Older Mexican Americans Research Articles

Physical Activity in Older Mexican Americans Living in Two Cities on the U.S.-Mexico Border.

Background: There is limited information on physical activity in marginalized older populations like that on the U.S.-Mexico border. This study aims to understand physical activity engagement among older Hispanics residing in two U.S.-Mexico Border counties. Methods: The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to measure physical activity in El Paso and Cameron County, Texas. Physical activity levels were reported for vigorous, moderate, and walking met/mins. Adjusted and unadjusted modeling was conducted to determine county differences and sociodemographic covariates. Results: There were 784 participants and 92.9% were less than 65 years of age. El Paso participants reported a significantly greater natural log met/mins of vigorous (β = 1.34, p = 0.000) and walking (β = 0.331, p = 0.006). Significant sociodemographic covariates in El Paso for vigorous met/mins were gender (females β = −1.20, p = 0.003), having a regular doctor (β = −0.779, p = 0.029), and acculturation (β = 0.513, p = 0.019). Significant associations in Cameron County were having a regular doctor (β = −1.03, p = 0.000) and fair/poor health status (β = −0.475, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Level of physical activity may differ in older Hispanics by urban context on the U.S.-Mexico border. Future physical activity programs to promote physical activity should take context into consideration.

The Mothers of East Los Angeles: (Other)Mothering for Environmental Justice

ABSTRACTThis essay explores the Mothers of East Los Angeles (MELA)—an environmental justice group started and led by older Mexican American women—and the organization’s campaign to prevent the construction of a state prison in their neighborhood. The women enact motherwork that protects the well-being of the neighborhood’s children, in addition to crafting motherhood into a communal responsibility to look after the neighborhood as a mother would their child. MELA’s maternal appeals rely on and eclipse identification with traditional gender categories, suggesting new ways for motherhood to function as an organizing principle to mobilize collectives. More broadly, this essay contributes to scholarly discussions on rhetorical agency by considering motherhood as a means for women’s collective resistance and empowerment.

The Relationship of Hypertension and Related Cardiovascular Risk Factors to Executive Functioning in Older Mexican Americans

The Relationship of Hypertension and Related Cardiovascular Risk Factors to Executive Functioning in Older Mexican Americans

Impact of Physical Activity on Cognition in Older Mexican Americans

Impact of Physical Activity on Cognition in Older Mexican Americans

Frailty and diabetes among Mexican American older adults

PurposeProgressive physical frailty in older adults is associated with increased risk of falls, disability, institutionalization, and mortality. Although associations between diabetes and frailty have been observed, the impact of diabetes on frailty in older Hispanics is largely unexplored. We examine the association of diabetes on the odds of frailty among older Mexican Americans. MethodsUsing data from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly from 1995 until 2012, frailty was assessed by slow gait, weak hand grip strength, exhaustion, and unexplained weight loss (n = 1327). ResultsLogistic regression showed a large magnitude of effect of diabetes on the odds of frailty (odds ratio 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.14–1.90). Other contributors to frailty included arthritis, heart attack, and hip fracture. Positive and negative effects had significant and opposing associations. Ordinal logit models assessed the odds of frail compared to nonfrail and prefrail. In these models, diabetes was associated with a 32% increase in the odds of a higher level of frailty. ConclusionsDiabetes is a significant contributor to increased frailty in older Mexican Americans. Interventions to reduce frailty rates should focus on mitigating the effects of diabetes and shifting away from negative and toward positive effect.

The Link between Potassium and Mild Cognitive Impairment in Mexican-Americans

Background: Recent evidence suggests that increasing dietary intake of minerals reduces the risk of dementia. This study aimed to examine the relationship between potassium and diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a sample of older Mexican-Americans from rural and urban populations. Methods: The sample was formed of a total of 139 participants with MCI and 371 normal controls from two independent cohorts: a rural cohort (Facing Rural Obstacles to Healthcare Now through Intervention, Education and Research [Project FRONTIER]) and an urban cohort (the Health and Aging Brain among Latino Elders [HABLE] study). Serum electrolytes examined were sodium and potassium. Age and education were entered in the model as covariates. Results: Across both cohorts, the Project FRONTIER (OR = 3.1; p = 0.01) and the HABLE Project (OR = 2.0; p = 0.04), the results indicated that serum potassium levels significantly increased the risk of diagnosis of MCI. Conclusion: Our finding suggested a link between serum potassium levels and a diagnosis of MCI in Mexican-Americans. The results of this study support a previous research which has suggested that the risk factors for MCI may vary by ethnicity.

