The Relationship Between Immigrant Status and Undiagnosed Dementia: The Role of Limited English Proficiency.

This study investigates whether immigrant status is a risk factor for developing dementia and having undiagnosed dementia, as well as the role of limited English proficiency (LEP) as a mediator in the association. Data were drawn from the 2011 wave of the National Health and Aging Trends Study. The sample consisted of 7385 adults aged 65 years and older (6567 U.S.-born and 818 foreign-born). Step-wise logistic regression analyses were performed. Older immigrants had 70% greater odds of having dementia compared to U.S.-born participants. Among those with dementia (n = 1920), older immigrants showed 119% higher odds of being undiagnosed compared to the U.S.-born. Mediation analyses showed that the total effects of immigrant status on dementia and undiagnosed dementia explained by LEP were 87.6% and 56.1%, respectively. It is important to tailor dementia education and interventions to the immigrant population with LEP.