Diverse VCID: Improving Meaningful Diagnosis for People at Risk for Dementia

Living with Alzheimer’s Disease in Black America

Among Black Americans ages 70 and older, 21.3% are living with Alzheimer's. Learn what is being done to address health disparities. Alzheimer’s, like most things, is partly biological, partly social and partly psychological. Here we discuss these other influences in society that have a significant impact on health and illnesses with Dr. Rita Hargrave, a Geriatric Psychiatrist in Northern California.

What is it about Latino aging that may be the same or different among Europeans and Black Americans?

In this episode we speak with three doctors from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley about what’s unique about Latino aging. Rio Grande Valley is committed to enhancing the diversity of the workforce and reducing health disparities among Hispanics in South Texas through advanced research in dementia, and minority aging.  Because of its unique geographical location on the South Texas/Mexico border with a large Hispanic population, we deliberate the differences and similarities of Hispanics, Europeans, and Black Americans.

How to recruit Hispanic/Latino Americans into a research study?

In this episode we speak with research coordinators from three different universities about what’s most important when recruiting Hispanic/Latino Americans into research. Researchers and health care providers need to address health disparities, yet there are many challenges encountered during recruitment. Latino participation is critical to producing good science that helps their community. We discuss culturally relevant strategies used to recruit participants from community settings and discuss the most effective recruitment strategies that reflect the common cultural values.

The importance of MRI in Brain Research

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in brain research is extremely useful clinically and provides unprecedented resolution and contrast for studying the brain. We discuss the benefits of using an MRI to look for structural problems in the brain, particularly in patients with brain disorders.  The many benefits of an MRI are discussed by Dr. John Detrick, a clinical scientist and Professor of Neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Why are genetics important and who is Henrietta Lacks?

Genes are a segment of DNA that are essentially providing a blueprint of all the instructions that our cells need in order for them to function. Henrietta Lacks and her “immortal” cells have been a fixture in the medical research community for decades: they helped develop the polio vaccine in the 1950s; they traveled to space to see how cells react in zero gravity; they even aided in producing a vaccine and reducing HPV infections. Find out why genetics play a key role in research studies and the importance of Henrietta Lacks’ cells.

Why Should Hispanic/Latino Americans participate in research?

This episode examines healthy and unhealthy aging in America. We discuss themes especially relevant to Hispanic/Latino Americans such as hesitancy to participate in studies due to mistrust among researchers and the medical community, concerns over how the data will be used, and not necessarily understanding the significance of research studies. We also review barriers that are most commonly encountered when meeting with potential Hispanic/Latino American research study participants; we discuss the barriers and ways to overcome these barriers.

Why Should Black Americans participate in research?

This podcast examines healthy and unhealthy aging in America. We discuss themes especially relevant to Black Americans such as hesitancy to participate due to mistrust among researchers and the medical community, concerns over how the data will be used, and lack of community input into study design. We also review the barriers that are most commonly encountered when meeting with potential Black American research study participants; we discuss the barriers and ways to overcome these barriers.

What makes the Diverse VCID study special?

There are thousands of clinical and observational studies on Alzheimer’s and dementia, but the Diverse Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (Diverse VCID) is different.  We discuss vascular cognitive impairment and how your heart and blood vessel health affect brain health.  Diversity is critical to this study so that clinical care and scientific discoveries may be applied to the broadest number of people, and this too will be discussed.