Abstract
Older
Black and Hispanic adults report more religious involvement, and
religious involvement has been linked to better cognition. This study
examined which aspects of religious involvement are associated with
better longitudinal episodic memory and whether religious involvement
offsets racial and ethnic inequalities in episodic memory. Using Health
and Retirement Study data (N = 16,069), latent growth curves
estimated independent indirect pathways between race and ethnicity and
6-year memory trajectories through religious attendance, private prayer,
and religious belief, controlling for nonreligious social
participation, depressive symptoms, chronic health diseases, age,
education, and wealth. Negative direct effects of Black race and
Hispanic ethnicity on memory were partially offset by positive indirect
pathways through more private prayer and religious attendance. While
results were significant for memory intercept and not subsequent memory
change, religious attendance and private prayer were independently
associated with better cognitive health among diverse older adults.
Findings may inform culturally relevant intervention development to
promote successful aging and reduce older adults’ cognitive morbidity.
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