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Lane JM, Zimmer A, Quiñones-Cordero MM, Sörensen S. Racial differences in the effect of verbal and nonverbal memory on concrete planning for future care needs among older adults: a multi-group structural equation modeling approach. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2024; 31:587-604. [PMID: 37317954 PMCID: PMC10721738 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2023.2223902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Concrete planning for future care needs may positively impact older adults' subsequent mental health and quality of life. However, the cognitive factors that facilitate concrete planning among Black and White older adults are still poorly understood. We investigated whether there are significant differences between Black (n = 159) and White (n = 262) older adults in concrete planning and explored racial differences in the relationship between verbal and nonverbal episodic memory and concrete planning. Results revealed that Blacks showed lower engagement in concrete planning and lower scores than Whites on each verbal and nonverbal memory task. For Blacks, but not Whites, verbal memory and nonverbal memory performance predicted concrete planning with higher nonverbal memory relating to less concrete planning and higher verbal memory associated with more concrete planning. Our findings suggest racial differences exist in how episodic verbal and nonverbal memory affect concrete planning, a crucial factor for older adults' preparation for future care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamil M Lane
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Alexis Zimmer
- Department of Counseling and Human Development, University of Rochester, Rochester, USA
| | - Maria M Quiñones-Cordero
- Elaine Hubbard Center for Nursing Research on Aging, University of Rochester School of Nursing, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Silvia Sörensen
- Department of Counseling and Human Development, University of Rochester, Rochester, USA
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Zhang YS, O’Shea B, Yu X, Cho TC, Zhang KP, Kler J, Langa KM, Weir DR, Gross AL, Kobayashi LC. Educational Attainment and Later-Life Cognitive Function in High- and Middle-Income Countries: Evidence From the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2024; 79:gbae005. [PMID: 38284333 PMCID: PMC10997278 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbae005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Identifying social policies that can promote cognitive health is crucial for reducing the global burden of dementia. We evaluated the importance of educational attainment for later-life cognitive function in various social and geographic settings. METHODS Using harmonized data for individuals aged ≥65 years from the United States Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and its international partner studies in England, Mexico, China, and India, and each study's respective Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP), we conducted a cross-national comparative study to examine the role of educational attainment in later-life cognitive function across countries (n = 14,980, 2016-2019). We used multivariable-adjusted regression to estimate associations between educational attainment and harmonized global cognitive function scores. RESULTS In Mexico, China, and India, the general cognitive function scores on average are approximately one standard deviation of the HRS-HCAP cognitive function score distribution lower compared to the United States and England, paralleling patterns of educational attainment across countries. In all countries, higher educational attainment was associated with progressively higher later-life cognitive function scores. Population-level differences in educational attainment explained about 50%-90% of the observed differences in cognitive function scores across countries. DISCUSSION The relationship between education and later-life cognitive function across social and geographic contexts underscores the crucial role of education to promote cognitive health and reduce dementia risk. Continual improvement of educational attainment in low- and middle-income settings may yield a significant pay-off in later-life cognitive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan S Zhang
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Brendan O’Shea
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Xuexin Yu
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Tsai-Chin Cho
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Kelvin Pengyuan Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jasdeep Kler
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Kenneth M Langa
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - David R Weir
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Alden L Gross
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Lindsay C Kobayashi
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Rahmani A, Najand B, Sonnega A, Akhlaghipour G, Mendez MF, Assari S. Intersectional Effects of Race and Educational Attainment on Memory Function of Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Alzheimer's Disease. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2024; 11:81-91. [PMID: 36576695 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01499-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High educational attainment may protect individuals, particularly middle-aged and older adults, against a wide range of health risks, including memory decline with age; however, this protection is less clear in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, this effect may differ across racial groups. According to the Marginalized-Related Diminished Return (MDR) theory, for example, the protective effect of high educational attainment on mental and physical health shows a weaker protective effect for racial minority groups, particularly Black people compared to White individuals. OBJECTIVES This longitudinal study used data of middle-aged and older adults with AD with two aims: first, to test the association between educational attainment and memory, and second, to explore racial differences in this association in the USA. METHODS Data came from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study. The total sample