Older Hispanic adults buffered against social isolation despite higher rates of sensory disabilities, study finds
Social isolation is a growing public health concern linked to higher rates of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, infectious disease, depression, anxiety and even premature death. Older adults report the highest rates of social isolation.
Older Hispanic adults experience less social isolation compared to non-Hispanic White adults, even with higher rates of vision and hearing impairments, according to a BYU study. The findings, published in The Journals of Gerontology, suggest that strong family ties and cultural values like familismo contribute to better social connection among older Hispanic adults.
The researchers analyzed data from two large national studies and controlled for factors like age, education, and income to show that Hispanic and Mexican older adults had lower social isolation scores than non-Hispanic White older adults.
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