Description

The Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (SALSA) is a population-based, prospective study of foreign and US-born Latino respondents living in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California. The SALSA study is tracking the incidence of physical and cognitive impairment as well as dementia and cardiovascular diseases in elderly Latinos in the Sacramento region. The effects of hypertension, diabetes, and other cardiovascular risk factors, such as nutrition and lifestyle factors, are also being examined. The study is funded with a grant from the National Institute of Aging. Demographic information for study participant includes age given at follow-up visits, country of birth, language, religion, marital status, educational level, occupation, household income, and size of household.

The SALSA study aims to: (1) assess cognitive, physical and social functions, which include the ability to follow instructions, to perform certain movements, and to interact with others, (2) examine the effect that cultural, nutritional, social and cardiovascular risk factors have on overall health and dementia, (3) examine the association between diabetes and functional status, and (4) estimate the prevalence and incidence of dementia in the Latino population in the Sacramento area.

Principal Investigators

  • Mary N. Haan — University of Michigan
  • Allison Aiello — University of Michigan
  • Jacqueline M. Torres — University of California

Funding Sources

K01AG056602 to Jacqueline M. Torres; R01AG12975 and R01 DK60753 to Mary N. Haan; R01DK087864, P2CHD050924, and P60MD002249 to Allison Aiello.

Publications

  • Miller JW. Homocysteine and cognitive function in the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2003 Sep. PubMed link
  • Hinton L. Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Latino elders with dementia or cognitive impairment without dementia and factors that modify their association with caregiver depression. The Gerontologist. 2003 Oct. PubMed link
  • Shih IF. Physical activity modifies the influence of apolipoprotein E ε4 allele and type 2 diabetes on dementia and cognitive impairment among older Mexican Americans. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2018 Jan. PubMed link
  • Mungas D. Education, bilingualism, and cognitive trajectories: Sacramento Area Latino Aging Study (SALSA). Neuropsychology. 2018 Jan. PubMed link
  • Martinez-Miller EE. Longitudinal Associations of US Acculturation With Cognitive Performance, Cognitive Impairment, and Dementia. American journal of epidemiology. 2020 Nov 2. PubMed link