Contributions to cognitive decline among older Latinos in Los Angeles, California

2011-07-19The Latino population is the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group in the United States. Few studies are available in this population regarding risk factors for decline in cognitive function. We conducted a longitudinal study comparing changes in cognitive function over 4-years using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument Short Form (CASI-S) in a population-based cohort of Latinos aged 40 years and older in La Puente, California. Older subjects and subjects who were retired and not working compared to subjects who were working full-time had largest declines in CASI-S scores. As the number of elderly Latinos and other ethnic groups continues to grow, it is important to understand the contributions to decline in cognitive function