Kim G, Kim M, Park S, Jimenez DE, Chiriboga DA. Limited English Proficiency and Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Among
Mexican American Older Adults.
Gerontologist 2020;
59:856-864. [PMID:
29688320 DOI:
10.1093/geront/gny032]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
This study examined the effect of limited English proficiency (LEP) on trajectories of depressive symptoms among Mexican American older adults in the United States.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
The sample was drawn from Waves 1 to 6 (1993-2007) of the Hispanic Established Population for Epidemiological Studies of the Elderly (H-EPESE). A total of 2,945 Mexican American older adults were included in the analyses. A latent growth curve modeling was conducted.
RESULTS
After adjusting for covariates, results show that Mexican American older adults with LEP had higher levels of depressive symptoms than those with English proficiency (EP) at baseline as well as over a 14-year period. Differential trajectories were observed between those with LEP and EP over time, indicating that those with LEP had a significantly steeper curve of depressive symptom trajectories over time than those with EP.
DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS
These results suggest that LEP is a risk factor not merely for greater depressive symptomatology at each time point, but for an accelerated trajectory of depressive symptoms over time among Mexican American older adults. Overall, the findings emphasize the need to assist not only the informal support system of Mexican American older adults with LEP, but also the formal system.
Collapse