Early frailty transition predicts 15-year mortality among nondisabled older Mexican Americans

PurposeTo investigate the effect of early frailty transitions on 15-year mortality risk. MethodsLongitudinal data analysis of the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly involving 1171 community-dwelling Mexican Americans aged ≥67 years and older. Frailty was determined using the modified frailty phenotype, including unintentional weight loss, weakness, self-reported exhaustion, and slow walking speed. Participants were defined at baseline as nonfrail, prefrail, or frail and divided into nine transition groups, during a 3-year observation period. ResultsMean age was 77.0 years (standard deviation [SD] = 5.3) and 59.1% were female. Participants who transitioned from prefrail to frail (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23–2.28), frail to prefrail (HR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.05–2.28); or who remained frail (HR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.21–2.44), had significant higher 15-year mortality risk than those who remained nonfrail. Participants transitioning from frail to nonfrail had a similar 15-year mortality risk as those who remained nonfrail (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.53–1.72). Weight loss and slow walking speed were associated with transitions to frailty. ConclusionsAn early transition from frail to nonfrail in older Mexican Americans was associated with a 4% decrease in mortality compared with those who remained nonfrail, although this difference was not statistically significant. Additional longitudinal research is needed to understand positive transitions in frailty.

Trabecular Bone Score Is a Valuable Addition to Bone Mineral Density for Bone Quality Assessment in Older Mexican American Women With Type 2 Diabetes

Altered bone quality due to the underlying metabolic changes of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been hypothesized to affect bone strength, leading to increased fracture risk in patients with T2D. Lumbar spine trabecular bone score (LS-TBS), an indirect measure of trabecular microarchitecture, provides information on bone quality and has been associated with T2D. However, trabecular bone score (TBS) is also affected by demographic patterns and body size, and is expected to be different in people from various ethnic or racial backgrounds. Therefore, it is important to understand associations between T2D and TBS for each ethnic or racial group separately. Although the relationship between TBS and age has been reported to be similar between non-Hispanic Caucasians and Mexican Americans (MAs), data on associations of LS-TBS with T2D in older MAs are lacking. Here, we report associations between TBS and T2D in 149 older MA men and women. Participants are part of a cohort known as the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort in Texas who have high prevalence of obesity and poor glycemic control. Bone mineral density was not altered for MA women with T2D, but was significantly higher in MA men with T2D compared with MA men without diabetes. Low LS-TBS was associated with T2D in women in our study. Although low TBS was associated with older age in men, TBS did not show any significant association with T2D for men. These results are similar to those found in other studies of non-Hispanic whites with diabetes. LS-TBS may add value in diagnosing poor bone quality in older MA women with T2D regardless of bone mineral density scoring.

Physical Performance Trajectories and Mortality Among Older Mexican Americans.

We sought to identify distinct trajectory classes of physical performance in Mexican Americans aged 75 years and older and to examine whether these trajectories predict mortality. We used four waves of Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (H-EPESE) data for adults 75 years and older from 2004-2005 to 2013. Latent growth curve analysis was used to identify distinct trajectory classes. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between baseline characteristics and the newly constructed trajectories. Cox proportional hazards regression models examined the hazard of mortality as a function of Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) trajectories. The study follow-up period was approximately 9.5 years. One thousand four hundred and eleven adults were successfully classified into three (low-declining, high-declining, and high-stable) physical performance trajectory classes. Depressive symptoms (relative risk ratio = 1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17-3.22), diabetes (relative risk ratio = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.63-3.65), number of other comorbid health conditions (relative risk ratio = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.16-1.68), and obesity (relative risk ratio = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.67-4.80), increased the relative risk of classification into the low, relative to high-stable trajectory class. Male gender and foreign-born status significantly reduced risk of classification in the low-declining and high-declining trajectory classes. We observed a statistically significant association between low-declining (hazard ratio = 3.01, 95% CI = 2.34-3. 87) and high-declining (hazard ratio = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.32-2.03) trajectories and increased risk of mortality. Differences in mortality across physical performance trajectory classes suggest that these physical performance classes represent differences in underlying disease progression, and thus differences in mortality risk among older Mexican Americans, which warrants additional research to better understand differential physical performance trajectories and their effects on morbidity and mortality in heterogeneous aging populations.

