This two-site (Rush University and Northwestern University) linked re-submission of R34MH100443 collaborative application aims to design a culturally tailored and community- engaged intervention to reduce suicidal thoughts in US Chinese older adults, who have the highest suicide rate than any other racial/ethnic groups. Despite this health disparity, we have great paucity in our understanding of cultural issues surrounding suicide in Chinese populations, and this has directly hampered the intervention efforts. Accordingly, we seek to support a geriatrician (Dong) with expertise in aging, mental health and Chinese culture, and an interventionist (Simon) with expertise in clinical trials using community health workers to reduce health disparities among minority populations. More specifically, we aim to 1) expand synergistic academic and community partnerships; 2) iteratively design and refine a culturally meaningful pilot intervention to reduce suicidal thought; 3) conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial; and 4) rigorously evaluate the cultural acceptability of the proposed intervention at multiple levels. This study will set the cornerstone for the next R01 application to fully test the efficacy of a culturally tailored intervention to reuce suicidal thoughts in Chinese aging populations. By 2030, Chinese older adults will account for a quarter of the world's aging populations. Despite the rapid growth of Chinese populations in the US, there are marked health disparities among Chinese older adults, which are further exacerbated by the complex linguistic and cultural nuances in studying Chinese populations, particularly on issues of suicidal thoughts. Moreover, there has been inadequate and sustainable community support necessary to empower the Chinese community to be fully engaged as equal partners in research. In this application, a bilingual and bicultural principal investigator and an interdisciplinary investigative team have leveraged the principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR), building on our prior NIH funded CBPR projects to partner synergistically and sustainably with the Chicago Chinese community in order to overcome these challenges and set the foundation for this proposal. The study findings will inform clinicians, investigators, communities, social services and policy makers to: a) improve our in-depth understanding of cultural issues surrounding suicide; b) empower community to be equal partners in mental health research; c) guide the next R01 intervention study; and d) inform practice and policy on suicide care in Chinese older adults.

Public Health Relevance

This R34 resubmission will collaborative and iteratively design and refine a culturally adapted intervention to reduce the frequency and intensity of suicidal thoughts in Chinese older adults. This has implication for investigators, clinicians, community, social services and policy makers to reduce suicide in Chinese older adults.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Planning Grant (R34)
Project #
5R34MH100393-02
Application #
8843962
Study Section
Mental Health Services Research Committee (SERV)
Program Officer
Niederehe, George T
Project Start
2014-05-01
Project End
2017-03-31
Budget Start
2015-04-01
Budget End
2016-03-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Northwestern University at Chicago
Department
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
005436803
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60611
Wang, Jinjiao; Kong, Dexia; Sun, Benjamin C et al. (2018) Health Services Utilization Among Chinese American Older Adults: Moderation of Social Support With Functional Limitation. J Appl Gerontol :733464818787716
Kong, Dexia; Davitt, Joan; Dong, XinQi (2018) Loneliness, Depressive Symptoms, and Cognitive Functioning Among U.S. Chinese Older Adults. Gerontol Geriatr Med 4:2333721418778201
Li, Mengting; Dong, Xinqi (2018) The Association Between Filial Piety and Depressive Symptoms Among U.S. Chinese Older Adults. Gerontol Geriatr Med 4:2333721418778167
Tang, Fengyan; Zhang, Wei; Chi, Iris et al. (2018) Acculturation and Activity Engagement Among Older Chinese Americans. Gerontol Geriatr Med 4:2333721418778198
Chen, Yiwei; Wang, Jiaxi; Liang, Ying et al. (2018) Perceived Stress and Cognitive Functions Among Chinese Older Adults: The Moderating Role of Health Status. Gerontol Geriatr Med 4:2333721418778390
Li, Lydia W; Gee, Gilbert C; Dong, XinQi (2018) Association of Self-Reported Discrimination and Suicide Ideation in Older Chinese Americans. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 26:42-51
Dong, XinQi; Li, Ke (2018) The Association Between Musculoskeletal Symptoms and Traditional Chinese Medicine Use Among Chinese Older Adults in the Greater Chicago Area. Gerontol Geriatr Med 4:2333721418778179
Dong, XinQi; Bergren, Stephanie M (2017) The Associations and Correlations Between Self-reported Health and Neighborhood Cohesion and Disorder in a Community-dwelling U.S. Chinese Population. Gerontologist 57:679-695
Dong, XinQi (2017) Associations Between the Differential Definitions of Elder Mistreatment and Suicidal Ideation Outcomes in U.S. Chinese Older Adults: Do the Definitions Matter? J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 72:S82-S89
Tang, Fengyan; Xu, Ling; Chi, Iris et al. (2017) Health in the Neighborhood and Household Contexts Among Older Chinese Americans. J Aging Health 29:1388-1409

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