CULTURAL BIAS IN MEMORY SCREENING OF AMERICAN INDIAN INDIVIDUALS IN ARIZONA

Abstract

Purpose: compare the Southwestern Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (SWICA), a novel tool for screening AI older adults in Arizona, with The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a commonly used memory screening tool, for comparison of cultural bias. Methods: Cultural bias was assessed by retrospectively comparing coded participant responses to 16 questions about their cultural context. Intrasample variation on MoCA and SWICA tests was controlled by using the participants as their own controls. Data were analyzed using a multiple regression general linear model on SPSS software. Results: Scores on the SWICA test were independently associated with English use in the home (Beta = .396, p = .026), years of education (Beta = 335, p = .027), and ease of learning (Beta = .361, p = .029), but not age (Beta = .366, p = .054). Scores on the MoCA test were independently associated with age (Beta = ‐.491, p = .001), English use in the home (Beta = ‐.320, p = .039) , and years of education (Beta = ‐.284. p = .030), but not ease of learning (Beta = ‐.267, p = .067). Conclusions: Scores were similar on both tests (t=3.934, p=.001), and were independently associated with English use in the home and years of education. SWICA was uniquely associated with ease of learning and MoCA was uniquely associated with age. This preliminary comparison demonstrates the usefulness of SWICA, and validation of this tool is recommended.