Beyond Acculturation: Contextual Factors Predicting Neurocognitive Performance in a Clinical Sample of Latina/o/e Adults

Abstract

Acculturation is related to neurocognitive functioning in Latina/o/e PWH, however, little is known about the effects of stigma and nativity status. U.S.-born PWH (n = 44) and PWH born outside the U.S. (n = 22), M_age = 45.33 (7.67), 71.2% male, M_education = 12.33 (2.47) completed a neurocognitive battery, neuromedical evaluation, and sociodemographic questionnaires. Hierarchical regressions predicted neurocognitive T-scores from acculturation, perceived stigma, and nativity status. After accounting for acculturation, nativity status significantly predicted attention/working memory (p = .006), processing speed (p = .03), and executive function (p = .002), and the interaction between nativity status and stigma predicted English language verbal fluency (p = .001). Higher stigmatization was associated with higher English language fluency among those born outside the U.S. but lower English language fluency in U.S.-born participants. Nativity status should be considered when interpreting neurocognitive performance within Latina/o/e PWH.

Keywords: HIV; Latinx/e/o; cognition; health inequities; immigrants.