A new study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that childhood exposure to racially segregated schools is linked to poorer cognitive outcomes later in life for older Black adults. The findings shed light on the long-term health impacts of structural racism and underscore the need for addressing racial inequities in education.

Led by Zhuoer Lin, Ph.D., from the University of Illinois Chicago, the research analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study, focusing on 3,566 Black and 17,555 White participants. The study examined how exposure to school segregation during childhood influenced cognitive performance, cognitive impairment, and dementia risk in later years.

The results were stark. Black participants who experienced high levels of school segregation scored lower on cognitive tests (average score: 13.6 compared to 14.5 for those in low-segregation environments) and showed higher rates of cognitive impairment (37.0% vs. 28.0%) and dementia (14.1% vs. 9.3%). Importantly, these associations were not observed among White participants.

The researchers identified educational attainment as a key mediator, accounting for 57.6% to 72.6% of the link between segregation and cognitive outcomes. However, even after adjusting for mediators and other variables, Black participants exposed to high segregation had significantly worse cognitive scores (coefficient: −0.26) and were more likely to experience cognitive impairment (adjusted odds ratio: 1.35) and dementia (adjusted odds ratio: 1.26).

“These findings suggest that strengthened efforts to reduce school racial segregation could have lasting benefits for cognitive health and advance racial equity,” the authors wrote. They emphasized the enduring role of school segregation as a form of structural racism in the United States.

The study highlights the urgent need for policies that address educational disparities, not only to promote equity but also to improve long-term health outcomes for marginalized communities.