7/7 Link to GEOWEALTH-US data: openicpsr.org/openicpsr/pr...

6/7 This was a big team effort leveraging the new GEOWEALTH-US dataset. Huge thanks to my co-author team & institutions @tkemeny.bsky.social. Special shout out to the team at @ipums.bsky.social and @umnlifecourse.bsky.social for their fantastic work + support of our project.

5/7 The policy takeaway is clear: Place-based investment and wealth building is a powerful public health tool. Our simulation shows that reducing wealth gaps between communities could prevent tens of thousands of cases of cognitive impairment. #policy

4/7 Crucially, the protective effect of community wealth is largest for non-white, non-college-educated, and low-income Americans. This is a story of #HealthEquity.

3/7 How? We argue for the importance of public goods. Wealthier places can invest more in the likes of parks, libraries, safety, sanitation & healthcare—the very things that support brain health. It’s not just about what you own; it's about what your community can provide for everyone.

2/7 The effect size is substantial. A 1-SD increase in local wealth = a 6.7% drop in cognitive impairment risk. In the poorest 10% of communities, risk is 80% higher than in the wealthiest. Wealth matters more than income. Community wealth matters beyond your personal wealth.