Gender Differences in Cognitive Function among Older Mexican Immigrants.

ABSTRACT: This paper uses data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) to study the cognitive function of Mexican-born older adults residing in the United States (Mexican immigrants). We find that, once differences in socioeconomic factors are accounted for, the cognitive function of male Mexican immigrants is statistically indistinguishable from that of male non-Hispanic (NH) whites, but the cognitive scores of female Mexican immigrants remain significantly below those of their NH white counterparts. We explore four potential hypotheses that may explain the cognition gap for female Mexican immigrants. Namely, we investigate whether the relative incidence of risk factors for dementia, when compared to NH whites, is higher for female than for male Mexi

SUBMITTER: Casanova M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7451197 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature