title: The Role of Education in the Relationship Between Age of Migration to the United States and Risk of Cognitive Impairment Among Older Mexican Americans.
abstract: Prior research indicates age of migration is associated with cognitive health outcomes among older Mexican Americans; however, factors that explain this relationship are unclear. This study used eight waves from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly to examine the role of education in the risk for cognitive impairment (CI) by nativity, age of migration, and gender. Foreign-born women had a higher risk for CI than U.S.-born women, regardless of age of migration. After adjusting for education, this risk remained significant only for late-life migrant women (risk ratio [RR] = 1.28). Foreign-born men who migrated at >50 had significantly higher risk for CI compared to U.S.-born men (RR = 1.33) but not significant after adjusting for education. Findings from a decomposition analysis showed education significantly mediated the association between age of migration and CI. This study highlights the importance of education in explaining the association between age of migration and CI.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Downer
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Marc A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saenz
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Kyriakos S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Markides
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000208:ethnology*; D004522:Educational Status; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Mexican American; age of migration; cognition; education