Trujillo Tanner, C.; Yorgason, J.; White, A.; Armstrong, C.; Cash, A.; Case, R.; Ehrlich, J.R. Longitudinal Analysis of Social Isolation and Cognitive Functioning among Hispanic Older Adults with Sensory Impairments. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2023, 20, 6456.
Trujillo Tanner, C.; Yorgason, J.; White, A.; Armstrong, C.; Cash, A.; Case, R.; Ehrlich, J.R. Longitudinal Analysis of Social Isolation and Cognitive Functioning among Hispanic Older Adults with Sensory Impairments. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6456.
Trujillo Tanner, C.; Yorgason, J.; White, A.; Armstrong, C.; Cash, A.; Case, R.; Ehrlich, J.R. Longitudinal Analysis of Social Isolation and Cognitive Functioning among Hispanic Older Adults with Sensory Impairments. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2023, 20, 6456.
Trujillo Tanner, C.; Yorgason, J.; White, A.; Armstrong, C.; Cash, A.; Case, R.; Ehrlich, J.R. Longitudinal Analysis of Social Isolation and Cognitive Functioning among Hispanic Older Adults with Sensory Impairments. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6456.
Abstract
Objectives: Understanding the intersection of age, ethnicity, and disability will become increasingly important as the global population ages and becomes more diverse. By 2060, Hispanics will comprise 28% of the U.S. population. This study examines critical associations between sensory impairment, social isolation, and cognitive functioning among Hispanic older adults.
Methods: Our sample consisted of 557 Hispanic older adults that participated in Rounds 1-3 or Rounds 5-7 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study. Longitudinal mediation models across a three-year span were estimated using Mplus with vision, hearing, and dual sensory impairment predicting cognitive functioning directly and indirectly through social isolation.
Results: Findings indicated that cognitive functioning was concurrently and, in certain cases, longitudinally predicted by vision and dual sensory impairment, and by social isolation. Contrary to expectations, vision and hearing impairment were not predictive of social isolation. Dual sensory impairment was associated with social isolation, yet no significant indirect associations were found for sensory impairments predicting cognitive functioning through social isolation.
Discussion: The finding that social isolation did not mediate the relationship between sensory impairment and cognitive decline among Hispanic older adults in the U.S. is contrary to findings from other studies that were not specifically focused on this population. This finding may be evidence that culturally motivated family support and intergenerational living buffer the impact of sensory impairments in later life. Findings suggest that Hispanic older adults experiencing dual sensory impairments may benefit from interventions that foster social support and include family members.
Keywords
Hispanic; Familism; Vision Impairment; Hearing Impairment; Social Isolation; Cognitive Functioning
Subject
Social Sciences, Ethnic and Cultural Studies
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
,
,
,
,
,
,
