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. 2023 Jan 28;78(1):111-123.
doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbac129.

Migration and Cognitive Health Disparities: The Arab American and Refugee Case

Tala Al-Rousan  1   2 , Lily Kamalyan  3   4 , Alissa Bernstein Sideman  5   6 , Bruce Miller  2   7 , Rawan AlHeresh  8 , Alison Moore  9 , María J Marquine  9 , Grigoris Argeros  10 , Kristine J Ajrouch  10   11
Affiliations

Migration and Cognitive Health Disparities: The Arab American and Refugee Case

Tala Al-Rousan et al. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. .

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigates whether the year of arrival to the United States (U.S.) and birthplace relate to postmigration cognitive difficulties among foreign- and U.S.-born Arab Americans in later life.

Methods: We analyzed 19 years (2000-2019) of data from the American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Samples (weighted N = 393,501; ages ≥ 50 years). Cognitive difficulty was based on self-reported data, and weighted means, percentages, adjusted prevalence estimates, and adjusted odds ratio were calculated.

Results: Controlling only for demographics, foreign-born Arabs reported higher odds of cognitive difficulty compared to U.S.-born Arabs across all arrival cohorts (p < .001). After accounting for economic and integration factors, those who arrived between 1991 and 2000 had higher odds (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.00, 1.19, p < .01), while those who arrived after 2001 had lower odds (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.78, 0.97, p < .001) of cognitive difficulty. Lacking English proficiency (OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.82, 1.98, p < .001) was related to higher odds, whereas not being a U.S. citizen was significantly associated with lower odds (OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.52, 0.94, p < .001) of cognitive difficulty. Yet, results varied by birthplace. Migrants born in Iraq consistently reported the highest odds of cognitive difficulty across all arrival cohorts.

Discussion: Migration history and birthplace may be important factors explaining cognitive disparities among the diverse group of Arab migrants and Arab Americans. Future research examining mechanisms underlying these associations and the impact of migration on cognitive health is needed to address cognitive disparities in migrants.

Keywords: Alzheimers disease; Health disparities; Migration; Minority aging (race/ethnicity).

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Weighted percent of migrants per birthplace by arrival cohort among foreign-born Arab Americans, ages 50 and older (N = 43,667).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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