Background and Objectives: Caregivers may be at different risks of various types of burdens by virtue of their gender and racial/ethnic status. This article explores the differences in caregiving burdens across the intersectionality of race and gender. Research Design and Methods: Using Round 5 (conducted in 2015) and Round 7 (conducted in 2017) of National Study of Caregiving and National Health and Aging Trends Study data, the study examined differences in caregiver burdens across and within different gender and racial/ethnic groups, within the realms of financial, emotional, and physical burdens. The sample consisted of 1,206 caregivers who provided services to Medicare beneficiaries. Logistic regressions were performed to assess the 3 types of burdens each subgroup was experiencing. Results: Results indicated that within the intersectionality framework, compared to White female caregivers, Black male caregivers were 3.3 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.77–6.22) more likely to experience financial burden, and Black female caregivers were 54% less likely to experience physical burden. Surprisingly, compared to White female caregivers, all the other groups were 37% (95% CI 0.41–0.95) to 71% (95% CI 0.15–0.56) less likely to have emotional burden. Discussion and Implications: The findings highlighted that Black male caregivers are experiencing financial burden and White female caregivers are experiencing emotional burden disproportionately. To develop effective interventions and programs for dementia caregivers, a special focus should be put on monitoring the differences in the types of burdens that the above-mentioned population subgroups experience.

Objectives: Spousal caregivers of older adults, especially new spousal caregivers, face increased risks of negative health outcomes due to the demands of caregiving and their own health decline. Estimating the impacts of caregiving on health without controlling for caregivers’ own aging-related health decline could exaggerate the negative health consequences of caregiving, while focusing solely on caregivers could result in selection bias where healthier individuals enter and/or remain in caregiving. This study aims to estimate the impacts of caregiving on health of new spousal caregivers while controlling for observable confounders.Methods: We utilized coarsened exact matching analysis to compare health outcomes between new spousal caregivers and spousal noncaregivers using pooled panel data from 2006 to 2018 in the Health and Retirement Study. We analyzed 242,123 person-wave observations from 42,180 unique individuals, among whom 3,927 were new spousal caregivers. Variables used for matching were classified into 3 categories: care needs, willingness to provide care, and ability to provide care. Two-year outcomes assessed are spouse’s self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and cognitive functioning.Results: A total of 3,417 (87.01%) new spousal caregivers were matched with 129,798 observations of spousal noncaregivers. Regression analysis indicated being a new spousal caregiver was associated with a 0.18- (standard error = 0.05) unit increase in number of depressive symptoms. No statistically significant results were identified for self-rated health and cognitive functioning.Discussion: Our results highlighted the needs to address mental health among new spousal caregivers and emphasized the importance of addressing mental health in long-term care programs and policies.

Background and Objectives: Periodontitis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory gum disease in older adults and has been linked to cognitive decline, but underlying mechanisms are unclear. The geroscience hypothesis provides a framework for this link, positing that fundamental aging processes (eg, chronic inflammation) drive multiple age-related diseases​. We aimed to determine whether accelerated biological aging mediates the association between periodontal disease and cognitive function in older adults. Research Design and Methods: Data were analyzed from 1,950 adults aged ≥60 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2002. Periodontal status was clinically assessed (mean clinical attachment loss [CAL], periodontal probing depth [PD], and periodontitis defined by CDC/AAP thresholds). Cognitive performance was measured with the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Biological aging was quantified using Klemera–Doubal (KDM) and Phenotypic Age (PhenoAge) algorithms. Multivariable linear regressions and mediation analyses (adjusted for sociodemographic, behavioral, and health factors) were conducted to evaluate associations and the proportion of the periodontal–cognition link mediated by biological age acceleration (BAA). Results: Periodontitis was significantly associated with poorer cognitive function (DSST standardized β = −0.095, p < 0.01) and higher KDM-BAA (β = 0.812, p < 0.001) and PhenoAge Acceleration (β = 1.004, p < 0.001). Each 1-mm increase in CAL was associated with lower DSST scores (β = −0.048, p < 0.01), greater KDM-BAA (β = 0.221, p = 0.031), and higher PhenoAge Acceleration (β = 0.475, p < 0.001). Higher BAA was independently associated with lower cognitive scores (KDM-BAA β = −0.009, p = 0.021; PhenoAge Acceleration β = −0.008, p = 0.003). Mediation analyses showed KDM-BAA and PhenoAge Acceleration mediated approximately 5.7–15.1% (all indirect effects p < 0.05) of the total periodontal–cognition relationship. Discussion and Implications: Accelerated biological aging partially mediates the relationship between periodontal disease and cognitive function, supporting a novel geroscience-based mechanism linking oral inflammation and cognitive decline. Future interventions targeting oral health could simultaneously mitigate systemic aging and protect cognitive function.

Objectives: While edentulism and social mobility have each been linked to cognitive decline, few studies have examined their joint effects or how these relationships vary across age groups. This study investigated the independent and joint effects of edentulism and intergenerational social mobility on cognitive function, with a focus on age-specific patterns. Methods: We analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study (2006–2020), including 23,158 adults aged 51+. Cognitive function was assessed using a 27-point modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status. Social mobility was measured using intergenerational education mobility, and edentulism was determined through self-reporting. Linear mixed-effects models with lagged time-varying covariates were used to assess longitudinal cognitive trajectories. Results: At baseline, 13.2% of participants were edentulous. Social mobility categories included stable low socioeconomic position (SEP) (29.6%), stable medium/high SEP (34.3%), upward mobility (17.1%), and downward mobility (19.1%). Edentulism was associated with lower baseline cognitive function and faster decline. All non–low-SEP groups had significantly higher baseline cognition, with the stable medium/high SEP group also showing slower cognitive decline and greater resilience against the negative effects of edentulism over time. Interactive effects between edentulism and social mobility were most pronounced among adults aged 65-74. Among those aged 75+, neither edentulism nor social mobility significantly affected cognitive outcomes. Discussion: Edentulism and social mobility independently and interactively influence cognitive aging, particularly in adults aged 51-74. Findings highlight the importance of addressing oral health disparities and social determinants of health at an early age to support cognitive health across diverse socioeconomic positions.