Black Americans: A link between cognitive health and financial instability

A new study found that Black Americans trail white Americans when it comes to financial stability in midlife, which may impact brain health in old age.    Having — or lacking — financial stability, especially for older Black Americans, can significantly impact health and cognitive function, according to a new study led by Chioun Lee, a University of California, Riverside associate professor of sociology.  The study, “Racial Disparities in Cognitive Health Among Older Americans: The Role of Debt–Asset Profiles During Preretirement Age” was published in The Journals of Gerontology. It found that Black Americans disproportionately lack low-cost debt, meaning debt that can potentially improve one’ life, such as buying a house. According to research findings, not having enough low-cost debt may constrain Black Americans’ ability to accumulate wealth throughout their lives and across generations. Chioun Lee Essentially, having few or no assets in midlife, which is more prevalent among Black Americans, is linked to lower cognitive function. This is possibly because economic distress can translate into less access to high quality medical care and reduced quality of life.  The study’s conclusions were reached through analyzing 22 years of follow-up data collected by the Health and Retirement Study, a database led by...