Abstract：
Policy Points Education-cognition research overlooks the role of education quality in shaping cognitive function at midlife and older ages, even though quality may be more responsive to federal and state investment in public schooling than attainment. For older US adults who attended school during the early to mid-20th century, the quality of US education improved considerably as federal and state investment increased. Ensuring access to high-quality primary and secondary education may protect against poor cognitive function at midlife and older ages, particularly among Black Americans and persons who complete less education. It may also play an important role in reducing health inequities.
BACKGROUND: Although educational attainment is consistently associated with better cognitive function among older adults, we know little about how education quality is related to cognitive function. This is a key gap in the literature given that the quality of US education improved considerably during the early to mid-20th century as state and federal investment increased. We posit that growing up in states with higher-quality education systems may protect against poor cognitive function, particularly among Black adults and adults who completed fewer years of school.
METHODS: We used prospective data on cognitive function from the Health and Retirement Study linked to historical data on state investment in public schools, restricting our sample to non-Hispanic White and Black adults born between 1914 and 1959 (19,096 White adults and 4,625 Black adults). Using race-stratified linear mixed models, we considered if state-level education quality was associated with level and decline in cognitive function and if these patterns differed by years of schooling and race.
RESULTS: Residing in states with higher-resourced education systems during childhood was associated with better cognitive function, particularly among those who completed less than 12 years of schooling, regardless of race. For White adults, higher-resourced state education systems were associated with higher scores of total cognitive function and episodic memory, but there were diminishing returns as resources increased to very high levels. For Black adults, the relationship between state education resources and cognitive function varied by age with positive associations in midlife and generally null or negative associations at the oldest ages.
CONCLUSIONS: Federal and state investment in public schools may provide students with opportunities to develop important cognitive resources during schooling that translate into better cognitive function in later life, especially among marginalized populations.
BACKGROUND: Although educational attainment is consistently associated with better cognitive function among older adults, we know little about how education quality is related to cognitive function. This is a key gap in the literature given that the quality of US education improved considerably during the early to mid-20th century as state and federal investment increased. We posit that growing up in states with higher-quality education systems may protect against poor cognitive function, particularly among Black adults and adults who completed fewer years of school.
METHODS: We used prospective data on cognitive function from the Health and Retirement Study linked to historical data on state investment in public schools, restricting our sample to non-Hispanic White and Black adults born between 1914 and 1959 (19,096 White adults and 4,625 Black adults). Using race-stratified linear mixed models, we considered if state-level education quality was associated with level and decline in cognitive function and if these patterns differed by years of schooling and race.
RESULTS: Residing in states with higher-resourced education systems during childhood was associated with better cognitive function, particularly among those who completed less than 12 years of schooling, regardless of race. For White adults, higher-resourced state education systems were associated with higher scores of total cognitive function and episodic memory, but there were diminishing returns as resources increased to very high levels. For Black adults, the relationship between state education resources and cognitive function varied by age with positive associations in midlife and generally null or negative associations at the oldest ages.
CONCLUSIONS: Federal and state investment in public schools may provide students with opportunities to develop important cognitive resources during schooling that translate into better cognitive function in later life, especially among marginalized populations.
摘要：
政策要点教育认知研究忽略了教育质量在塑造中年和老年认知功能中的作用，即使质量可能比获得更多的是对联邦和州在公共教育方面的投资。对于在20世纪初至中期上学的美国老年人来说，随着联邦和州投资的增加，美国教育质量大大提高。确保获得高质量的初等和中等教育可以防止中年和老年人认知功能低下，特别是在美国黑人和完成较少教育的人中。它也可能在减少健康不平等方面发挥重要作用。
背景：尽管在老年人中，受教育程度一直与更好的认知功能相关，我们对教育质量与认知功能的关系知之甚少。这是文献中的一个关键差距，因为在20世纪初至中期，随着州和联邦投资的增加，美国的教育质量大大提高。我们认为，在拥有高质量教育系统的州长大可能会防止认知功能低下，特别是在黑人成年人和完成少年学制的成年人中。
方法：我们使用了健康与退休研究中有关认知功能的前瞻性数据，这些数据与国家对公立学校投资的历史数据有关，将我们的样本限制为1914年至1959年间出生的非西班牙裔白人和黑人成年人（19,096名白人成年人和4,625名黑人成年人）。使用种族分层线性混合模型，我们考虑了州级教育质量是否与认知功能的水平和下降相关,以及这些模式是否因学校教育年限和种族而异.
结果：在童年时期居住在资源较高的教育系统中与更好的认知功能相关，特别是那些完成不到12年教育的人，不管种族。对于白人成年人来说，资源丰富的州教育系统与总认知功能和情景记忆的得分更高相关，但是随着资源增加到非常高的水平，回报逐渐减少。对于黑人成年人来说，国家教育资源与认知功能之间的关系因年龄而异，在中年时具有正相关关系，在最年长的年龄时通常为零或负相关关系。
结论：联邦和州对公立学校的投资可能为学生提供机会，在上学期间开发重要的认知资源，从而在以后的生活中转化为更好的认知功能，尤其是在边缘化人群中。
背景：尽管在老年人中，受教育程度一直与更好的认知功能相关，我们对教育质量与认知功能的关系知之甚少。这是文献中的一个关键差距，因为在20世纪初至中期，随着州和联邦投资的增加，美国的教育质量大大提高。我们认为，在拥有高质量教育系统的州长大可能会防止认知功能低下，特别是在黑人成年人和完成少年学制的成年人中。
方法：我们使用了健康与退休研究中有关认知功能的前瞻性数据，这些数据与国家对公立学校投资的历史数据有关，将我们的样本限制为1914年至1959年间出生的非西班牙裔白人和黑人成年人（19,096名白人成年人和4,625名黑人成年人）。使用种族分层线性混合模型，我们考虑了州级教育质量是否与认知功能的水平和下降相关,以及这些模式是否因学校教育年限和种族而异.
结果：在童年时期居住在资源较高的教育系统中与更好的认知功能相关，特别是那些完成不到12年教育的人，不管种族。对于白人成年人来说，资源丰富的州教育系统与总认知功能和情景记忆的得分更高相关，但是随着资源增加到非常高的水平，回报逐渐减少。对于黑人成年人来说，国家教育资源与认知功能之间的关系因年龄而异，在中年时具有正相关关系，在最年长的年龄时通常为零或负相关关系。
结论：联邦和州对公立学校的投资可能为学生提供机会，在上学期间开发重要的认知资源，从而在以后的生活中转化为更好的认知功能，尤其是在边缘化人群中。
