English proficiency and language preference: testing the equivalence of two measures.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the association of language proficiency vs language preference with self-rated health among Asian American immigrants. We also examined whether modeling preference or proficiency as continuous or categorical variables changed our inferences.


METHODS
Data came from the 2002-2003 National Latino and Asian American Study (n = 1639). We focused on participants' proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing English and on their language preference when thinking or speaking with family or friends. We examined the relation between language measures and self-rated health with ordered and binary logistic regression.


RESULTS
All English proficiency measures were associated with self-rated health across all models. By contrast, associations between language preference and self-rated health varied by the model considered.


CONCLUSIONS
Although many studies create composite scores aggregated across measures of English proficiency and language preference, this practice may not always be conceptually or empirically warranted.
Gee
Gilbert C
GC
Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, USA. gilgee@ucla.edu
Walsemann
Katrina M
KM
Takeuchi
David T
DT
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004522:Educational Status; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D019303:Multilingualism; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking; D014481:United States
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