AGING IN LATIN AMERICA: A FOCUS ON MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES

Abstract Population aging is occurring rapidly across Latin America, a region that includes some of the world’s most racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse populations. Aging in this region is occurring in a context of high levels of poverty and income inequality, which has implications for disease risk, cognitive health, and overall well-being. This symposium focuses on Mexico and Colombia, two of Latin America’s largest middle-income countries, which have recently undergone rapid epidemiological and demographic transitions. The papers in this symposium examine a variety of health dimensions among older Latinos that include physiological functioning, cognition, and psychological and physical well-being. García uses the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine biomarkers known to predict health risk among Mexican-origin populations: Mexico-born living in Mexico, Mexico-born living in the U.S., and U.S.-born Mexican-Americans. Saenz examines the importance of education on late-life cognitive ability among Mexicans using data from the MHAS Cognitive Aging Ancillary Study. Using data from the Colombian Survey of Health, Well-Being, and Aging (SABE-Colombia), Ailshire examines variation in biological risk across key subgroups of the population. Osuna uses data from the Colombian National Quality of Life Survey (ENCV) to determine if social and economic inequalities are reflected in unequal health and well-being among older adults. Results highlight which Latin American populations have increased risk for poorer health, which merit further research and policy attention. The findings highlight the importance of understanding health and well-being in the rapidly growing older adult populations of Latin America.

Several studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of views on aging (VoA) on health, while the reverse relationship is seldom in focus. Serious health events (e.g., myocardial infarction) are life-threatening and remind individuals of the finitude of life possibly changing their VoA. The present study investigates the effect of cardiovascular events (CVE) on longitudinal changes in VoA using pooled data of three waves of the German Ageing Survey (2008, 2011, 2014, age-range: 40-95 years). To account for alternative explanations, individuals without CVE were matched to the individuals with CVE (n = 202) using a propensity-score-matching approach. Individuals who experienced a CVE showed more adverse changes in three VoA indicators (aging associated with physical losses, ongoing development, felt age) than individuals without CVE. Results show that CVE can change how we view our own aging which in turn affects future health changes. Following a CVE people may benefit from promoting positive VoA.

YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL WISE, OLD PEOPLE FEEL ENERGETIC: COMPARING AGE STEREOTYPES AND SELF-EVALUATIONS ACROSS ADULTHOOD
Anna E. Kornadt, 1 Catherine E. Bowen, 2 Svenja M. Spuling, 3 and Maja Wiest 4 , 1. Bielefeld University,Bielefeld,Germany,2. Independent Researcher,Vienna,Wien,Austria,3. German Centre of Gerontology (DZA),Berlin,Berlin,Germany,4. Free University Berlin,Berlin,Berlin,Germany Using questionnaire data from the MIDUS study (N=6.325) we examined the extent to which people in their late 20s, 40s, and 60s think that positive stereotypic "old" and "young" characteristics describe themselves, their age peers, and other age groups. A constellation of "old" characteristics (e.g., wise, caring, calm) was seen as more descriptive of older adults, while a constellation of "young" characteristics (e.g., healthy, energetic) was seen as more descriptive of younger adults. Selfevaluations were highly positive and largely consistent across age groups. Compared to their age peers, younger adults saw themselves as having as many positive "young" characteristics but more positive "old" characteristics whereas older adults saw themselves as having more positive "young" characteristics but fewer positive "old" characteristics. The results support the stability of the aging self despite the existence of age stereotypes and the role of negative age stereotypes as a frame of reference for making self-evaluations. Population aging is occurring rapidly across Latin America, a region that includes some of the world's most racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse populations. Aging in this region is occurring in a context of high levels of poverty and income inequality, which has implications for disease risk, cognitive health, and overall well-being. This symposium focuses on Mexico and Colombia, two of Latin America's largest middle-income countries, which have recently undergone rapid epidemiological and demographic transitions. The papers in this symposium examine a variety of health dimensions among older Latinos that include physiological functioning, cognition, and psychological and physical well-being. García uses the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine biomarkers known to predict health risk among Mexican-origin populations: Mexicoborn living in Mexico, Mexico-born living in the U.S., and U.S.-born Mexican-Americans. Saenz examines the importance of education on late-life cognitive ability among Mexicans using data from the MHAS Cognitive Aging Ancillary Study. Using data from the Colombian Survey of Health, Well-Being, and Aging (SABE-Colombia), Ailshire examines variation in biological risk across key subgroups of the population. Osuna uses data from the Colombian National Quality of Life Survey (ENCV) to determine if social and economic inequalities are reflected in unequal health and well-being among older adults. Results highlight which Latin American populations have increased risk for poorer health, which merit further research and policy attention. The findings highlight the importance of understanding health and well-being in the rapidly growing older adult populations of Latin America.

. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
Colombia has the highest level of income inequality among Latin American countries, which likely translates into disparities in the aging experience. This study uses data on adults ages 60 and older from the 2017 National Survey of Quality of Life to examine socioeconomic stratification in physical health and psychological well-being. Colombians are assigned to estratos that reflect their residential location as well as social and economic position. Compared to those in the lowest estrato, older adults in the middle and high estratos are less likely to report having sensory impairment or difficulty with daily activities. They are also 1-2 times more likely to report feeling happy and calm. Those in the highest estratos are less likely to report feeling worried. Results suggest there is tremendous variation in the aging experience across socioeconomic strata and that older adults in the lowest strata are particularly disadvantaged with respect to health and well-being.

THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS OF EDUCATION ON LATE-LIFE COGNITIVE ABILITY IN MEXICO
Joseph Saenz, 1 Eileen M. Crimmins, 1 and Elizabeth Zelinski 1 , 1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States Education and cognitive ability are closely associated. Less is known regarding mechanisms of this association. We evaluate direct effects of education on cognition and indirect effects through health and socioeconomic status (SES) in Mexico. We analyze adults age 50+ from the 2016 Mexican Cognitive Aging Ancillary Study (n=2,042). We constructed latent variables of visual and verbal cognitive abilities. Using structural equation modeling, we estimated direct effects of education on cognition and indirect effects through SES (income and wealth), and health (chronic conditions and health behaviors). Small, yet statistically significant, indirect effects of education on cognition through income, wealth, and stroke (for visual ability) and through stroke (for verbal ability) were observed. However, the majority of the association between education and cognitive ability (90% and 96% for visual/ verbal cognitive ability, respectively) was not explained SES or health. Interventions to reduce disparities in late-life cognitive ability should address educational disparities in early-life.

VARIATION IN BIOLOGICAL RISK AMONG OLDER COLOMBIANS BY AGE, GENDER, AND EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT Jennifer A. Ailshire, 1 and Margarita Osuna 1 , 1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
Recent rapid aging in Colombia raises questions about the health status of older adults, but there has been very little research in this population. This study examines variation in biological risk by age, gender, and educational attainment using data from the 2015 SABE-Colombia, a nationally representative survey of Colombians ages 60 and older. Levels of cholesterol (total, HDL, and LDL), triglycerides, glucose, and hemoglobin were measured from whole blood and clinical cut-points were used to determine high-risk on each indicator. The five metabolic indicators were summed to create a total risk score; 58% of older adults had a score of 1 or more. Those ages 80 and older and women had lower risk, as did those with at least primary education. These patterns were also observed for high-risk on hemoglobin (13% prevalence), an indicator of anemia. Most older Colombians have some biological risk, but this varies by key subgroups.