A validation cohort is a separate group within the study that undergoes the same analysis. “This association was observed in our primary sample as well as in a validation cohort,” says Dr. They experienced approximately one “extra” year of cognitive aging per a 10-year period in other words, the level of cognitive aging experienced over a 10-year period by people who always earned a low-wage would be what those who never earned low wages experienced in 11 years.

The researchers found that, compared with workers never earning low wages, sustained low-wage earners experienced significantly faster memory decline in older age. On average, participants completed 4.8 memory assessments over the course of the study. Memory function was measured at each visit over a 12-year period from 2004 to 2016 using a memory composite score, which included immediate and delayed word recall memory assessments.

Study participants were interviewed every two years and provided, among other things, information on work-related factors, including hourly wages. Researchers focused on participants’ earnings between 1992 to 2004, which were considered “peak earning years.” Subjects were placed into one of three categories: those who never earned low wages, people who intermittently earned low wages, or those who always earned low wages. Low-wage was defined as hourly wage lower than two-thirds of the federal median wage for the corresponding year. Researchers used data gathered from 1992–2016 from 2,879 individuals enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal survey of nationally representative samples of Americans aged 50 years and older. Earning a Lower Wage Linked to Faster Memory Decline “Our research provides new evidence that sustained exposure to low wages during peak earning years is associated with accelerated memory decline later in life,” said first author Katrina Kezios, PhD, postdoctoral researcher at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, in a release. Researchers from Columbia University found a link between a below-average paycheck and cognitive function down the road. But can earning less money, year after year, take a different kind of toll, and negatively affect our brains and memory? Unfortunately, that answer may be yes, according to new research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association 2022 Addressing Health Disparities conference. In the United States, people living in lower-income households have an increased risk for developing many chronic health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. A lack of access to healthcare, nutritious food, and safe places to exercise all contribute to healthcare inequities.

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