235095 Prevalence of cognitive impairment and associated factors in Mexican Americans

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Anna E. Price, PhD, CHES, HFS , College of Health Professions, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT
Katie Hathaway , College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas, Austin, TX
Jennifer L. Gay, PhD , Divison of Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, Brownsville, TX
Anne Rentfro, MSN, RN , Nursing, University of Texas @ Brownsville, Brownsville, TX
Susan Fisher-Hoch, MD , School of Public Health – Brownsville Regional Campus, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Brownsville, TX
Joseph B. McCormick, MD , Regional Dean, School of Public Health, RAHC-SCH Building, UT-Brownsville, Regional Campus, Brownsville, TX
No population studies have measured the prevalence of cognitive impairment among Hispanics in the U.S. across the age and gender spectrum. Objectives: This study examined the prevalence of cognitive impairment in a cohort of Mexican Americans as well as associations of cognitive impairment with sociodemographic and selected health characteristics of the cohort. Methods: The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and standardized medical history questionnaires were completed by 1,359 Mexican American adults, age 18 years and over, living in an urban area in the lower Rio Grande River Valley along the Texas/Mexico border between 2005-2008. Results: Nearly 9% of participants experienced cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment was more common among older age groups, those with lower education levels and lower median income levels, and those who reported experiencing other chronic disease conditions. There were no associations of cognitive impairment, with gender, marital status, primary language, smoking, or alcohol consumption. Conclusions: Though the prevalence was lower among younger age groups compared to older age groups, it is worth noting that cognitive impairment was observed among all age groups. The finding suggests an opportunity for health professionals to promote healthy lifestyle changes in younger as well as older age groups, especially among individuals who report factors associated with cognitive impairment, such as lower educational attainment and median income, and among those with other chronic diseases.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Epidemiology
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Learning Objectives: 1.Identify the prevalence of cognitive impairment in Mexican Americans living in the Rio Grande River Valley. 2.Identify factors associated with cognitive impairment among Mexican Americans living in the Rio Grande River Valley.

Keywords: Mental Health, Adult Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract Author on the content I am responsible for because I have been engaged in research related to cognitive health in US adults for the past few years. I am an author on 11 cognitive-health related peer-reviewed manuscripts. Five of these manuscripts examine perceptions of cognitive health among diverse groups of older adults, including Latinos. Price AE, Corwin SJ, Laditka SB, Friedman DB, Montgomery K, Colabianchi N. (In Press). Older Adults’ Perceptions of Physical Activity and Cognitive Health: Implications for Health Communication. Health Education and Behavior. Price AE, Corwin SJ, Laditka SB, Friedman DB, Colabianchi N, Montgomery K. (In Press). A Theoretically-Based Content Analysis of Articles Linking Physical Activity and Cognitive Health in Top-Circulating Magazines, 2006-2008. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. Warren-Findlow J, Price AE, Hochhalter A, Laditka JN. (In Press). Primary Care Providers’ Sources and Preferences for Cognitive Health Information in the United States. Health Promotion International. Laditka JN, Laditka SB, Liu R, Price AE, Wu B, Friedman DB, Corwin SJ, Sharkey JR, Tseng W, Hunter R, Logsdon RG. (In Press). Older adults’ concerns about memory loss: commonalities and differences among six United States ethnic groups. Ageing and Society. Mathews (Price) AE, Laditka SB, Laditka JN, Wilcox S, Corwin SJ, Liu R, Friedman DB. (2010). Older Adults’ Perceived Enablers and Barriers to Physical Activity: A Multicultural Perspective. Journal of Physical Activity and Aging, 18, 119-140. Friedman DB, Laditka JN, Laditka SB, Mathews (Price) AE. (2010). Information about Cognitive Health in Magazines for Women and Men: A Content Analysis. Preventing Chronic Disease, 7(10), 1-10. Mathews (Price) AE, Laditka SB, Laditka JN, Friedman DB. (2009). What are Top-Circulating Magazines in the U.S. Telling Older Adults about Cognitive Health? American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, 24 (4), 302-312. Wilcox S, Sharkey JR, Mathews (Price) AE, Ladikta JN, Laditka SB, Logsdon RG, Sayhoun N, Robare JF, Liu R. (2009). Perceptions and Beliefs About the Role of Physical Activity and Nutrition on Brain Health in Older Adults. The Gerontologist, 49 (S1), S61-S71. Bryant L, Laditka J, Laditka S, Mathews (Price) AE. (2009). Characteristics of the Healthy Brain Sample: Evidence of Diversity among Study Participants. The Gerontologist, 49 (S1), S23-S29. Laditka SB, Corwin SJ, Laditka JN, Liu R, Friedman DB, Mathews (Price) AE, Wilcox S. (2009). Methods and Management of the Healthy Brain Study, a Large Multi-Site Qualitative Research Project. The Gerontologist, 49 (S1), S18-S22. Friedman DB, Laditka JN, Hunter R, Ivey SL, Wu B, Laditka SB, Tseng W, Corwin SJ, Liu R, Mathews (Price) AE. (2009). Getting the Message Out About Brain Health: A Cross Cultural Comparison of Older Adults’ Media Awareness and Communication Needs on How to Maintain a Healthy Brain. The Gerontologist, 49 (S1), S50-S60.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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