Hazuda H P
Department of Medicine, University of Texas, Health Science Center at San Antonio 78284-7873, USA.
Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 1997;11 Suppl 6:156-61.
Taking account of cultural and linguistic variations among ethnic minority groups (the most rapidly growing segment of the U.S. elderly population) will have both conceptual and methodological impacts on Alzheimer disease outcomes research. At the conceptual level, researchers will need to evaluate whether the definition of Alzheimer disease, treatment approaches, and outcomes (anticipated and desired) central to their research are relevant or appropriate for the ethnic minorities in their target populations. The central methodological impact of cultural and linguistic diversity will be the need to use qualitative techniques as integral parts of the research process and to cross-culturally adapt English assessment instruments for use with ethnic minorities. More labor-intensive efforts will be required at all stages of the research process and, thus, higher costs will be incurred.
考虑到少数族裔群体（美国老年人口中增长最快的部分）之间的文化和语言差异，将对阿尔茨海默病结局研究产生概念和方法上的影响。在概念层面，研究人员需要评估其研究核心的阿尔茨海默病定义、治疗方法和结局（预期的和期望的）对于目标人群中的少数族裔是否相关或合适。文化和语言多样性在方法上的核心影响将是需要将定性技术作为研究过程的组成部分，并对英语评估工具进行跨文化调整以用于少数族裔。在研究过程的各个阶段都将需要更多劳动密集型的努力，因此会产生更高的成本。
