There is extensive need for development of a skilled workforce for the study of disparities in Alzheimer?s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). Due to the aging of the US population, the numbers of persons with ADRD are increasing. The exponential rise of numbers of people with ADRD is greater among ethnic minorities, particularly Hispanics and non-Hispanic Blacks, compared with Non-Hispanic Whites. The study of health disparities related to ADRD requires a transdisciplinary approach that includes research in social determinants of health (SDOH), behavioral science, mental health, epidemiology, ADRD biomarkers, neuropsychology, measurement, biostatistics, bioinformatics, clinical trials, and caregiving. The Columbia Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Alzheimer's Disease Disparities (CIRAD) Analysis Core (AnC) has three main goals: 1) assist in the production and application of new measures and methods for studying health, social and environmental factors, and behavior across the life course among ethnically diverse populations; 2) provide technical assistance to RCMAR Scientists; and 3) support a mentoring method for pilot investigators through study grids to be used in the Work- in-Progress (WIP) mentoring seminars, methods internships and training workshops. CIRAD will work with the other RCMAR AnCs and the Coordinating Center (CC) in: a) collaborative research projects, b) publications, and c) a website resource that contains measurement reviews and recommendations for appropriate measures and methods for use in studying ADRD in diverse populations. The AnC will leverage collaborations with the Alzheimer?s Disease Research Centers (ADRC) at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), the Pepper Center at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and the Weill Cornell Roybal Center to provide cross-site research and mentoring opportunities for RCMAR Scientists. The AnC will assist Research Education Component (REC) leaders (Drs. Luchsinger and Manly) with applications from RCMAR Scientists. A focus of methodological development will be related to the primary theme of the CIRAD: interdisciplinary research on biological, behavioral, sociocultural, and environmental mechanisms of disparities in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), including risk and resilience factors, biomarkers, and caregiving. The proposed AnC is focused on measurement, but is also examining analytic methods for secondary data analyses involving biomarkers.The AnC will achieve its goals through the following specific aims:
Specific Aim 1 : Measurement: Identifying, cataloging, and distributing culturally informed measures;
Specific Aim 2 : Methodological and statistical mentoring;
Specific Aim 3 : Development of methods and analyses related to the CIRAD theme of mechanisms of ADRD disparities;
Specific Aim 4 : Development of new lines of investigation (using existing and secondary data).
