Acculturation and disability in Mexican American older adults

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine acculturation and disability in Mexican American older adults living independently in the southwestern United States. Design: A prospective cohort study (1993-2005). Setting: Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and California. Participants: Participants in the Hispanic Established Population for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (H-EPESE), a population-based sample of 3050 non-institutionalized Mexican-American men and women aged 65 and over. Measures: Variables included three measures of acculturation (English proficiency, English usage, and Mainstream contact), risk factors (age, gender, education, marital status, and BMI), disablement process factors (chronic pathology, cognitive status, and physical performance), and activities of daily living disability (ADLs), and instrumental activities of daily living disability (IADLs). Chi-Square, Chi-Square test for trends, ordinary least squares regression and discrete hazard analyses were used to identify associations of measures of acculturation with incidence of ADL and IADL disability. Results: There was a significant association between one measure of acculturation (English proficiency) and incidence of IADL disability, which remained after adding risk factors and Disablement process variables to the model. Conclusion: The findings support the importance of acculturation when examining ADL and IADL disability. Interventions that consider acculturation may be useful in reducing ADL and IADL disability in Mexican American older adults.

Name thesis:degree_name

PhD

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

The University of Texas Medical Branch

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Mary Ellen E. Kuhlmann

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Kenneth Ottenbacher, Ph.D.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Ronald Angel, Ph.D.
• M. Kristen Peek, Ph.D.
• Laura Ray, M.P.A.
• Judith Drew, Ph.D., R.N.
• Gayle Weaver, Ph.D.
• Elbert Whorton, M.S., Ph.D.

• Mexican American older adults
• IADL
• ADL
• acculturation

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the TDL web site by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Dc Identifier Other

etd-12032008-121713

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:utmb-ir.tdl.org:2152.3/281