Emily M Briceño1,2, Roshanak Mehdipanah3, Xavier F Gonzales4, Steven G Heeringa5, Deborah A Levine2,6, Kenneth M Langa2,5,6,7, Daniel Zahs5, Nelda Garcia8, Ruth Longoria8, Lewis B Morgenstern2,8,9. 1. Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 2. Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 3. Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 4. Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA. 5. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 6. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 7. VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 8. Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 9. Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: Assessment of cognition in linguistically diverse aging populations is a growing need. Bilingualism may complicate cognitive measurement precision, and bilingualism may vary across Hispanic/Latinx sub-populations. We examined the association among bilingualism, assessment language, and cognitive screening performance in a primarily non-immigrant Mexican American community. DESIGN: Prospective, community-based cohort study: The Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC)-Cognitive study. SETTING: Nueces County, Texas. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling Mexican Americans age 65+, recruited door-to-door using a two-stage area probability sampling procedure. MEASUREMENTS: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); self-reported bilingualism scale. Participants were classified as monolingual, Spanish dominant bilingual, English dominant bilingual, or balanced bilingual based upon bilingualism scale responses. Linear regressions examined relationships among bilingualism, demographics, cognitive assessment language, and MoCA scores. RESULTS: The analytic sample included 547 Mexican American participants (60% female). Fifty-eight percent were classified as balanced bilingual, the majority (88.6%) of whom selected assessment in English. Balanced bilinguals that completed the MoCA in English performed better than balanced bilinguals that completed the MoCA in Spanish (b = -4.0, p < 0.05). Among balanced bilinguals that took the MoCA in Spanish, education outside of the United States was associated with better performance (b = 4.4, p < 0.001). Adjusting for demographics and education, we found no association between the degree of bilingualism and MoCA performance (p's > 0.10). CONCLUSION: Bilingualism is important to consider in cognitive aging studies in linguistically diverse communities. Future research should examine whether cognitive test language selection affects cognitive measurement precision in balanced bilinguals.
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: Assessment of cognition in linguistically diverse aging populations is a growing need. Bilingualism may complicate cognitive measurement precision, and bilingualism may vary across Hispanic/Latinx sub-populations. We examined the association among bilingualism, assessment language, and cognitive screening performance in a primarily non-immigrant Mexican American community. DESIGN: Prospective, community-based cohort study: The Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC)-Cognitive study. SETTING: Nueces County, Texas. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling Mexican Americans age 65+, recruited door-to-door using a two-stage area probability sampling procedure. MEASUREMENTS: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); self-reported bilingualism scale. Participants were classified as monolingual, Spanish dominant bilingual, English dominant bilingual, or balanced bilingual based upon bilingualism scale responses. Linear regressions examined relationships among bilingualism, demographics, cognitive assessment language, and MoCA scores. RESULTS: The analytic sample included 547 Mexican American participants (60% female). Fifty-eight percent were classified as balanced bilingual, the majority (88.6%) of whom selected assessment in English. Balanced bilinguals that completed the MoCA in English performed better than balanced bilinguals that completed the MoCA in Spanish (b = -4.0, p < 0.05). Among balanced bilinguals that took the MoCA in Spanish, education outside of the United States was associated with better performance (b = 4.4, p < 0.001). Adjusting for demographics and education, we found no association between the degree of bilingualism and MoCA performance (p's > 0.10). CONCLUSION: Bilingualism is important to consider in cognitive aging studies in linguistically diverse communities. Future research should examine whether cognitive test language selection affects cognitive measurement precision in balanced bilinguals.
Authors: Ziad S Nasreddine; Natalie A Phillips; Valérie Bédirian; Simon Charbonneau; Victor Whitehead; Isabelle Collin; Jeffrey L Cummings; Howard Chertkow Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2005-04 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Denise Krch; Anthony Lequerica; Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla; Heather L Rogers; John DeLuca; Nancy D Chiaravalloti Journal: Clin Neuropsychol Date: 2015-07-15 Impact factor: 3.535
Authors: Emily M Briceño; Roshanak Mehdipanah; Xavier Fonz Gonzales; Kenneth M Langa; Deborah A Levine; Nelda M Garcia; Ruth Longoria; Bruno J Giordani; Steven G Heeringa; Lewis B Morgenstern Journal: Neuropsychology Date: 2020-04-13 Impact factor: 3.295