Table 1

Gender Difference in Cognitive Function: by Age

CohortNumber of ObservationsMental IntactnessEpisodic Memory
OverallFemaleMaleGender DifferenceOverallFemaleMaleGender Difference
45–493399.0688.7469.514−0.768***3.9013.8583.961−0.103
50–544029.0038.5439.453−0.910***3.8233.7303.913−0.183
55–593568.6358.0549.142−1.088***3.3973.1173.636−0.520**
60–642928.5417.9209.090−1.171***3.3333.0573.573−0.517*
65–743538.1567.6878.490−0.803**2.9362.8393.006−0.167
75 +1317.6877.0518.208−1.158**2.0591.6632.348−0.685*
All1,8738.6218.1679.046−0.879***3.4133.2943.524−0.230**
  • Source: CHARLS 2008. Gender Difference is Female–Male. Mental Intactness is based on components of the TICS battery scaled from 0–11 that are meant to capture intact mental status. Episodic Memory is an average of the immediate and delayed ten word recall.