Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41117801›Full record

ArticleThe journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences2026

The measurement of cognition in large-scale cross-national surveys: lessons from the Health and Retirement Study International Network of Studies and the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol.

Emma Nichols, Alden L Gross, Lindsay C Kobayashi, Kenneth M Langa, Jinkook Lee

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Recommended contents for a longitudinal, population-representative study of health, retirement, and aging.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Introduction: Harmonization Recommendations from the Gateway to Global Aging Data.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Emma NicholsCenter for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-9005-3872
Alden L GrossDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States.
Lindsay C KobayashiDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.ORCID 0000-0003-2725-3107
Kenneth M LangaSurvey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.
Jinkook LeeCenter for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-6209-719X

Funding

HRS Yrs29-34: Y33 SSA CoFundingU01AG009740 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI Jessica Faul, KENNETH M LANGA · 1990 to 2026
$555.8M
Integrting Information About Aging SurveysR01AG030153 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI Sara Adar, Alden L. Gross · 2007 to 2026
$41.7M
Socioeconomic, Cardiovascular, and Psychosocial Sources of Cross-National Variation in Cognitive Health Among Older AdultsR01AG070953 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI Alden L. Gross, Lindsay C Kobayashi · 2021 to 2026
$4.6M
Research Network for the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP): Years 6-10U24AG065182 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI Lindsay C Kobayashi, KENNETH M LANGA · 2022 to 2026
$2.6M
NIA NIH HHS R01 AG030153NIA NIH HHS R01AG030153NIA NIH HHS R01 AG070953NIA NIH HHS R01AG070953NIA NIH HHS U01 AG009740NIA NIH HHS U24 AG065182NIH HHS
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesGlobal dementia prevalence is expected to triple by 2050 with the majority of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), prompting the need for robust cognitive measurement tools in global aging research. The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and its international counterparts have pioneered cross-national cognitive assessments, most recently through the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP).

methodsBased on a series of discussions with key stakeholders and a review of the current literature, we report on key lessons from the HRS International Network of Surveys (HRS-INS) and HCAP in developing cross-nationally comparable cognitive testing protocols suitable for longitudinal research.

resultsThese lessons emphasize the importance of ensuring tests are feasible across both high-income countries and LMICs, maintaining consistency within studies and over time, and designing comprehensive cognitive batteries for improved measurement precision of general and domain-specific phenotypes. We highlight challenges of administering cognitive tests across different cultural, educational, and linguistic contexts, which necessitate ongoing adaptation and pilot testing. DISCUSSION: By summarizing these experiences, this article informs future efforts in enhancing the comparability and validity of cognitive assessments for cross-national aging studies, providing insights into optimizing survey design for the accurate measurement of cognitive functioning, cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. Insights also enable data users to identify the limitations of existing data, thus facilitating more informed decision-making in analytic projects.

Indexed as

CognitionCognitive DysfunctionDementiaHealth SurveysNeuropsychological TestsAgedHumansLongitudinal StudiesRetirementCognitive functioningDementiaPopulation representative studyStudy design

Identifiers

PMID41117801
PMCPMC13086052

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.