Public Health.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Neuroscience
• Cardiology

Background:

• Black Americans face disproportionately higher rates of dementia and underrepresentation in Alzheimer's research.
• Black men experience the shortest life expectancy in the U.S., with cardiometabolic disease as a leading cause of death.
• Culturally-informed interventions are crucial for addressing modifiable dementia risk factors in Black men.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of neighborhood disadvantage on cardiometabolic health and cognitive function in Black men.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the "Black Impact" wellness program in promoting cardiometabolic health.
• To explore the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage, cardiometabolic health indicators, and cognitive performance.

Main Methods:

• 88 Black men enrolled in the "Black Impact" program, a 24-week wellness intervention.
• Assessment of cardiometabolic health using Life's Essential 8 scores and arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity).
• Cognitive function evaluated using NIH Toolbox measures, including receptive vocabulary and cognitive flexibility. Neighborhood disadvantage assessed via the Area Deprivation Index.

Main Results:

• Higher neighborhood disadvantage correlated with lower Life's Essential 8 scores and reduced receptive vocabulary.
• Increased arterial stiffness was linked to poorer Life's Essential 8 scores and diminished cognitive flexibility.
• Neighborhood disadvantage independently predicted receptive vocabulary, even after accounting for age, education, cardiometabolic health, and arterial stiffness.

Conclusions:

• Neighborhood disadvantage is a significant social determinant influencing cardiometabolic and cognitive health among Black men.
• Findings underscore the need to consider social determinants in dementia prevention strategies for Black men.
• The "Black Impact" program provides a framework for culturally-informed interventions targeting health disparities in this population.