMICs than high‐income countries, potentially due to differences in neighborhood environments, health systems, and availability of public resources.