Demographics and the Epidemiological Risk Factors for Dementia in Hispanic/Latino Populations

Abstract

The aging of the Hispanic/Latino population, their projected gains in life expectancy, and their high prevalence of chronic health conditions raise concerns about the well-being of their elder in the coming decades. This chapter examines demographic and epidemiologic risk factors for dementia in Hispanics/Latinos as well as provides estimates of the prevalence of dementia and associated mortality risks in a sample of elderly Hispanics/Latinos. Aging trends come from the 2014 National Population Projections by the Census Bureau. Their prevalence and mortality rates are estimated using data from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study (NLMS). The NLMS sample in this study consists of Hispanics/Latinos of any race and non-Hispanic White individuals in selected Current Population Study (CPS) surveys who were enrolled in Medicare and who reached age 65 between 1991 and 2011. The findings confirm that male and female Hispanics/ Latinos have a higher prevalence of dementia than non-Hispanic White individuals in the same age groups for ages 60-64 and 65-69 and for females ages 70-74. At older ages, Hispanics/Latinos have similar or lower rates of dementia than non-Hispanic/Latino White individuals. We find differences in the prevalence of dementia by Hispanic country of origin and by educational attainment, but not by nativity (U.S.-born vs. foreign-born). In terms of mortality, Hispanics/Latinos afflicted with dementia are less likely to die at each age group compared to non-Hispanic White individuals with dementia. These patterns could be idio-syncratic to our Medicare-CPS linked sample, warranting further research.