Rural-urban disparities in cognitive performance in Brazil and Mexico

Objectives: There is little evidence of the disparities in cognitive performance in rural and urban areas in Latin America. We used data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI) and the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), to assess whether rurality is associated with cognitive impairment. Methods: Cognitive impairment was determined using a regression-based approach. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between rurality and cognitive function, and if education modified this association. Results: ELSI participants (n = 9412) had a mean age of 62.5 ± 9.8 years, 53.9% were women, 64.4% had low education (<8 years). MHAS participants (n = 14,207) had a mean age of 64.7 ± 9.7 years, 55.3% were women, 68.1% had low education. Rurality increased the odds of cognitive impairment in MHAS but not in ELSI. Education modified this association. Conclusion: Rurality was associated with higher odds of cognitive impairment compared to living in urban areas in Mexico only.