was 1673 American middle-aged and older adults. The independent variable was educational attainment measured as years of education. The main outcome was memory operationalized as Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) Verbal Forgetting percentage (VF%). Age, gender, and follow-up duration were covariates. Race was the effect modifier. Linear regression model was utilized to analyze the data. RESULTS Of all participants, 68 (4.1%) were Black, and the remaining were White, with a mean age of 75 years old. In the pooled sample, educational attainment did not show a significant association with memory, independent of confounders. Educational attainment showed a significant interaction with race on memory, with higher educational attainment having a different effect on memory in White patients compared to Black patients. CONCLUSION The effect of higher educational attainment on memory differs for Black patients with AD compared to White patients. To prevent cognitive disparities by race, we need to go beyond racial inequality in access to resources (e.g., education) and minimize diminished returns of educational attainment for racial minorities. To tackle health inequalities, social policies should not be limited to equalizing socioeconomic status but also help minority groups leverage their available resources, such as educational attainment, and secure tangible outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Rahmani
- Marginalized-Related Diminished Returns (MDRs) Research Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Babak Najand
- Marginalized-Related Diminished Returns (MDRs) Research Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Amanda Sonnega
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Golnoush Akhlaghipour
- Marginalized-Related Diminished Returns (MDRs) Research Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mario F Mendez
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shervin Assari
- Marginalized-Related Diminished Returns (MDRs) Research Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Family Medicine, Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Urban Public Health, Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Malec SA, Taneja SB, Albert SM, Elizabeth Shaaban C, Karim HT, Levine AS, Munro P, Callahan TJ, Boyce RD. Causal feature selection using a knowledge graph combining structured knowledge from the biomedical literature and ontologies: A use case studying depression as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. J Biomed Inform 2023; 142:104368. [PMID: 37086959 PMCID: PMC10355339 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2023.104368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Causal feature selection is essential for estimating effects from observational data. Identifying confounders is a crucial step in this process. Traditionally, researchers employ content-matter expertise and literature review to identify confounders. Uncontrolled confounding from unidentified confounders threatens validity, conditioning on intermediate variables (mediators) weakens estimates, and conditioning on common effects (colliders) induces bias. Additionally, without special treatment, erroneous conditioning on variables combining roles introduces bias. However, the vast literature is growing exponentially, making it infeasible to assimilate this knowledge. To address these challenges, we introduce a novel knowledge graph (KG) application enabling causal feature selection by combining computable literature-derived knowledge with biomedical ontologies. We present a use case of our approach specifying a causal model for estimating the total causal effect of depression on the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) from observational data. METHODS We extracted computable knowledge from a literature corpus using three machine reading systems and inferred missing knowledge using logical closure operations. Using a KG framework, we mapped the output to target terminologies and combined it with ontology-grounded resources. We translated epidemiological definitions of confounder, collider, and mediator into queries for searching the KG and summarized the roles played by the identified variables. We compared the results with output from a complementary method and published observational studies and examined a selection of confounding and combined role variables in-depth. RESULTS Our search identified 128 confounders, including 58 phenotypes, 47 drugs, 35 genes, 23 collider, and 16 mediator phenotypes. However, only 31 of the 58 confounder phenotypes were found to behave exclusively as confounders, while the remaining 27 phenotypes played other roles. Obstructive sleep apnea emerged as a potential novel confounder for depression and AD. Anemia exemplified a variable playing combined roles. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest combining machine reading and KG could augment human expertise for causal feature selection. However, the complexity of causal feature selection for depression with AD highlights the need for standardized field-specific databases of causal variables. Further work is needed to optimize KG search and transform the output for human consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Malec
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sanya B Taneja
- Intelligent Systems Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Steven M Albert
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - C Elizabeth Shaaban
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Helmet T Karim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Arthur S Levine
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; The Brain Institute, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Paul Munro
- School of Computing and Information, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Tiffany J Callahan
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard D Boyce
