Community Demographic Change, Community Size, and Cognitive Health among Older Adults in China

Ying Huang, University of Texas at San Antonio
Shujie Han , University of Texas at San Antonio

China’s rapid urbanization and demographic shifts raise key questions about how community changes impact cognitive health in later life. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (2010–2014; N = 9,642 across 559 communities), we created typologies of demographic trajectories that reflect combinations of population growth or decline and shifts in the share of older adults, while also examining how these interact with community size. Results show that demographic typologies matter. Older adults in communities experiencing aging with growth and in declining communities with growth have lower cognitive scores, whereas those in shrinking communities with aging perform better than expected, probably due to bonding social capital. Community size strongly influences these relationships, with large cities helping to buffer risks, likely through institutional capacity and a variety of engagement opportunities, while moderate-sized towns are particularly vulnerable. These findings highlight that cognitive health is shaped by evolving community demographic processes.

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 Presented in Session 73. Cognitive Aeging, Dementia and Life Course Determinants of Cognitive Health