Health Care Access and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Cross-Lagged Panel Longitudinal Analysis

Objective: The current longitudinal study examined how (1) cognitive measures, including episodic memory, executive function, and global cognition, predict later healthcare access and how (2) healthcare access predicts later cognition. Methods: Drawing a sample (n = 9920) from the Health and Retirement Study dataset, we created a cross-lagged panel model to examine the longitudinal association between cognitive measures and healthcare access from 2012 to 2018. Results: Results revealed that cognitive measures significantly predict later healthcare access, with effects increasing across waves. However, within sub-domains, memory was more predictive of later healthcare access over time compared to executive function. Discussions: Our study suggested an increased link between cognition and healthcare access during aging. Even outside of the context of AD, there are likely both policy-based and practical implications to ensure those experiencing cognitive decline continue to maintain access to care.