NUMBER OF LIVING SIBLINGS AND COGNITIVE DECLINE AMONG OLDER MEXICAN ADULTS
2024
Living Siblings and Cognitive Health in Older Mexican Adults
Sample size: 14872
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Quashie Nekehia, Saenz Joseph, Zhang Xing
Primary Institution: University of Rhode Island
Hypothesis
The number of living siblings in later life relates to cognitive health among older Mexican adults.
Conclusion
Having more living siblings is associated with higher cognitive ability in older adults, but the number of siblings does not affect the rate of cognitive decline.
Supporting Evidence
- Older adults with no living siblings or only one had lower cognitive ability compared to those with three siblings.
- Men with very large sibship sizes (10+ siblings) also showed lower cognitive ability.
- The number of living siblings did not affect the rate of cognitive decline.
Takeaway
Older people with more siblings tend to be smarter, but having more siblings doesn't change how quickly they forget things as they age.
Methodology
The study used data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study and latent growth curve models to analyze cognitive ability and decline.
Participant Demographics
Adults aged 50 and older from Mexico.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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