Residential Mobility and Cognitive Function Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in China.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between rural and urban residential mobility and cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults in China. METHOD: We used data from the World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health that included adults age 50+ from China ( N = 12,410). We used multivariate linear regressions to examine how residential mobility and age at migration were associated with cognitive function. RESULTS: Urban and urban-to-urban residents had the highest level of cognitive function, whereas rural and rural-to-rural residents had the poorest cognitive function. Persons who migrated to/within rural areas before age 20 had poorer cognitive function than those who migrated during later adulthood. Socioeconomic factors played a major role in accounting for the disparities in cognition; however, the association remained significant after inclusion of all covariates. DISCUSSION: Residential mobility and age at migration have significant implications for cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults in China.

Duke Scholars

Author Hanzhang Xu School of Nursing

Author Matthew E. Dupre Population Health Sciences

Author Truls Ostbye Family Medicine and Community Health

Author Bei Wu School of Nursing