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Intelligent Systems Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Hayes-Larson E, Ikesu R, Fong J, Mobley TM, Gee GC, Brookmeyer R, Whitmer RA, Gilsanz P, Mayeda ER. Association of Education With Dementia Incidence Stratified by Ethnicity and Nativity in a Cohort of Older Asian American Individuals. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e231661. [PMID: 36877520 PMCID: PMC9989900 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.1661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE High education protects against dementia, but returns on educational attainment may be different across sociodemographic groups owing to various social factors. Asian American individuals are a growing and diverse group, but little research has assessed dementia determinants in this population. OBJECTIVE To examine the association of education with dementia in a large cohort of Asian American individuals, stratifying by ethnicity and nativity. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cohort study used electronic health record (EHR) and survey data from the Research Program on Genes, Environment, and Health and the California Men's Health Study surveys (2002-2020). Data are from Kaiser Permanente Northern California, an integrated health care delivery system. This study used a volunteer sample who completed the surveys. Participants included Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese individuals who were aged 60 to less than 90 years without a dementia diagnosis in the EHR at the time of the survey (baseline) and who had 2 years of health plan coverage before baseline. Data analysis was performed from December 2021 to December 2022. EXPOSURES The main exposure was educational attainment (college degree or higher vs less than a college degree), and the main stratification variables were Asian ethnicity and nativity (born in the US or born outside the US). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was incident dementia diagnosis in the EHR. Dementia incidence rates were estimated by ethnicity and nativity, and Cox proportional hazards and Aalen additive hazards models were fitted for the association of college degree or higher vs less than a college degree with time to dementia, adjusting for age (timescale), sex, nativity, and an interaction between nativity and college degree. RESULTS Among 14 749 individuals, the mean (SD) age at baseline was 70.6 (7.3) years, 8174 (55.4%) were female, and 6931 (47.0%) had attained a college degree. Overall, among individuals born in the US, those with a college degree had 12% lower dementia incidence (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.75-1.03) compared with those without at least a college degree, although the confidence interval included the null. The HR for individuals born outside the US was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.72-0.92; P = .46 for the college degree by nativity interaction). The findings were similar across ethnicity and nativity groups except for Japanese individuals born outside the US. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These findings suggest that college degree attainment was associated with lower dementia incidence, with similar associations across nativity. More work is needed to understand determinants of dementia in Asian American individuals and to elucidate mechanisms linking educational attainment and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Hayes-Larson
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Ryo Ikesu
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Joseph Fong
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Taylor M. Mobley
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Gilbert C. Gee
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Ron Brookmeyer
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Rachel A. Whitmer
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento
- Alzheimer’s Disease Center, University of California, Davis Health, Sacramento
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
| | - Paola Gilsanz
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
| | - Elizabeth Rose Mayeda
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
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Paul RH, Cho K, Belden A, Carrico AW, Martin E, Bolzenius J, Luckett P, Cooley SA, Mannarino J, Gilman JM, Miano M, Ances BM. Cognitive Phenotypes of HIV Defined Using a Novel Data-driven Approach. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2022; 17:515-525. [PMID: 34981318 PMCID: PMC10364465 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-021-10045-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The current study applied data-driven methods to identify and explain novel cognitive phenotypes of HIV. Methods: 388 people with HIV (PWH) with an average age of 46 (15.8) and median plasma CD4+ T-cell count of 555 copies/mL (79% virally suppressed) underwent cognitive testing and 3T neuroimaging. Demographics, HIV disease variables, and health comorbidities were recorded within three months of cognitive testing/neuroimaging. Hierarchical clustering was employed to identify cognitive phenotypes followed by ensemble machine learning to delineate the features that determined membership in the cognitive phenotypes. Hierarchical clustering identified five cognitive phenotypes. Cluster 1 (n=97) was comprised of individuals with normative performance on all cognitive tests. The remaining clusters were defined by impairment on action fluency (Cluster 2; n=46); verbal learning/memory (Cluster 3; n=73); action fluency and verbal learning/memory (Cluster 4; n=56); and action fluency, verbal learning/memory, and tests of executive function (Cluster 5; n=114). HIV detectability was most common in Cluster 5. Machine learning revealed that polysubstance use, race, educational attainment, and volumes of the precuneus, cingulate, nucleus accumbens, and thalamus differentiated membership in the normal vs. impaired clusters. The determinants of persistent cognitive impairment among PWH receiving suppressive treatment are multifactorial nature. Viral replication after ART plays a role in the causal pathway, but psychosocial factors (race inequities, substance use) merit increased attention as critical determinants of cognitive impairment in the context of ART. Results underscore the need for comprehensive person-centered interventions that go beyond adherence to patient care to achieve optimal cognitive health among PWH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H Paul
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri Saint Louis, Missouri, Saint Louis, US. .,Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri Saint Louis, Missouri, Saint Louis, US.
