Intersectional inequalities in the transition to grandparenthood and cognitive functioning: A longitudinal Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminatory Accuracy (MAIHDA)

Enrique Alonso-Perez; Jan Paul Heisig; Michaela Kreyenfeld; Paul Gellert; Julie Lorraine O'Sullivan

doi:10.1093/geronb/gbae088

Intersectional inequalities in the transition to grandparenthood and cognitive functioning: A longitudinal Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminatory Accuracy (MAIHDA)

J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2024 May 18:gbae088. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbae088. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Enrique Alonso-Perez^{1

2}, Jan Paul Heisig^{3

4}, Michaela Kreyenfeld^{2

5}, Paul Gellert^{1

2}, Julie Lorraine O'Sullivan^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Science, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
² Einstein Center Population Diversity (ECPD), Berlin, Germany.
³ Research Group "Health and Social Inequality", WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Berlin, Germany.
⁴ Institute of Sociology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
⁵ Social Policy Groups, Hertie School, Berlin, Germany.

PMID: 38761039
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbae088

Abstract

Objectives: In aging societies, more people become vulnerable to experiencing cognitive decline. Simultaneously, the role of grandparenthood is central for older adults and their families. Our study investigates inequalities in the level and trajectories of cognitive functioning among older adults, focusing on possible intersectional effects of social determinants and grandparenthood as a life course transition that may contribute to delaying cognitive decline.

Methods: Using longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, we analyzed a sample of 19,953 individuals aged 50-85 without grandchildren at baseline. We applied Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminatory Accuracy to investigate variation in cognitive functioning across 48 intersectional strata, defined by sex/gender, migration, education, and occupation. We allowed the impact of becoming a grandparent on cognitive functioning trajectories to vary across strata by including random slopes.

Results: Intersectional strata accounted for 17.43% of the overall variance in cognitive functioning, with most of the stratum-level variation explained by additive effects of the stratum-defining characteristics. Transition to grandparenthood was associated with higher cognitive functioning, showing a stronger effect for women. Stratum-level variation in the grandparenthood effect was modest, especially after accounting for interactions between grandparenthood and the stratum-defining variables.

Discussion: This study highlights the importance of social determinants for understanding heterogeneities in older adults' level of cognitive functioning and its association with the transition to grandparenthood. Cumulative disadvantages negatively affect cognitive functioning, hence adopting an intersectional lens is useful to decompose inequalities and derive tailored interventions to promote equal healthy aging.

Keywords: Cognition; Grandparents; Healthy aging; Intergenerational ties; Intersectionality.

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