This study examined the impact of intergenerational socioeconomic mobility on the
risk of cognitive impairment in a cohort of Chinese older adults aged 60 years and
older. Data were derived from the 2014 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity
Survey. Logistic regression models were performed to assess the impact of three dimensions
of socioeconomic mobility (occupational mobility, educational mobility, and residential
mobility) on the risk of cognitive impairment. We found that men who were stable with
non-professional jobs across generations had a higher risk of cognitive impairment
than their counterparts who experienced upward occupational mobility compared to their
father. This pattern was not observed in women. There was little evidence that educational
mobility or residential mobility affected cognitive impairment in later life. The
findings have implications for advancing supportive policies and practices related
to maximizing the benefits of education and career advancements for cognition in later
life.
