With > 25 million Hispanics, the USA has the fifth largest Hispanic population in the world. Hispanics represent an estimated 13 percent of the total US population and 20 percent among AIDS cases - one and half times as many. Moreover, the AIDS incidence rate among Hispanics in 1998 was almost four times that of European Americans, documenting continued over-representation among Hispanics over time. Yet, primary Spanish speaking subjects have been neglected in the research conducted to date on the prevalence and rate of change of HIV-associated deficits in cognitive-motor performance, the prevalence of HIV-associated cognitive-motor disorders, and relevant changes in functional status. Therefore, it is currently unknown whether primary Spanish speakers resemble or differ from bilingual Hispanic Americans, European- Americans, African Americans, and other ethnic groups. Miami-Dade County residents are 55 percent Hispanic. However, the term """"""""Hispanic"""""""" is misleading, as it embraces a wide subcultural diversity -- particularly in the Miami area (where Cubans, Nicaraguan, Puerto Ricans, Hondurans, Panamanians, Ecuadorians, Colombians, Peruvians, Venezuelans, and other """"""""Hispanics"""""""" abound). Simultaneously, the prevalence rate of AIDS cases among those > 50 years locally is 14 percent, compared to 11 percent nationally. Moreover, Hispanics represent 32 percent of total AIDS cases locally but are over-represented at 36 percent among older individuals. We are currently conducting an NIMH-funded study of the impact of aging and HIV on cognitive-motor impairment and disorder, functional status and disease progression (by CD4 cell count, plasma viral load, and mortality) in 212 HIV+ (106 > 50 years old and 106 from 20-39 years old) - balanced by early and late symptomatic stages of disease, compared to 74 HIV- (37 older; 37 younger). Herein, we propose to extend the cohort to 456 total participants by adding 170 primary Spanish speakers (100 HIV+; 70 HIV-) to be tested on a translated neuropsychological battery for the first time, to our knowledge. Current study hypotheses will be investigated in the collapsed cohort and in the primary Spanish speakers alone. -
| Wilkie, Frances L; Goodkin, Karl; Khamis, Imad et al. (2003) Cognitive functioning in younger and older HIV-1-infected adults. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 33 Suppl 2:S93-S105 |
| Goodkin, Karl; Heckman, Timothy; Siegel, Karolynn et al. (2003) ""Putting a face"" on HIV infection/AIDS in older adults: a psychosocial context. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 33 Suppl 2:S171-84 |
