DOES EDUCATION PROTECT AGAINST COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT - A COMPARISON OF THE ELDERLY IN 2 AUSTRALIAN CITIES

Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination in community surveys of the elderly in Canberra and Hobart. Mean scores on the Mini-Mental were higher in Canberra than in Hobart and the prevalence of cognitive impairment was lower. This difference was found to be attributable to the higher level of education in the Canberra elderly. When education was statistically controlled, the difference between the cities disappeared. These findings may have implications for future cohorts of the elderly, which will have a higher level of education than the present-day elderly. It is argued that the prevalence of cognitive impairment could drop in the future.