| | - Kyu Cho
- Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri Saint Louis, Missouri, Saint Louis, US
| | - Andrew Belden
- Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri Saint Louis, Missouri, Saint Louis, US
| | - Adam W Carrico
- Department of Public Health, University of Miami School of Medicine, Coral Gables, Florida, US
| | - Eileen Martin
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush University School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, US
| | - Jacob Bolzenius
- Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri Saint Louis, Missouri, Saint Louis, US
| | - Patrick Luckett
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri, US
| | - Sarah A Cooley
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri, US
| | - Julie Mannarino
- Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri Saint Louis, Missouri, Saint Louis, US
| | - Jodi M Gilman
- Center for Addiction Medicine, Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, US
| | - Mariah Miano
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, US
| | - Beau M Ances
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri, US
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Thomas MD, Calmasini C, Seblova D, Lapham S, Peters K, Prescott CA, Mangurian C, Glymour MM, Manly JJ. Postsecondary Education and Late-life Cognitive Outcomes Among Black and White Participants in the Project Talent Aging Study: Can Early-life Cognitive Skills Account for Educational Differences in Late-life Cognition? Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2022; 36:215-221. [PMID: 35791067 PMCID: PMC9420770 DOI: 10.1097/wad.0000000000000519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Higher education consistently predicts improved late-life cognition. Racial differences in educational attainment likely contribute to inequities in dementia risk. However, few studies of education and cognition have controlled for prospectively measured early-life confounders or evaluated whether the education late-life cognition association is modified by race/ethnicity. METHODS Among 2343 Black and White Project Talent Aging Study participants who completed telephone cognitive assessments, we evaluated whether the association between years of education and cognition (verbal fluency, memory/recall, attention, and a composite cognitive measure) differed by race, and whether these differences persisted when adjusting for childhood factors, including the cognitive ability. RESULTS In fully adjusted linear regression models, each additional year of education was associated with higher composite cognitive scores for Black [β=0.137; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.068, 0.206] and White respondents (β=0.056; CI=0.034, 0.078) with an interaction with race ( P =0.03). Associations between education and memory/recall among Black adults (β=0.036; CI=-0.037, 0.109) and attention among White adults (β=0.022; CI=-0.002, 0.046) were nonsignificant. However, there were significant race-education interactions for the composite ( P =0.03) and attention measures ( P <0.001) but not verbal fluency ( P =0.61) or memory/recall ( P =0.95). CONCLUSION Education predicted better overall cognition for both Black and White adults, even with stringent control for prospectively measured early-life confounders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn D Thomas
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Camilla Calmasini
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Susan Lapham
- American Institutes for Research, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kelly Peters
- American Institutes for Research, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Christina Mangurian
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - M. Maria Glymour
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA, USA
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