Cha Publishes Article on Life-Course Timing of Family Bereavement and Cognitive Impairment
Posted: 2026-10-09 12:50:40 (CSDE Research)
CSDE Affiliate and 2026-27 Seminar Series Chair Hyungmin Cha (Sociology) and co-authors recently published a research article in the American Journal of Public Health titled, “Life-Course Timing of Family Bereavement and Cognitive Impairment in Midlife to Later Life.” The study examined whether the timing of a parent’s, child’s, or spouse’s death across the life course is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia later in life. Using 20 years of longitudinal data (2000–2020) from the Health and Retirement Study and competing risks models, the authors found that family member deaths occurring at younger ages were associated with higher risks of cognitive impairment than losses occurring later in life. While this association became statistically nonsignificant for parental and spousal deaths after adjusting for early-life and adult health factors, it remained robust for child death across all model specifications, with no evidence of racial, ethnic, or gender differences in these patterns. The findings identify the timing of bereavement as an underrecognized determinant of cognitive aging and point to earlier-life loss, particularly the death of a child, as a strategic target for future prevention and intervention efforts. The full article can be found here. Congratulations Dr. Cha!
Date: 10/07/2026