The modifying effect of positive emotion on the relationship between cognitive impairment and disability among older Mexican Americans: a cohort study

Objective: To determine if positive emotion modifies the relationship between cognitive impairment and activities of daily living disability status over 10 years in Mexican American adults aged 75 years and older.Methods: A retrospective cohort design using data from the Hispanic established populations for the epidemiologic studies of the elderly. About 2674 participants aged 75 years and older were included and followed over 10 years. Cognition was measured using the mini-mental state examination, positive emotion was measured using four questions from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and disability was measured using seven activities of daily living items. A series of generalized estimating equations models were used, with the initial analysis including those with disability at baseline and subsequent analyses excluding disability at baseline.Results: Positive emotion and cognitive impairment consistently decreased and increased risk for activities of daily living disability, respectively. Positive emotion was a significant modifier in the cross-sectional analysis, and was not a statistically significant modifier in the longitudinal or predictive series analysis.Conclusions: Positive emotion and cognitive impairment differentially affect the risk of developing activities of daily living disability. Further research is needed to explore the interaction of positive emotion and cognitive impairment, and to identify appropriate interventions that address the specific cognitive and emotional needs of older Mexican Americans.Implications for rehabilitationPromoting emotional well-being may be protective against incident disability for older adults.Cognitive impairment significantly predicts incident disability in activities of daily living and should be considered an early indicator of impending disability for older adults.

Muscle Strength and Functional Limitations: Preserving Function in Older Mexican Americans

ObjectivesUnderstanding the role of muscle strength as a preventive factor for shorter-term declines in function may provide further insights into the disabling process. This study examined if muscle strength was associated with 2-year preservation of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) function and activities of daily living (ADL) disability status in older Mexican Americans. DesignLongitudinal, panel. SettingUrban and rural households in the Southwestern United States. ParticipantsA subsample of 672 Mexican Americans aged at least 65 years was followed for 2 years. MeasurementsMuscle strength was assessed with a hand-held dynamometer. IADL and ADL were self-reported. Covariate-adjusted ordinal and multinomial logistic models were used to determine the association between handgrip strength and changes in IADL function, and ADL disability status over 2 years. ResultsEvery 10-kg increase in handgrip strength was associated with 5% decreased odds [odds ratio (OR): 0.95; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.92, 0.98] of experiencing a lost IADL function in 2 years. Likewise, every 10-kg increase in handgrip strength was associated with an 8% decreased odds (OR: 0.92; CI: 0.88, 0.97) for 2-year onset ADL disability, 12% decreased odds (OR: 0.88; CI: 0.83, 0.94) for 2-year ADL disability progression, and 7% decreased odds (OR: 0.93; CI: 0.89, 0.98) for 2-year ADL disability improvement, compared to those with no ADL disability at baseline and follow-up. ConclusionsHigher muscle strength was related to a lower risk for 2-year onset of IADL and ADL disability in older Mexican Americans. Future investigations are warranted to examine how potential mediators influence the association between muscle strength and function, to inform interventions aiming to retain function in vulnerable older adult populations.

Association Between Immigration History and Inflammatory Marker Profiles Among Older Adult Mexican Americans

ABSTRACTForeign-born Hispanics have better cardiometabolic health upon arrival in the US than their US-born counterparts, yet this advantage diminishes as duration of residence in the US increases. Underlying mechanisms explaining this paradox have been understudied. Using data from the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (SALSA), this study examined immigration history (immigrant generation and duration of US residence) in relation to biomarkers of inflammation (interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble forms of type 1 and 2 receptors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2), C-reactive protein (CRP), leptin, adiponectin) in a sample of 1,290 predominantly Mexican-origin immigrants. Second and ≥3rd generation immigrants had higher IL-6 and leptin levels than 1st generation immigrants living in the US for less than 15 years (2nd generation percent difference = 45.9; 95% CI: 24.7, 70.7 and 3rd generation percent difference = 41.8; 95% CI: 17.7, 70.4). CRP and sTNF-R1 levels were higher among ≥3rd generation immigrants than 1st generation immigrants with less than 15 years of US residency. Worse inflammatory profiles were observed among Mexican-origin immigrants with longer US immigration histories, independent of health, and behavioral factors. Additional research is warranted to understand the factors that shape trajectories of biological risk across generations of Hispanics.

