Cash transfers in South Africa to reduce dementia risk in later life
Official title: Cumulative socioeconomic exposures, cash transfer interventions, and later-life cognitive decline and dementia risk in a low-income region of South Africa
Funded at Trustees of Indiana University · NIH-11534517 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether government cash transfers in rural South Africa help protect people’s thinking and memory as they age.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Trustees of Indiana University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bloomington, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2020 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $141,055 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AG069128-07S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11534517 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults (typically 21+ years) in rural South Africa who are recipients of government cash transfer programs and are part of the linked HAALSI/AHDSS cohorts.
✕Less likely to help
People not covered by the cash transfer programs or not in the studied region may not see direct benefits.
What this research studies
Researchers will build on a long-running study in South Africa to examine how changes in cash transfer programs affect later-life cognitive health. By linking health data with government program records, they will look for signals that larger or longer cash support may reduce memory decline and dementia risk. The study focuses on adults in a low-income region and uses existing data to explore how timing and amount of cash support influence aging and brain health. Findings could inform policy on how to design social protection to aid cognitive outcomes in aging populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could guide social programs to better protect cognitive health in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows a protective link between cash transfers and later-life cognitive health in this setting, supporting the potential for similar benefits in broader contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Trustees of Indiana University
Bloomington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rosenberg, Molly Sears — Trustees of Indiana University
- Study coordinator: Rosenberg, Molly Sears
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A researchers’ team is testing whether government cash transfers in rural South Africa can help protect older adults from memory decline and dementia.
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How regular cash support during adulthood affects memory and dementia risk in rural South Africa
This work looks at whether receiving government cash payments during adulthood helps protect memory and lower the chance of dementia for people in a low-income region of South Africa.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.