Chinese Dementia Care Research Center

描述（由申请人提供）：随着中国人口的迅速老龄化，与年龄有关的疾病不可避免地会增加。最近的一项流行病学研究发现，65岁及以上人群的阿尔茨海默病患病率为4.85%，血管性痴呆患病率为1.1%；因此，中国不是一个患痴呆症的低风险国家。痴呆症是中国面临的一个重大的社会和健康挑战，专家们一致认为，提高为痴呆症患者及其护理人员提供的护理质量，并制定有助于发展循证护理的研究项目至关重要。目前，支持此类项目发展和制度化的基础设施有限。本次R21申请提出了一项独特的合作，旨在通过建立和扩大北京大学精神卫生研究所（PKU-IMH）、武汉大学公共卫生学院（WHU-SPH）、布里格姆妇女医院/哈佛医学院精神科和西弗吉尼亚大学研究人员之间的现有合作，致力于提高中国痴呆症研究和护理的能力。具体的项目目标是：1)在北京大学医学院建立跨学科的痴呆症护理研究中心（DCRC），中方主要合作伙伴来自世界卫生组织/北京精神卫生研究与培训合作中心、中国国家精神卫生中心、美国疾病控制与预防中心，以及来自世界知名学术中心的中方顾问；2)建立跨学科的WHU-SPH痴呆护理研究中心，由北大- imh和美国专家提供培训；3)使保健专业人员和家庭照顾者在痴呆症护理方面具备可持续的培训能力；3)通过标准化数据库开发和研究管理方面的培训，提高北京大学-清华大学和北京大学-上海大学的研究能力；4)开展痴呆解释模型的试点研究，为未来的R01应用制定干预策略。研究人员乐观地认为，由于FIC支持而发展起来的合作研究和培训基础设施可能会在项目资金结束后很长一段时间内持续下去，因为参与实体（包括政府/公共卫生机构、学术机构、临床中心和非政府组织）对改善老年痴呆症患者及其照顾者的生活做出了强有力的承诺。公共卫生相关性：该项目将提供有关中国痴呆症患病率和与护理相关负担的信息。因此，这些信息将有助于政府了解公共卫生政策的必要变化，以便有效应对日益增加的痴呆症护理负担。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): With its rapidly aging population, China faces an inevitable increase in age-related diseases. A recent epidemiological study found a 4.85% prevalence of Alzheimer's disease among individuals aged 65 and over, and a 1.1% prevalence of Vascular Dementia; thus, China is not a low risk nation for dementia. Dementia is a significant social and health challenge for China, with experts in agreement that it is critical to improve the quality of care provided to persons with dementia and their caregivers, and to develop research programs that contribute to the development of evidence based care. Currently, limited infrastructure exists to support the development and institutionalization of such programs. This R21 application proposes a unique collaboration dedicated to enhancing the capacity for dementia research and care in China, by building upon, and expanding existing collaborations among investigators at the Peking University Institute of Mental Health (PKU-IMH), Wuhan University School of Public Health (WHU-SPH), the Department of Psychiatry at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and West Virginia University. Specific project aims are to: 1) establish the interdisciplinary Dementia Care Research Center (DCRC) at the PKU-IMH, with primary Chinese collaborators from WHO/Beijing Collaborating Center for Research and Training on Mental Health, and the National Center for Mental Health, China, CDC, and other Chinese consultants from eminent academic centers around the world; 2) develop the interdisciplinary Dementia Care Research Center at WHU-SPH, with training provided by PKU-IMH and experts from the U.S.; 3) enable sustainable training capacity for health professionals and family caregivers in dementia care; 3) increase research capability at PKU-IMH and WHU-SHP through training in standardized database development and research management; and, 4) conduct pilot studies of explanatory models of dementia and develop intervention strategies for a future R01 application. The investigators are optimistic that the collaborative research and training infrastructure developed as a result of FIC support will likely be sustained long after the end of program funding because of the strong commitment of the participating entities, including governmental/public health agencies, academic institutions, clinical centers, and NGOs, to improving the life of elders with dementia and their caregivers. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project will provide information of the prevalence of dementia in China and on the burden associated with caregiving. This information will thus serve to inform the government of changes necessary to public health policy in order to effective cope with the ever increasing burden of dementia caregiving.