scholarly journals Arab American Cognitive Aging: Opportunities for Advancing Research on Alzheimer’s Disease Disparities

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristine J Ajrouch ◽  
Laura B Zahodne ◽  
Toni C Antonucci
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
The United States ◽  
Arab Americans ◽  
Arab American ◽  
Cognitive Health ◽  
Ethnic Factors ◽  
Immigration And Religion

Abstract Background and Objectives This article highlights the dearth of and need for research on Arab American cognitive aging. We propose that studying cognitive health issues among older Arab Americans provides an innovative opportunity to advance knowledge about causes and consequences of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) disparities and refine understanding of factors linked to immigrant health in the United States. Research Design and Methods Demographic information is provided on Arab Americans, who are on the cusp of being recognized by the U.S. government as a distinct ethnic group separate from whites. In the tradition of minority aging, we present a broad review of specific issues in the contemporary case of Arab Americans. Results We detail how including Arab Americans provides unique information on the importance of: (i) extending racial/ethnic group comparisons; (ii) linking social experiences to late-life cognitive health; and (iii) incorporating ethnic factors related to immigration and religion in the study of AD disparities. Discussion and Implications Studying Arab American cognitive aging provides an innovative opportunity to more fully delineate factors that create and sustain health disparities, with special insights into both causes and consequences.

scholarly journals THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS AMONG ARAB AMERICANS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S463-S463
Author(s):  
Florence Dallo ◽  
Tiffany Kindratt
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
The United States ◽  
Arab Americans ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
P Values ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
Age And Sex

Abstract In the United States (U.S.), Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) afflict over 4.7 million individuals ages 65 or older. Most studies compare the prevalence of ADRD between minorities and whites. Arab Americans are a subgroup of whites, and ADRD is not understood among Arab Americans. The overall goal of this study is to estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for ADRD among Arab Americans ages 45 or older compared to non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics and Asian Americans. Data for 2000-2017 from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) using the region of birth question was be used (N=222,219). Percents, chi-square and logistic regression will be estimated. Age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of ADRD was 10.3% for foreign-born Arab Americans compared to approximately 7.5% for US-born non-Hispanic whites (NHW), blacks and Asians. The prevalence of ADRD was 8.6% for Hispanics (all p-values <.0001). When controlling for age and sex, Arab Americans were 1.4 times (OR=1.02,1.93) more likely to have ADRD compared to US-born NHW. This is the first study to focus on ADRD among Arab Americans and the findings suggest ADRD is a burden in this population. Future studies should capture other generations of Arab Americans to better understand the trend of ADRD among this understudied, often invisible population.

scholarly journals Understanding differences within ethnic group designation: comparing risk factors and health indicators between Iranian and Arab Americans in Northern California

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia N. Abuelezam ◽  
Abdulrahman El-Sayed ◽  
Sandro Galea ◽  
Nancy P. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
The United States ◽  
Arab Americans ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Arab American ◽  
Northern California ◽  
Men And Women

Abstract Background The Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) ethnic group is a diverse group composed of two primary subsets in the United States: Iranian and Arab Americans. We aimed to compare health risk factors, chronic health conditions, and mental health conditions of Iranian and Arab American adults in Northern California. Methods We used cross-sectional electronic health record (EHR) data from a 2016 Northern California health plan study cohort to compare adults classified as Iranian or Arab American based on ethnicity, language, or surname. We produced age-standardized prevalence estimates of obesity, smoking, hyperlipidemia, prediabetes, diabetes, hypertension, depression, and anxiety for Iranian and Arab American men and women by age group (35–44, 45–64, and 65–84) and overall (35–84). We used generalized linear models to calculate prevalence ratios (PR) to compare Iranian and Arab American adults ages 35–84 on all health indicators. Results Compared to Arab Americans, Iranian Americans had a lower prevalence of obesity (PR: 0.77, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.73, 0.82), current smoking (PR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.89), and ever smoking (PR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91, 0.99), but a higher prevalence of hyperlipidemia (PR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.12), prediabetes (PR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.16), depression (PR; 1.41, 95% CI: 1.30, 1.52), and anxiety (PR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.42, 1.63). Similar patterns were observed for men and women. Conclusion This work supports the need to collect granular data on race and ethnicity within the MENA ethnic group to improve identification in clinical care settings and population health reporting to better address the physical and mental health needs of different MENA subgroups.

scholarly journals Partnering with Middle Eastern/Arab American and Latino Immigrant Communities to Increase Participation in Alzheimer’s Disease Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Suppl) ◽  
pp. 765-774
Author(s):  
Kristine J. Ajrouch ◽  
Irving E. Vega ◽  
Toni C. Antonucci ◽  
Wassim Tarraf ◽  
Noah J. Webster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
State Level ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Arab Americans ◽  
Community Advisory Board ◽  
Arab American ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Middle Eastern Arab

Purpose: Recruitment and retention of US ethnic groups traditionally underrepresented in research continues to pose challenges. The Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease (MCCFAD) engages with two underserved immigrant commu­nities in Michigan – Middle Eastern/Arab Americans in metro-Detroit and Latinos in the Grand Rapids area – to recruit and retain two Participant Resource Pools (PRP).Procedures: We adapt an existing commu­nity-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to recruit Middle Eastern/Arab American and Latino adults of all ages for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) research. Using American Commu­nity Survey (2014-2018) data, we compare socio-demographic characteristics of Middle Eastern/Arab Americans and Latinos living in Michigan to our PRPs. Assessment tools and community advisory board feedback identified missteps and culturally sensitive solutions.Main Findings: In the first year of MCCFAD activities, 100 Middle Eastern/ Arab Americans and 117 Latinos joined the MCCFAD PRPs. Comparisons to state-level data showed that PRP participants were on average older and more likely to be female than the Middle Eastern/Arab American and Latino populations in Michigan. Further, Middle Eastern/Arab Americans in the PRP reported higher education levels while Latinos reported lower education levels than their respective statewide populations. Community partnerships/feedback identi­fied the importance of connecting with community leaders, attending to matters of within-group diversity, as well as language and semantics.Conclusion: Partnership with communities to develop culturally targeted and sensitive community health events can fill a signifi­cant gap in addressing ADRD health dispari­ties by establishing sustainable relationships to increase participation in ADRD research. Ethn Dis. 2020;30(Suppl 2):765-774; doi:10.18865/ed.30.S2.765

