Examining the Moderating Roles of Social Isolation and Social Technology Use in Health Disparities of Cognitive Impairment

There are profound racial disparities in cognitive impairment and dementia. Black and rural older adults are nearly twice as likely to develop dementia compared to White and urban‐dwelling older adults, respectively. However, the way social factors affect these racial and rural‐urban disparities in dementia prevalence remains poorly understood. Social isolation is associated with poorer cognitive outcomes among older adults, yet social technology use may provide a means to reduce social isolation. This research examines how two social factors—social isolation and social technology use influence racial and rural disparities in cognitive impairment and dementia.