Women’s previous economic activity and later cognitive functioning. Findings from the Tromsø study

Abstract Background The aim was to investigate if persons’ economic histories in adulthood are associated with later cognitive function. Analyses exploited detailed income registers in Norway, dating back to 1967. At this time, it was arguably more common for adult women to be less economically active, enabling a sample of women with precisely measured variation in past economic activities. Three major cognitive domains were studied: psychomotor speed, memory abilities, and processing speed. Methods Population-based Tromsø study data (year 2001, 2007/8, and 2015/16) on objective measures of cognitive function (N = 3270) were retrospectively linked with registry data (age 35-55). To assess the association between economic activity and later cognitive function, linear regression was used. Missing data and non-response were handled using multiple imputation and inverse probability weights. Preliminary results Women who were economically active from the late thirties had -0.103 (CI: -0.189, -0.017) standard deviation units lower score on test for processing speed abilities compared to the group who had been mostly economically active. Corresponding results for those active from mid/late forties, and the group mostly not economically active were -0.237 (CI: -0.346, -0.129) and -0.273 (CI: -0.413, -0.133), respectively. Associations between economic activity and test for psychomotor speed were tentative. No systematic associations were revealed for the test for memory abilities. Little support was found for any contribution to different rates of longitudinal development. Conclusions Women who were more economically active in adulthood may have better processing speed abilities later in life than those with less economic activity. The findings contribute to the understanding of cognitive development with age, an important topic for sustainable demographic aging processes. Key messages • Level of economic activity may influence cognitive function for women. • Level of economic activity may influence cognitive function for women. Not being economically active is for women associated with increased risk of lower processing speed abilities later in life.