journal articles
THE IMPLICATIONS OF RESPONSE PATTERNS IN QUESTIONS OF EARLY LIFE ADVERSE EVENTS ON HEALTH STATUS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION LATER IN LIFE IN THE MULTI-ETHNIC STUDY OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS (MESA)
Margaret C. Culkin, Jordan E. Tanley, Timothy M. Hughes, Teresa Seeman, Sharon S. Merkin, Doris Molina-Henry, Kathleen M. Hayden
VM&E 2024;7:8-18
BACKGROUND: Research suggests that early life adversity (ELA) is associated with late life cognition; however, such studies may be influenced by response bias.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate response patterns for ELA questions by various sociodemographic characteristics and to examine whether ELA responsiveness was associated with cognitive performance and/or decline.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.
SETTING: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a population-based study of subclinical atherosclerosis.
PARTICIPANTS: 3,837 participants, averaging 59 (standard deviation [SD]=9.0) years of age, with 55% women and participants from diverse backgrounds (26% Black, 13% Chinese, 21% Hispanic/Latino, 40% White: 32% non-native, and 10% Spanish speakers).
MEASUREMENTS: ELA responses assessed via a telephone survey (2018-2019) were used to examine response patterns and associated cognitive outcomes, measured using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) during MESA Exam 5 and Exam 6.
RESULTS: Spanish speakers (odds ratio [OR] 2.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.38-3.36) and participants born outside of the United States (U.S.) (OR 1.66, 95% CI: 1.18-2.33) had higher odds of ELA refusal than U.S. born ELA completers who spoke English. There were no significant differences in change in CASI score from Exam 5 to Exam 6 (beta=-0.38, [SE] 0.54, p=0.490) or Exam 6 CASI score (beta=-0.68, [SE] 0.49, p=0.168) among those who refused the ELA assessment compared to those who completed the assessment.
CONCLUSIONS: Sociodemographic factors predicted completion status on questions of ELA. There was no difference in cognitive function and change in cognition across ELA completion groups.
CITATION:
Margaret C. Culkin, Jordan E. Tanley, Timothy M. Hughes, Teresa Seeman, Sharon S. Merkin, Doris Molina-Henry, Kathleen M. Hayden (2024): The Implications of Response Patterns in Questions of Early Life Adverse Events on Health Status and Cognitive Function Later in Life in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Vitality, Medicine & Engineering. http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/VME.2024.2