scholarly journals Terms and Measures of Cognitive Health Associated With Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Scoping Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 174-185
Author(s):  
Kelly Quinn ◽  
Christina E. Miyawaki ◽  
Raina Croff ◽  
Mia T. Vogel ◽  
Basia Belza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Cognitive Health ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Formal Definitions ◽  
National Public Health

The Healthy Brain Initiative: National Public Health Road Map to Maintaining Cognitive Health (2007) called on the research community to disseminate its work on cognitive aging and cognitive health. The purpose of this scoping review was to (1) identify terminology that cognitive, social, and behavioral scientists use to describe cognitive aging and cognitive health, in association with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, among older adults; (2) demonstrate how such terms are defined; and (3) illustrate how these constructs are measured in research settings. Empirical studies published 2007–2018 were examined for terminology, definitions, disciplinary orientation, and measurement mechanisms. Analysis of the corpus and a detailed review of the terms “cognitive impairment” and “mild cognitive impairment” reveal that formal definitions are provided infrequently and measurement of constructs ranges widely. Overall, the variability in terminology, definitions, and measures reflects a need for greater specificity in research communication, such that cross-disciplinary collaboration can be facilitated.

Leveraging Technology in Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemens Kruse ◽  
Britney Larson ◽  
Reagan Wilkinson ◽  
Roger Samson ◽  
Taylor Castillo
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
United States ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
The United States ◽  
Diagnostic Process ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Common Cause ◽  
Key Terms

BACKGROUND Incidence of AD continues to increase, making it the most common cause of dementia and the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. 2018 numbers are expected to double by 2030. OBJECTIVE We examined the benefits of utilizing technology to identify and detect Alzheimer’s disease in the diagnostic process. METHODS We searched PubMed and CINAHL using key terms and filters to identify 30 articles for review. We analyzed these articles and reported them in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS We identified 11 technologies used in the detection of Alzheimer’s disease: 66% of which used some form of MIR. Functional, structural, and 7T magnetic resonance imaging were all used with structural being the most prevalent. CONCLUSIONS MRI is the best form of current technology being used in the detection of Alzheimer’s disease. MRI is a noninvasive approach that provides highly accurate results in the diagnostic process of Alzheimer’s disease.

380 Projected incidence of Alzheimer's disease in the United States

1996 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. S95
Author(s):  
L. Hebert ◽  
P. Scherr ◽  
L. Beckett ◽  
D. Evans
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
The United States

scholarly journals The Public's Perceptions About Cognitive Health and Alzheimer's Disease Among the U.S. Population: A National Review

2009 ◽  
Vol 49 (S1) ◽  
pp. S3-S11 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Anderson ◽  
K. L. Day ◽  
R. L. Beard ◽  
P. S. Reed ◽  
B. Wu
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Health ◽  
National Review ◽  
The U.S

scholarly journals The Role of Oxidative Stress-Induced Epigenetic Alterations in Amyloid-βProduction in Alzheimer’s Disease

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zuo ◽  
Benjamin T. Hemmelgarn ◽  
Chia-Chen Chuang ◽  
Thomas M. Best
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Amyloid Beta ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
The United States ◽  
Traditional Medicines ◽  
Progressive Neurodegeneration ◽  
Antioxidant Supplements

An increasing number of studies have proposed a strong correlation between reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative stress (OS) and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). With over five million people diagnosed in the United States alone, AD is the most common type of dementia worldwide. AD includes progressive neurodegeneration, followed by memory loss and reduced cognitive ability. Characterized by the formation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques as a hallmark, the connection between ROS and AD is compelling. Analyzing the ROS response of essential proteins in the amyloidogenic pathway, such as amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) and beta-secretase (BACE1), along with influential signaling programs of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), has helped visualize the path between OS and Aβoverproduction. In this review, attention will be paid to significant advances in the area of OS, epigenetics, and their influence on Aβplaque assembly. Additionally, we aim to discuss available treatment options for AD that include antioxidant supplements, Asian traditional medicines, metal-protein-attenuating compounds, and histone modifying inhibitors.

Effect of Alzheimer’s Training on Multicultural Personal Care Aides

2008 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin C. Fenley ◽  
Sarah J. Bober ◽  
Mebane E. Powell ◽  
Jacquelin Berman ◽  
Barbara N. Altman
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
York City ◽  
The United States ◽  
Personal Care ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Item Knowledge

This article reports on the first 2 years of an ongoing project that examined the efficacy of a 10-hour dementia training provided to entry-level personal care aide (PCA) trainees from the Hispanic, White, African American, and Asian communities in New York City. Participants were enrolled in a 90-hour PCA training program offered by the New York City Department for the Aging and were either recipients of public assistance, displaced employees from September 11, or recent immigrants to the United States from China. Classes were conducted in Spanish, English, and Mandarin/Cantonese. An 11-item Knowledge of Alzheimer’s Disease instrument was developed for the purposes of this project and administered before and after the dementia training and at 3 months following graduation. All groups, regardless of language, showed a significant increase in knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease at the conclusion of the training and retention of this knowledge at 3 months follow-up. Age was strongly correlated with an increase in knowledge, while gender and education were not.

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