ABSTRACT
The Alzheimer's Association hosted the second Latinos & Alzheimer's Symposium in May 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was held online over 2 days, with virtual presentations, discussions, mentoring sessions, and posters. The Latino population in the United States is projected to have the steepest increase in Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the next 40 years, compared to other ethnic groups. Latinos have increased risk for AD and other dementias, limited access to quality care, and are severely underrepresented in AD and dementia research and clinical trials. The symposium highlighted developments in AD research with Latino populations, including advances in AD biomarkers, and novel cognitive assessments for Spanish-speaking populations, as well as the need to effectively recruit and retain Latinos in clinical research, and how best to deliver health-care services and to aid caregivers of Latinos living with AD.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , COVID-19 , Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Alzheimer Disease/epidemiology , Alzheimer Disease/therapy , Biomarkers , Hispanic or Latino , Humans , Pandemics , United StatesABSTRACT
Background In the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults from vulnerable ethnoracial groups are at high risk of infection, hospitalization, and death. We aimed to explore the pandemic?s impact on the well-being and cognition of older adults within and outside of the United States (US). Method 1,747 (646 White, 991 Latino, 77 Black, 33 Asian;72% female) individuals from the US and 14 Latin American countries completed an online survey regarding well-being and cognition during the pandemic. Outcome variables (pandemic impact, discrimination, loneliness, purpose of life, subjective cognitive concerns) were compared across four US ethnoracial groups, and Latinos living in the US and Latin America. Result Mean age was 66·5 (SD = 7·70) years and mean education was 15·4 (SD = 2·76) years. We found no differences in the pandemic?s overall impact across US ethnoracial groups. Compared to Whites, Latinos reported greater economic impact (p < ·001, ?p2 = .031);while Blacks reported experiencing discrimination more often (p < ·001, ?p2 = .050). Blacks and Latinos reported more positive coping (p < ·001, ?p2 = 040). Latin American Latinos reported greater pandemic impact (p < ·001, ?p2 =.013 ), more positive coping (p =·006, ?p2 =.008 ), and less discrimination than US Latinos (p < ·001, ?p2 = .013 ). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has differentially impacted the well-being of older ethnically diverse individuals in the US and Latin America. Future studies should examine how mediators like income and coping skills modify the pandemic?s impact.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults from vulnerable ethnoracial groups are at high risk of infection, hospitalization, and death. We aimed to explore the pandemic's impact on the well-being and cognition of older adults living in the United States (US), Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Peru. METHODS: 1,608 (646 White, 852 Latino, 77 Black, 33 Asian; 72% female) individuals from the US and four Latin American countries aged ≥ 55 years completed an online survey regarding well-being and cognition during the pandemic between May and September 2020. Outcome variables (pandemic impact, discrimination, loneliness, purpose of life, subjective cognitive concerns) were compared across four US ethnoracial groups and older adults living in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Peru. FINDINGS: Mean age for all participants was 66.7 (SD = 7.7) years and mean education was 15.4 (SD = 2.7) years. Compared to Whites, Latinos living in the US reported greater economic impact (p < .001, ηp 2 = 0.031); while Blacks reported experiencing discrimination more often (p < .001, ηp 2 = 0.050). Blacks and Latinos reported more positive coping (p < .001, ηp 2 = 0.040). Compared to Latinos living in the US, Latinos in Chile, Mexico, and Peru reported greater pandemic impact, Latinos in Mexico and Peru reported more positive coping, Latinos in Argentina, Mexico, and Peru had greater economic impact, and Latinos in Argentina, Chile, and Peru reported less discrimination. INTERPRETATION: The COVID-19 pandemic has differentially impacted the well-being of older ethnically diverse individuals in the US and Latin America. Future studies should examine how mediators like income and coping skills modify the pandemic's impact. FUNDING: Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry.