Disparities in Cognition Among U.S. and Foreign-Born Minority Populations With and Without Diabetes

Adults with cognitive limitations and diabetes may be less able to adhere to treatment recommendations. Our aims were to: 1) estimate and compare the prevalence of cognitive limitations and diabetes among foreign-born non-Hispanic whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Arab Americans to US-born non-Hispanic whites; and 2) examine associations after controlling for covariates. We linked 2002-2016 National Health Interview Survey and 2003-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data (ages >=45 years, n=122,898). The prevalence of cognitive limitations was highest among foreign-born non-Hispanic whites (9.71%) and Arab Americans (9.40%) and lowest among foreign-born blacks (5.19%). Foreign-born non-Hispanic whites had higher odds (OR=1.36; 95% CI=1.05-1.49) of cognitive limitations than their US-born counterparts. Foreign-born Hispanics with diabetes had greater odds of cognitive limitations (OR=1.91; 95% CI=1.63, 2.24) compared to US-born non-Hispanic whites. Additional findings will be discussed focused on stressors that may contribute to cognition disparities using the immigrant health paradox framework.

Does America Make You Sick? A Critical Perspective on the Black Immigrant Paradox

The health trajectory of Black immigrants receives little attention in minority health discourse despite Black immigrants representing a notable share of the Black population. One aspect of their health that requires increased attention is the immigrant health paradox. This draws attention to the deteriorating outcomes of immigrants as they assimilate into the host country. Although a few scholars have acknowledged the role of race in this trajectory, few have examined it from a critical perspective. This article embraces critical race theory to argue that racial processes intersect with other forms of structural oppression to produce the immigrant health paradox. An understanding of this health trajectory of Black immigrants is instructive in understanding the impact of race on minority health.

Economic Conditions in Countries of Origin and Trajectories in Distress after Migration to Canada

This paper re-examines the study of immigrant mental health by arguing that the level of economic development of origin country alters both initial mental health status and subsequent trajectories of distress over time. Using five waves of longitudinal survey data from the National Population Health Survey of adults living in three metropolitan cities in Canada ( N = 2,887), results show an increase in distress with time, but mainly among immigrants from lower gross national product (GNP) origin countries and only for the first 5 years postarrival, followed by a decline among all immigrants, irrespective of origin-country GNP. Increases in chronic stress exposure fully explain the initial increase in distress among immigrants from less developed countries of origin. Results call into question the generalizability of the “immigrant health paradox” to all immigrant groups and point to the importance of macro-level social and economic factors, and the matching of conditions at origin and destination, in the migration process.