ROOTS: Revealing cognitive Outcomes in 'zeroth gen' Older immigranTS

About This Grant

PROJECT SUMMARY Immigrant workers are integral to American society, contributing to its cultural intactness and economic growth. While much attention has been given to understanding and addressing the health needs of these workers, the equally important challenge of caring for their aging parents has been comparatively overlooked. These aging parents, referred to in this proposal as the “zeroth generation” immigrants, represent a unique demographic whose lives in the US are deeply intertwined with those of their adult children—the first generation. The zeroth generation faces profound challenges, including cultural adjustments, language barriers, social isolation, loss of independent access to resources, and the absence of familiar support systems. These challenges are especially pronounced among zeroth-generation older Chinese immigrants, making their experience even more difficult than that of their adult children. Emerging research underscores the critical role of sleep and circadian function in healthy aging. Studies suggest that immigrant workers are susceptible to sleep disorders and circadian disruptions, likely due to heightened migration stress and acculturation difficulties. Furthermore, immigrants who arrive in adulthood often show poorer cognitive performance compared to those who immigrate earlier in life, with earlier generations displaying more pronounced deficits than their offspring, especially among those with low levels of acculturation. These sleep, circadian, and cognitive challenges may be even more severe in the aging zeroth generation. To address this knowledge gap, we have assembled a multidisciplinary team with expertise in sleep science, circadian rhythms, gerontology, immigrant health, and population health research, uniquely positioning us to conduct this study. The proposed project will establish a cohort of 100 older Chinese immigrants, aged 65 and above, who have joined their adult children in the US, with equal representation of men and women. Participants will undergo comprehensive assessments, including immigrant history, acculturative stress, and cognitive performance evaluations. Sleep and circadian rhythms will be measured using actigraphy, complemented by sleep diaries and validated questionnaires. This two-year pilot project has two specific aims: Aim 1 will investigate whether acculturative stress is associated with poorer sleep and circadian health, defined by worse subjective sleep quality, shorter sleep duration (subjective and objective), greater daytime sleepiness, and more disrupted rest-activity rhythms. Aim 2 will examine whether higher levels of acculturative stress are linked to worse cognitive performance, and whether sleep and circadian health moderates this relationship. This study will provide crucial insights into the cognitive aging of a vulnerable population, guiding future public health interventions and initiatives aimed at supporting aging immigrant populations.