Dementia-Related Disparities in Adult Day Centers: Results of a Bivariate Analysis.
Jonelle Bofao, Marissa Bergh, Amy Zheng and 1 others
PMID 38569103WHAT IT FOUND
In adult day centers, non-English speakers had higher emergency visits and medication mismanagement risks.
However, they appeared to have fewer behavioral problems and less self-neglect than English speakers, a finding the authors attribute to assessment bias and missing data rather than better health.
Key findings
01Non-English speakers had higher rates of emergency department visits and medication mismanagement compared to English speakers.
02English speakers reported higher rates of dementia-related behavioral problems, self-neglect, and isolation than non-English speakers, contradicting existing literature.
03Assessments of behavioral problems and self-neglect rely on clinician judgment without standardized tools, which may introduce bias against non-English speakers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Data on race/ethnicity and English proficiency were missing for 46.5% and 38.1% of the sample, respectively. The study did not measure patient-provider language congruence or the use of translation services. Assessments relied on non-standardized clinical judgment, which may introduce bias. Findings may not generalize beyond California Medicaid beneficiaries.
Declared interests
The authors disclosed no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lower rates of behavioral problems and self-neglect in non-English speakers as evidence of better health outcomes. The authors state these findings contradict existing literature and likely result from under-assessment due to language barriers and lack of standardized tools.