Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a growing concern in the Asian American population.
• The Asian Cohort for Alzheimer's Disease (ACAD) initiative addresses underrepresentation in AD research.
• This study evaluates a culturally informed, community-engaged genetic-clinical approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and assess the feasibility of the ACAD study.
• To investigate Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in Korean American elders.
• To implement a community-engaged model for genetic and clinical data collection.

Main Methods:

• Recruited older Korean American adults for cognitive, lifestyle, and neurological assessments.
• Collected biological samples (blood, saliva).
• Utilized purposeful sampling and bilingual health professionals; employed consensus meetings for diagnosis (NC, SCC, MCI, dementia).

Main Results:

• Recruited 60 participants (mean age 79.58) within 12 months.
• Identified high prevalence of hypertension (67.67%), high cholesterol (63.33%), and diabetes (43.33%).
• Diagnosed cognitive deficits in 32 participants, including dementia (25%), MCI (10%), and SCC (18.33%).

Conclusions:

• Community-engaged recruitment and data collection are feasible for Alzheimer's research in Korean Americans.
• Collaboration and participant-friendly logistics are crucial for successful implementation.
• The ACAD pilot study provides valuable insights for future dementia research in diverse aging populations.