Chinese Dementia Care Research Center

描述（申请人提供）：随着人口的快速老龄化，中国面临着与年龄相关疾病不可避免的增加。最近的一项流行病学研究发现，65岁及以上人群中阿尔茨海默病的患病率为4.85%，血管性痴呆的患病率为1.1%;因此，中国不是痴呆症的低风险国家。痴呆症是中国面临的一个重大社会和健康挑战，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至关重要，并制定有助于发展循证护理的研究计划。目前，支持这些方案的发展和制度化的基础设施有限。这项R21申请提出了一项独特的合作，致力于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）、布莱根妇女医院/哈佛医学院精神病学系和西弗吉尼亚大学的研究人员之间的现有合作，提高中国痴呆症研究和护理的能力。项目的具体目标是：1）在北京大学精神卫生学院建立跨学科的痴呆症护理研究中心（DCRC），与来自世界卫生组织/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、CDC的主要中国合作者以及来自世界各地知名学术中心的其他中国顾问合作; 2）在WHU-SPH建立跨学科的痴呆症护理研究中心，由PKU-IMH和来自美国的专家提供培训; 3)使卫生专业人员和家庭护理人员在痴呆症护理方面的可持续培训能力; 3）通过标准化数据库开发和研究管理方面的培训，提高PKU-IMH和WHU-SHP的研究能力;以及4）进行痴呆症解释模型的试点研究，并为未来的R 01应用制定干预策略。研究人员乐观地认为，由于FIC的支持而开发的合作研究和培训基础设施可能会在项目资助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的坚定承诺，以改善老年痴呆症患者及其护理人员的生活。公共卫生相关性：该项目将提供中国痴呆症患病率和与痴呆症相关的负担的信息。因此，这些信息将有助于政府对公共卫生政策进行必要的修改，以有效科普日益增加的痴呆症负担。

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.