Description/Abstract

Cognitive impairment is a major public health issue that affects older adults’ quality of life and independence. Among older adults, U.S. Latinos have higher rates of cognitive impairment than U.S.-born Whites. This brief describes differences in the prevalence and age patterns of self-reported cognitive impairment between Latinos aged 60 and older living in the U.S. and U.S.-born non-Latino Whites, and within Latino subgroups (U.S.-born Mexicans, foreign-born Mexicans, island-born Puerto Ricans, and foreign-born Cubans). Findings show higher rates of cognitive impairment among U.S. Latinos than among non-Latino Whites, with especially high rates among island-born Puerto Ricans and both U.S.- and foreign-born Mexicans. To address these disparities, policymakers and health care providers must advance culturally relevant programs and policies that promote healthy cognitive aging among older Latino subgroups.

Document Type

Research Brief

Keywords

COVID-19, Latino Health, Cognitive Impairment, Neurological Health, Race Disparities

Disciplines

Cognitive Science | Race and Ethnicity | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Sociology

Date

1-18-2022

Language

English

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge David Warner, Brian Downer, and Mukaila Raji for their contributions to the peer-reviewed article summarized in this brief. We also acknowledge Shannon Monnat and Alexandra Punch for edits and feedback on a previous version of this brief.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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