Native Alzheimer Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (NAD-RCMAR)

整体的抽象

OVERALL ABSTRACT American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) are increasingly concerned about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), as these conditions will soon have a major impact on their communities. Although AI/ANs and NHPIs are culturally diverse, they share a high prevalence of ADRD risk factors. Life expectancies for AI/ANs and NHPIs have improved resulting in a tripling of their population share of people aged 65 and older. These changing demographics make ADRD much more visible in AI/AN and NHPI communities. AI/ANs and NHPIs also face challenges related to their physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health over the life course that increases their disparities in health outcomes, reduces their resiliency in mid- and late-life, and increases their vulnerability and risk of ADRD. The confluence of perceived need, high risk, and limited data serves as the basis for the renewal application of the Native Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center in Minority Aging Research (NAD-RCMAR). Our transdisciplinary research team offers unique scientific resources and integrates perspectives from multiple disciplines and an extensive network of community partnerships. Based at the University of Miami along with Washington State University, Northern Arizona University, University of New Mexico, Wake Forest University, and a network of Satellite Centers led by Indigenous researchers covering 7 Health and Human Services regions and Hawaii, we will continue to create and grow an innovative program to understand, intervene on, and mitigate the ADRD- related health disparities experienced by AI/ANs and NHPIs. Our overarching goals are to fund meritorious Pilot Studies led by early-stage investigators known as NAD-RCMAR Scientists, whose work will advance our understanding of ADRD health disparities in AI/AN and NHPI communities; provide NAD-RCMAR Scientists with mentorship in study design, culturally appropriate research methodology, biostatistical approaches so that their work meets the highest scientific standards; deliver career development activities to enhance NAD-RCMAR Scientists' academic advancement and the pursuit of independent careers in ADRD research; and contribute empirical evidence regarding ADRD in other minority populations. Our Specific Aims are to 1) Build a dynamic infrastructure, and provide scientific expertise and resources to enhance the diversity of the ADRD research workforce; 2) Recruit and mentor promising NAD-RCMAR Scientists, especially those of AI/AN, NHPI, and other URM backgrounds, to conduct Pilot Studies in the social, behavioral, epidemiological, and clinical sciences on ADRD; and 3) Promote advances in ADRD research and increase the number of independent AI/AN, NHPI and other URM researchers who can address the health and well-being of AI/AN and NHPI elders. The leadership, resources, and experience of our team offer an unprecedented opportunity to address NIA’s research priorities for ADRD among URMs with themes articulated in the 2019 NIA BSR Report. Our Center directly responds to NIA’s interest in diversifying the scientific workforce.