Social determinants of health

5 papers9 findings

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

On aging: the drug’s trials ARN judged to be about aging, of every trial that tests it for any use.

No results posted: trials that ended more than a year ago with no results on ClinicalTrials.gov and no paper in ARN’s record.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

4 independent labs in 5 countries
2 findings against

Humans5

Outcomes

Lifespan

upin humans1

1 study

Social determinants of health extends lifespan in humans (0.909 (95% CI 0.002–1.873) years longer).
“participants with dementia who had favorable SDoH levels demonstrated an average life expectancy 0.909 (95% CI 0.002–1.873) years longer”
Humansin participants with dementia, favorable vs unfavorable SDoH
Mental health, biological aging, and lifestyle mediate the associations between social determinants of health and dementia
AAIC 2025 abstract25 Dec 2025

Cognitive function

upin humans1

1 study

Social determinants of health improves cognitive function in humans.
“Higher SDoH levels were positively associated with larger hippocampal volume and better performance across cognitive domains.”
Humans
Mental health, biological aging, and lifestyle mediate the associations between social determinants of health and dementia
AAIC 2025 abstract25 Dec 2025

Global cognitive function

no changein humans1

1 study

Social determinants of health has no effect on global cognitive function in humans.
“Total MOCA scores were not associated with any SDH.”
Humansn = 147
Executive functions and language domains are vulnerable to Social Determinants of Health: A cognitive analysis from the PROMOTE trial
AAIC 2025 abstract23 Dec 2025

Associations

Dementia

downin humans1no changein humans1upin humans1HR 0.57–1.66

2 studies

Social determinants of health lowers the risk of dementia in humans (HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.53–0.60).
“those with favorable SDoH levels demonstrated significantly lower risks of developing all‐cause dementia (HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.53–0.60)”
Humansfavorable vs unfavorable SDoH
Mental health, biological aging, and lifestyle mediate the associations between social determinants of health and dementia
AAIC 2025 abstract25 Dec 2025
Social determinants of health is associated with dementia in humans (HR: 1.20, 95% CI: 0.91–1.59).
“No increased risk was observed for men (HR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.66‐1.23) and women (HR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.79‐1.43) in Class 3, nor for men in Class 4 (HR: 1.20, 95% CI: 0.91‐1.59)”
HumansClass 4 vs Class 112-year follow-up (median: 8.4 years)males
Gender‐Specific Associations Between Social Determinants of Health Clusters and Dementia Risk in Community‐Dwelling Older Adults
AAIC 2025 abstract23 Dec 2025
Social determinants of health raises the risk of dementia in humans (HR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.28–2.16).
“women in Class 4 (HR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.28‐2.16) had a significantly greater risk of dementia.”
HumansClass 4 vs Class 112-year follow-up (median: 8.4 years)females
Gender‐Specific Associations Between Social Determinants of Health Clusters and Dementia Risk in Community‐Dwelling Older Adults
AAIC 2025 abstract23 Dec 2025