Glycemic Control and Bone Turnover in Older Mexican Americans with Type 2 Diabetes.

Altered bone quality, caused by underlying metabolic changes of type 2 diabetes (T2D), has been hypothesized to cause altered bone strength and turnover leading to increased fracture risk in T2D patients. Current understanding about changes in bone turnover markers in T2D patients is mainly based on studies focused on Caucasian men and women. However, Hispanic populations have the highest prevalence of both T2D and osteoporosis in the US. We investigated associations of glycemic control (in terms of glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c]) and bone turnover rate in 69 older (≥50 years) Mexican American Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (CCHC) participants with T2D. Multivariable analyses were conducted to assess the associations between HbA1c (%), serum osteocalcin (OC), and serum sclerostin. In agreement with published reports from other racial/ethnic populations, our study found that lower bone turnover (indicated by lower serum OC) occurred in Mexican American men with T2D who had poorer glycemic control. For the women in our study, we found no significant association between glycemic control and OC. In contrast, HbA1c was positively associated with sclerostin for women, with near significance (p = 0.07), while no association was found in men. We recommend screening Mexican American individuals with T2D, specifically those with poor glycemic control, for bone loss and fracture risk.

Factor structure and measurement invariance of a neuropsychological test battery designed for assessment of cognitive functioning in older Mexican Americans

IntroductionThe present study sought to investigate the measurement invariance of commonly used neuropsychological tests in an ethnically (Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic) and linguistically (Spanish vs. English) diverse sample. MethodsParticipants were 736 middle-aged and older adults (MAge = 62.1, SD = 9.1) assessed at baseline. Measurement invariance testing was performed using multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis. ResultsA five-factor model (memory, attention/executive functioning/processing speed, language, visuospatial, and motor) fit the data well (CFI = 0.979, RMSEA = 0.047) and the composite reliability of the factors ranged from .76 (visuospatial) to .97 (motor). The five-factor model was found to possess strict measurement invariance for ethnicity and language without a decrement in fit compared to a strong (scalar) invariance model (ΔCFI = .000, ΔRMSEA = .002). DiscussionThese results indicate that a five-factor model is suitable for estimating cognitive functioning in Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites without bias by ethnicity or language.

Association Between Immigration History and Inflammatory Marker Profiles Among Older Adult Mexican Americans

Association Between Immigration History and Inflammatory Marker Profiles Among Older Adult Mexican Americans

Age of Migration and the Incidence of Cognitive Impairment: A Cohort Study of Elder Mexican-Americans.

Background and ObjectivesTo explore nativity and age of migration differentials in the incidence of cognitive impairment among older Mexican-Americans.Research Design and MethodsWe employ maximum-likelihood discrete time hazard models to estimate risk ratios of cognitive impairment in a sample of 2,708 Mexican-Americans 65 and older who were cognitively healthy at baseline over a follow-up period of up to 20 years.ResultsLate-life immigrant women have a 46% higher risk of cognitive impairment compared to U.S.-born Mexican-American women. Conversely, midlife immigrant men have a 29% lower risk of cognitive impairment compared to U.S.-born Mexican-American men. The incidence of cognitive impairment did not differ for early-life and midlife immigrant women relative to U.S.-born women or for early- and late-life immigrant men compared to U.S.-born men.Discussion and ImplicationsDifferences in cognitive impairment risk between U.S.-born and foreign-born Mexican-American subgroups may be partly due to health selectivity. Cognitive impairment is more prevalent among immigrant groups which may result in a higher burden on family members and/or high dependency on public resources. Programs are needed that can detect decline at earlier stages and reduce the risk for cognitive impairment among older immigrants entering their last decades of life.

