Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2025
10:09
Migration, Chemo-Attraction, and Co-Culture Assays for Human Stem Cell-Derived Endothelial Cells and GABAergic Neurons
Published on: January 23, 2020
7.1K
Migration and Cognitive Health Disparities: The Arab American and Refugee Case
Tala Al-Rousan1,2, Lily Kamalyan3,4, Alissa Bernstein Sideman5,6
1Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
Summary
Foreign-born Arab Americans experience higher odds of cognitive difficulties, influenced by their year of arrival and birthplace. Migration history and origin significantly impact cognitive health disparities in later life.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Arab Americans represent a diverse demographic with varying migration experiences.
- Cognitive health in later life is influenced by numerous factors, including socioeconomic and acculturation variables.
- Understanding disparities in cognitive function among migrant populations is crucial for targeted health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between year of arrival to the U.S. and birthplace and postmigration cognitive difficulties.
- To examine cognitive disparities among foreign- and U.S.-born Arab Americans in later life.
- To identify factors associated with cognitive difficulty in this population.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 19 years (2000-2019) of data from the American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Samples (N = 393,501; ages ≥ 50).
- Cognitive difficulty assessed via self-reported data.
- Weighted means, percentages, adjusted prevalence estimates, and odds ratios were calculated.
Main Results:
- Foreign-born Arab Americans reported higher odds of cognitive difficulty than U.S.-born individuals.
- Year of arrival influenced cognitive difficulty: arrival between 1991-2000 showed higher odds, while post-2001 arrivals showed lower odds.
- Lack of English proficiency was linked to higher odds, while U.S. citizenship was associated with lower odds. Iraqi-born migrants consistently reported the highest odds.
Conclusions:
- Migration history and birthplace are significant factors contributing to cognitive disparities among Arab migrants and Arab Americans.
- Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms linking migration experiences to cognitive health.
- Addressing cognitive disparities in migrant populations requires understanding the impact of migration on cognitive well-being.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:16Surveys
15.1K
Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally. Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect data from a large number of people.
15.1K
01:27Language and Cognition
417
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
417
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
224
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
224
01:27Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
77
Adolescents from ethnic minority backgrounds face a multifaceted journey in forming their identities, shaped by the intersections of cultural expectations and personal exploration. For these adolescents, identity formation involves not only typical developmental challenges but also navigating the perceptions and attitudes of the majority culture. As they grow, adolescents in ethnic minority groups often become increasingly aware of stereotypes, social biases, and discrimination, all of which...
77
00:53Migration
8.1K
Migration is long-range, seasonal movement from one region or habitat to another. This common strategy, carried out by many different organisms around the world, is an adaptive response that typically corresponds to changes in an organism’s environment, like resource availability or climate. Migrations can involve huge groups of thousands of animals as well as single individuals traveling alone and can range from thousands of kilometers to just a few hundred meters.
8.1K
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
90.9K
Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who...
90.9K