B - 45 Differences in the Association between Social Activity and Neurocognition between Latino and Non-Hispanic White Older Adults with HIV.

Abstract

Older Hispanics/Latinos/as/x (henceforth Latinos) are disproportionately affected by HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. We examined social activity as a possible protective factor against worse neurocognitive outcomes for older people with HIV (PWH). Given cultural values regarding interpersonal relationships, we also examined whether the association between social activity and neurocognition was stronger for Latino than White PWH. Community-dwelling PWH (N = 114; 50% Latino [53% Spanish-speaking]; Overall group: Age: M = 58.03 SD = 5.75; Education: M = 13.29, SD = 3.39; 82% male; 58% AIDS; 95% on antiretroviral therapy; 4% detectable plasma RNA) completed neuropsychological and neuromedical evaluations. Global neurocognition was derived from demographically adjusted T-scores on a battery of 10 tests with separate norms for English and Spanish-speakers. A questionnaire assessed participants' engagement in 7 social activities over the past year. Covariates included physical activity, depressed mood, and HIV disease characteristics. There were no ethnic differences in degree or nature of social activity. A linear regression model revealed a significant interaction between ethnicity and social activity on global neurocognitive T-scores, (β= 0.45, SE = 0.18, p = 0.02), such that increased engagement in social activities was associated with better global neurocognition in White PWH (β= 3.40, SE = 1.13, p < 0.01), but not Latino PWH (β= 0.57, SE = 1.00, p = 0.57). Results indicate a possible protective influence of social activity on neurocognition in older White, but not Latino PWH, highlighting the importance of examining the generalizability of this relationship across ethnic/cultural groups. Future studies might examine the quality of social activities and their link with neurocognition in diverse older PWH.