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Abstract
Objectives: The present study examined the associations between immigration-related factors and objective and subjective cognitive status with older Korean Americans’ concern about developing Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). It was hypothesized that (1) AD concern would be associated with immigration-related factors and (2) self-rated cognitive status would mediate the relationship between cognitive performance (Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores) and concern about AD.
Method: Using data from the Study of Older Korean Americans (n = 2061, mean age = 73.2; 66.8% female), the direct and indirect effect models were tested.
Results: Korean American immigrants with a higher level of acculturation had better cognitive performance, more positive self-ratings of cognitive status, and a lower level of concern about AD. Both poor cognitive performance and negative self-ratings of cognitive status were associated with increased concern about AD. Supporting the mediation hypothesis, the indirect effect of cognitive performance on AD concern through self-rated cognitive status was significant (bias corrected 95% confidence interval for the indirect effect = −.012, −.003).
Conclusion: The mediation model not only helps us better understand the psychological mechanisms that underlie the link between cognitive status and AD concern but also highlights the potential importance of subjective perceptions about cognitive status as an avenue for interventions.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Drs. Kunsook Bernstein, Soonhee Roh, Soyeon Cho, Sanggon Nam, and Seunghye Hong and community advisors for help with data collection.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
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