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Cited by 22Dementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchHealth disparities and outcomesChild Abuse and Trauma

Childhood socio-economic circumstances and dementia: prospective register-based cohort study of adulthood socio-economic and cardiovascular health mediators

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Korhonen, Kaarina, Leinonen, Taina, Tarkiainen, Lasse, Einiö, Elina, Martikainen, Pekka·2023·International Journal of Epidemiology
DOI 10.1093/ije/dyac205PMC PMC10114069
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Abstract

Background: This study analysed the association between childhood socio-economic circumstances and the risk of dementia, and investigated the mediating role of potentially modifiable risk factors including adulthood socio-economic position and cardiovascular health. Methods: We used a 10% sample of the 1950 Finnish population census linked with subsequent population and health registers (n = 95 381). Information of socio-economic characteristics, family structure and housing conditions at the age of 0–15 years was obtained from the 1950 census. We identified cohort members who developed dementia in 2000–2018 using national hospital, medication and death registers. Discrete time survival analysis using logistic regression and mediation analysis applying the Karlson–Holm–Breen (KHB) method were employed. Results: An excess risk of dementia was observed for household crowding [odds ratio (OR) = 1.10; 95% CI 1.02–1.18 for 3 to <4 persons per heated room; OR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.11–1.27 for ≥4 persons], single-father family (OR = 1.27; 95% CI 1.07–1.51) and eastern and northern region of residence (OR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.10–1.28). The effects of single-father family and region of residence were mostly direct with adulthood characteristics mediating 14% and 29% of the total effect, respectively. The largest indirect effect was observed for household crowding mediated through adulthood socio-economic position (47–65%). Conclusions: The study shows that childhood socio-economic circumstances are associated with dementia, and that the underlying mechanisms only partly relate to adulthood socio-economic position and cardiovascular health. Socio-economic and health interventions targeted at families with children may carry long-term benefits by contributing to a lower dementia risk in later life.

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  • Cardiovascular health and smoking partially mediate the relationship between socioeconomic deprivation and dementia.

    “Since cardiovascular health and smoking partially mediate the relationship between socioeconomic deprivation and dementia,(285-288)”

    From Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission (2024) · cites this paper as [286]

    The Conclusions state that the association between childhood socio-economic circumstances and later-life dementia is partly attributable to adulthood cardiovascular health. But the Methods (Adulthood mediators) list the cardiovascular measures without smoking, and the paper does not establish smoking as a mediator. The claim also leaves out the study’s childhood-specific scope. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Korhonen, K., Leinonen, T., Tarkiainen, L., Einiö, E., & Martikainen, P.
Affiliations
  • University of Helsinki (FI)
  • Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FI)
Corresponding author
Korhonen, Kaarina
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Epidemiology
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2022-11-07
Volume
52
Issue
2
Pages
523-535
ISSN
  • 0300-5771 (ISSN-L)
  • 1464-3685
DOI
10.1093/ije/dyac205
PMC
PMC10114069
OpenAlex
W4308549500
Cited by
22
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2
FWCI
3.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Finnish Cultural Foundation
  • Academy of Finland (#308247, #345219)
  • European Research Council
  • European Union’s Horizon 2020 (#101019329)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
Keywords
dementia risk, household crowding, single-father families, family structure, housing conditions, cardiovascular health, mediation analysis, regional residence
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, Crowding, Dementia, Family Characteristics, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Risk Factors, Socioeconomic Factors, Cohort Studies

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