2022 International Conference on Aging in the Americas

Abstract

Hispanics/Latinos in the United States will experience the largest increase in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias by 2060 and they currently have a 1.5 greater risk for ADRD compared to non-Latino White adults. Therefore, efforts to identify risk and protective factors for reduced cognitive health are crucial. Stress is an important risk factor for poor cognitive health, but the conditions under which stress operates among Hispanic/Latino adults is poorly understood. Latinos in the United States experience greater social, environmental, and economic disadvantage that may heighten psychosocial stress thus increasing vulnerability for poor cognitive health outcomes. Despite greater exposure to relevant risk factors, not all studies find associations with cognitive functioning suggesting the presence of other risks or protective factors. This presentation will highlight the need to study sources of stress across multiple levels of analyses, including neighborhood environments and interpersonal interactions, along with the timing and duration of these experiences. Theoretical and empirical work linking environmental and interpersonal stressors to cognitive health outcomes in Hispanic/Latino adults in the United States will be discussed. In addition, the role that sociocultural processes may play in shaping resilience against the adverse effects of these sources of stress will be presented. A discussion on the implications for research and practice will conclude this presentation.