Cognitive decline, mortality, and organophosphorus exposure in aging Mexican Americans

BackgroundCognitive impairment is a major health concern among older Mexican Americans, associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and may be influenced by environmental exposures. ObjectivesTo investigate whether agricultural based ambient organophosphorus (OP) exposure influences 1) the rate of cognitive decline and mortality and 2) whether these associations are mediated through metabolic or inflammatory biomarkers. MethodsIn a subset of older Mexican Americans from the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (n = 430), who completed modified mini-mental state exams (3MSE) up to 7 times (1998–2007), we examined the relationship between estimated ambient OP exposures and cognitive decline (linear repeated measures model) and time to dementia or being cognitively impaired but not demented (CIND) and time to mortality (cox proportional hazards model). We then explored metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers as potential mediators of these relationships (additive hazards mediation). OP exposures at residential addresses were estimated with a geographic information system (GIS) based exposure assessment tool. ResultsParticipants with high OP exposure in the five years prior to baseline experienced faster cognitive decline (β = 0.038, p = 0.02) and higher mortality over follow-up (HR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.12, 3.26). The direct effect of OP exposure was estimated at 241 (95% CI = 27–455) additional deaths per 100,000 person-years, and the proportion mediated through the metabolic hormone adiponectin was estimated to be 4% 1.5–19.2). No other biomarkers were associated with OP exposure. ConclusionsOur study provides support for the involvement of OP pesticides in cognitive decline and mortality among older Mexican Americans, possibly through biologic pathways involving adiponectin.

Associated factors with the use of dentures or reported dental and gum problems with oral prosthesis use among Mexican American older adults

The objective of this study was to determine factors associated with using dental prosthesis or oral problems related to their use among older Mexican Americans of the Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly EPESE) in the United States. A cross-sectional analysis was made with data of 2992 men and women aged 65 years and older inter-viewed during 1993-1994. Forty four % of subjects reported the use of partial or total dental prosthesis. Among those using dental prosthesis, 21% reported problems with teeth or gums when eating. In multivariate analyses, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) limitations were associated with using dental prosthesis (OR = 1.23, 95% confidence interval - CI =1.04-1.45). Also, among subjects using dental pros-thesis, increased depressive symptoms (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.04-1.95) and IADL limitations (OR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.15-2.17) were associated with problems with teeth or gums when eating. In conclusion, factors usually affecting quality of life in older persons such as functional dependency and depression are associated with using dental prosthesis or oral problems with teeth or gums when eating.

The Impact of 10-Year Physical Activity Changes on 7-Year Mortality in Older Mexican Americans.

We investigated the association between 10 years of change in physical activity (PA) levels and 7-year all-cause mortality. Mexican American adults aged 67 and older (N = 803) participating in the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (1995/1996-2012/2013) were included. All-cause mortality was our outcome. Participants were divided into 4 groups based on their difference in overall PA between 1995/1996 and 2005/2006 measured by the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Participants were classified as having unchanged low PA (n = 339), decreased activity (n = 233), unchanged high activity (n = 166), and increased activity (n = 65). Change in the frequency of PA domains was also investigated. PA domains included leisure, household, sedentary, and walking activities. After controlling for all covariates, results from the Cox proportional hazards regression found a 43% lower mortality risk in the increased PA group (hazards ratio = 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.34-0.97) compared with the unchanged low PA group. In the entire sample, a significantly lower mortality risk was also present among walking (hazards ratio = 0.88) and household (hazards ratio = 0.88) activities. Our results suggest that, independent of other factors, increasing PA is most protective of mortality among older Mexican Americans.

RETRACTED: Association Between Frailty and Cognitive Impairment: Cross-Sectional Data From Toulouse Frailty Day Hospital

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editors-in-Chief. The authors have plagiarized part of a paper that had already appeared in Samper-Ternent R, Al Snih S, Raji MA, et al. Relationship Between Frailty and Cognitive Decline in Older Mexican Americans. J Am Geriatr Soc 2008; 56(10): 1845-1852. One of the conditions of submission of a paper for publication is that authors declare explicitly that their work is original and has not appeared in a publication elsewhere. Re-use of any data should be appropriately cited. As such this article represents a severe abuse of the scientific publishing system. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter and apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process.