ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATION WITH INCIDENCE OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN 3 ESTABLISHED POPULATIONS FOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES OF THE ELDERLY

We analyzed the association of education, occupation, and sex with inc idence of cognitive impairment using data from three communities in th e Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EP ESE) projects (New Haven, East Boston, and Iowa). Participants were in itially interviewed in 1981-1983, with follow-up 3 and 6 years later. Incident cognitive impairment was defined on the basis of either: (1) increase in the number of errors in Short Portable Mental Status Quest ionnaire (SPMSQ) (i.e. from a baseline level below the cutoff value to a score above the cutoff), or (2) inability to respond to interview q uestions at a follow-up contact (requiring a proxy informant), or (3) death with a recorded diagnosis of a dementing illness. In multiple lo gistic regression models, the major factors predicting the development of cognitive impairment were advanced age, any errors on baseline SPM SQ, 8 or fewer years of education, and occupation. Education and occup ation remained significant predictors after controlling for age, site, sex, stroke, and baseline SPMSQ score.