Are adverse childhood experiences associated with late-life cognitive performance across racial/ethnic groups: results from the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences study baseline. Issue 2 (5th February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gold, Audra L; Meza, Erika; Ackley, Sarah F; Mungas, Dan M; Whitmer, Rachel A; Mayeda, Elizabeth Rose; Miles, Sunita; Eng, Chloe W; Gilsanz, Paola; Glymour, M Maria
• Is Part Of: BMJ open. Volume 11:Issue 2(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-02-05
• Subjects: epidemiology -- community child health -- adverse events; Medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; 610.72
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042125
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2044-6055

Abstract

Abstract : Objectives: Evidence on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and late-life cognitive outcomes is inconsistent, with little research among diverse racial/ethnic groups. We investigated whether ACE exposures were associated with worse late-life cognition for all racial/ethnic groups and at different ages of exposure. Design: Covariate-adjusted mixed-effects linear regression models estimated associations of: (1) total number of ACEs experienced, (2) earliest age when ACE occurred and (3) type of ACE with overall cognition. Setting: Kaiser Permanente Northern California members aged 65 years and older, living in Northern California. Participants: Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences study baseline participants, aged 65 years and older (n=1661; including 403 Asian-American, 338 Latino, 427 Black and 493 white participants). Results: Most respondents (69%) reported one or more ACE, most frequently family illness (36%), domestic violence (23%) and parental divorce (22%). ACE count was not adversely associated with cognition overall (β=0.01; 95% CI −0.01 to 0.03), in any racial/ethnic group or for any age category of exposure. Pooling across all race/ethnicities, parent's remarriage (β=−0.11; 95% CI −0.20 to −0.03), mother's death (β=−0.18; 95% CI −0.30 to −0.07) and father's death (β=−0.11; 95% CI −0.20 to −0.01) were associated with worse cognition. Conclusion: Adverse childhood exposures overall were not associated with worse cognition in older adults in a diverse sample, although three ACEs were associated with worse cognitive outcomes.