Race/Ethnic Differences, Skin Tone, and Memory Among Older Latinos in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: U.S. Latino populations are diverse. Research on racial identity, skin tone, and Latino health is imperative for understanding and combating racism and colorism. We examined differences in memory performance: among non-Latinos and Latinos who identified as Black, other, and White in the United States and then among Puerto Ricans in Boston whose skin tones ranged from dark, medium, light to "white." METHODS: We used 2010 Health and Retirement Study and 2004 Boston Puerto Rican Health Survey data, respectively, to examine racial and color differences in memory performance among 50 and older adults in the United States and Puerto Rican older adults in Boston. We applied ordinary least squares regression to immediate and delayed word recall test scores and adjusted for education, health conditions, and health behaviors. RESULTS: In adjusted models, White non-Latinos had better memory performance than White Latinos. Black Latinos, other Latinos, and Black non-Latinos had lower delayed word recall scores than White Latinos. Black Latinos and Black non-Latinos had similar scores. Intra-Latino racial disparities endured despite the inclusion of education and other covariates. Among Puerto Ricans in Boston, medium-toned individuals had higher scores than "white"-toned individuals. DISCUSSION: Findings support the importance of examining self-identified race and skin tone in Latino aging research. Further investigation is needed to understand the stubborn intra-Latino racial disparities in memory performance and surprising adverse cognitive performance among "white"-toned relative to darker-toned Puerto Ricans in Boston.

Combined effects of cognitive impairment and pre-frailty on future frailty and death in older Mexican Americans.

Objectives: Impaired cognition and pre-frailty are associated with poor health outcomes. However, research has not examined the combined impact of cognitive impairment and pre-frailty on future frailty and mortality among older Mexican Americans. Methods: Data for this analysis came from the 2006-2007 and 2010-2011 waves of the Hispanic EPESE. The final sample included 639 Mexican Americans aged ≥77 years who were non-frail or pre-frail in 2006-2007. Frailty measure included weight loss, exhaustion, weakness, and slow walking speed. Participants were classified as non-frail (0 criteria) and pre-frail (1 criterion) at baseline. Cognitive impairment was defined as <21 points on the MMSE. At baseline, participants were grouped as: cognitively intact non-frail, cognitively intact pre-frail, cognitively impaired non-frail, and cognitively impaired pre-frail. Logistic and hazard regression models were used to evaluate the odds of being frail in 2010-2011 and risk for 10-year mortality. Results: Cognitively impaired pre-frail participants were more likely to become frail (OR = 4.82, 95% CI = 2.02-11.42) and deceased (HR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.42-2.78). Cognitively impaired non-frail participants had significantly higher risk for mortality (HR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.12-2.19) but not frailty (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 0.50-3.11). Being cognitively intact and pre-frail at baseline was not significantly associated with being frail at follow-up (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 0.83-3.19) or mortality (HR = 1.29, 95% CI = 0.97-1.71). Conclusions: Comorbid cognitive impairment and pre-frailty is associated with future frailty and mortality in older Mexican Americans. Screening for cognitive impairment may be effective for identifying pre-frail Mexican Americans who are at the highest risk of frailty and mortality.

Aging in Puerto Rico: A Comparison of Health Status Among Island Puerto Rican and Mainland U.S. Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the health status of older island Puerto Ricans, a segment of the U.S. population that has been largely overlooked in aging research. METHOD: Data from the 2002 Puerto Rican Elderly Health Conditions Project and the 2002 Health and Retirement Study are used to examine differences in disease, disability, and self-rated health among island Puerto Ricans and the mainland U.S.-born older adult population. Differences are further examined by gender. RESULTS: Island Puerto Ricans were less likely to have heart disease, stroke, lung disease, cancer, activities of daily living (ADL) limitations, and poor self-rated health, but more likely to have hypertension and diabetes. Island Puerto Rican women had worse health relative to island Puerto Rican men. DISCUSSION: Recent challenges in the funding and provision of health care in Puerto Rico are worrisome given the large number of aging island adults, many of whom have hypertension and diabetes, two conditions that require long-term medical care.