<< Back
What are potential strategies to increase Hispanic/Latino American enrollment in Alzheimer’s research?
G. Adriana Perez, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Philadelphia, PA - United States
Background
According to the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association Facts and Figures Report, older Hispanic/Latino American adults are about one and one-half times as likely to develop Alzheimer’s or other dementia as older White Americans. Additionally, the larger Hispanic/Latino American community is a very diverse group of individuals with different cultural histories and health profiles.
Optimizing health outcomes for the U.S. population requires eliminating disparities within the healthcare system, including disparities that exist within clinical trials. Dr. Gloria Perez and colleagues propose an outreach study that seeks to help reduce disparities in Alzheimer’s research for Hispanic/Latino Americans.
Research Plan
Dr. Perez and the team will study the challenges that Hispanic/Latino Americans face when participating in Alzheimer’s research. First, they will recruit 20 researchers who are involved in Alzheimer’s clinical trials and will conduct semi-structured one-on-one interviews and focus groups. Their interview questions will be designed to understand the specific barriers and facilitators of Hispanic/Latino enrollment in Alzheimer’s clinical trials. The researchers will identify common themes based on the responses which will serve as the foundation to establish guidelines and best practices for increasing Hispanic/Latino American participation in Alzheimer’s research.
Impact
The results of this study could help raise Alzheimer’s awareness and clinical research opportunities among the Hispanic/Latino American communities who may be at the greatest risk of developing the disease. If successful, the findings could inform future strategies to help eliminate disparities in Alzheimer’s research.
Back to Top