Sensory Difficulty and Assistive Device Use Among Older U.S. Immigrants: Differences by Region of Origin

Abstract

U.S. immigrants are aging faster than their U.S.-born counterparts, though little is known about their sensory difficulty and assistive device use patterns, particularly by region of origin which reflects pre- and post-migration exposures. We compiled 2012-2018 National Health Interview Survey data on foreign-born respondents ages 65+ (n = 6,278) to independently predict odds of hearing and visual difficulty, as well as use of hearing aids and glasses, by region of origin, adjusting for various characteristics. Compared to respondents from Europe, we consistently found lower hearing difficulty risk among those from Cuba, Dominican Republic, Central & South America, and Africa but higher visual difficulty risk among those from Puerto Rico and Former Soviet Union. Meanwhile, respondents with hearing difficulty from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, East Asia, and Southeast Asia had less hearing aid use. These findings have profound health and long-term care implications for this diverse and growing segment of the aging U.S. population.