“Una persona derichita (staying straight in the mind)”: Perceptions of Spanish-speaking Mexican-American older adults and Promotoras in South Texas

BACKGROUND. Mexican Americans make up the largest group of Hispanics/Latinos, which is the fastest growing minority in the U.S. Mexican Americans are at increased risk for obesity-risk, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Although there is a growing interest in maintaining brain health with age, little is known about the perceptions of brain health in Spanish-speaking Mexican American older adults or in promotoras (community health workers) who work with this population. METHODS. In 2007, 33 Mexican American older adults (9 men and 24 women) were recruited from two community areas in South Texas to participate in a focus group to be conducted in Spanish. After the completion of a 19-item questionnaire (in Spanish), a bilingual and bicultural researcher from the community, trained as a moderator, conducted four focus groups of older adults and one focus group of promotoras (10 women) using a semi-structured interview guide. All five groups were audio-recorded; audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim in Spanish. Analyses were conducted in Spanish and English with independent teams of investigators. RESULTS. Groups attached cultural meaning to aging well. The idea of “staying straight in one's mind” resonated as a depiction of brain health. Participants also mentioned the types of activities they could do to stay “straight in their mind.” IMPLICATIONS. Particular attention must be focused on cultural and linguistic differences in describing health and in delivering health messages.