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The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences Advance Access published online on May 6, 2009
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, doi:10.1093/geronb/gbp029
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

Childhood Living Conditions, Socioeconomic Position in Adulthood, and Cognition in Later Life: Exploring the Associations

Stefan Fors1,2, Carin Lennartsson1 and Olle Lundberg1,3

1 Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm University, Sweden
2 Department of Social Work, Stockholm University, Sweden
3 Center for Health Equity Studies, Stockholm University & Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

Address correspondence to Stefan Fors, BSc, Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, 8tr, SE-113 30 Stockholm, Sweden. Email address: stefan.fors{at}ki.se


  Abstract

Objectives.: This study examined the association between childhood living conditions, socioeconomic position in adulthood, and cognition in later life. Two questions were addressed: Is there an association between childhood living conditions and late-life cognition, and if so, is the association modified or mediated by adult socioeconomic position?

Methods.: Nationally representative data of the Swedish population aged 77 years and older were obtained from the 1992 and 2002 Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old (SWEOLD). Cognition was assessed with an abbreviated version of the Mini-Mental State Examination scale. Childhood living conditions were assessed by self-reports of childhood living conditions.

Results.: The results showed independent associations between conflicts in the household during childhood, father's social class, education, own social class in adulthood, and cognition in later life. Exposure to conflicts during childhood, having a father classified as a manual worker, low education, and/or being classified as a manual worker in adulthood was associated with lower levels of cognition in old age. There seemed to be no modifying effect of adult socioeconomic position on the association between childhood conditions and cognition in later life.

Discussion.: This suggests the importance of childhood living conditions in maintaining cognitive function even in late life.

Key Words: Childhood conditions • Cognition • Life course • Old age • Socioeconomic position

Received September 16, 2008; Accepted February 25, 2009

Decision Editor: Kenneth F. Ferraro, PhD


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