Abstract
BACKGROUND: The associations between adult lead exposure and late‐life cognition are largely unknown. METHODS: In two cohorts, Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences (KHANDLE, n = 1638) and Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR, n = 741), we assessed residential proximity to lead‐releasing facilities for association with domain‐specific cognition 2 years later. Linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, marital status, smoking status, and alcohol consumption. We meta‐analyzed across cohorts. RESULTS: Average age was 76.1 (KHANDLE), 68.8 years (STAR); average residential distance to a lead facility was 8.2 km (KHANDLE), 3.6 km (STAR). In meta‐analysis, for every 5 km closer a residence was located to a lead‐releasing facility, episodic memory scores 2 years later were −0.05 (95% confidence interval: −0.08, −0.02) standard deviation lower. DISCUSSION: Residential proximity to a lead‐releasing facility was associated with poorer cognition 2 years later among adults in two cohorts.