Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core

University Of Pittsburgh At Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Alzheimer’s dementia and related disorders (ADRD) represent an enormous public health problem with an increasing prevalence, particularly within understudied populations, that demands a concomitant increase in ADRD-related outreach, community engagement, and research recruitment. In line with our Center’s theme, “From Neighborhoods to Neurons,” and in response to a local needs assessment and calls for action at the state (PA State Alzheimer’s Plan) and federal (National Alzheimer’s Project Act) levels, we have identified the following specific aims for the proposed period of support: Aim 1) To sustain effective and initiate new neighborhood-based community engagement activities that are responsive to local needs and address regional and national priorities in AD research and care, Aim 2) To facilitate recruitment and retention of racially, ethnically, and economically diverse participants at the earliest end of the AD spectrum into the Clinical Core and ancillary studies database registry, and Aim 3) To train health professionals and students of the health sciences in the diagnosis of ADRD, with an emphasis on understanding ADRD and its implications from neighborhoods (emphasis on social determinants) to neurons (emphasis on biomarkers). We will achieve these interrelated aims through a research strategy that includes innovative programming and builds on our biggest successes over the past several years. Primary examples of planned activities for Aim 1 include partnering with key civic, faith-based and social service organizations, maintaining a community advisory council, developing neighborhood-based engagement programs ranging from a lecture series in a community auditorium to more intimate “coffee and conversations” events in Black owned and operated establishments that connect community members directly with researchers. Examples for Aim 2 include overhauling our recruitment and retention messaging to consistently highlight the research participation narratives of African Americans in the Clinic Core and weaving such cultural-centric narratives into a wide range of digital and print materials. The primary foci of Aim 3 are developing and delivering on-site interprofessional clinical training, as well as continuing education programs to larger professional audiences in partnership with UPMC, and new-this-cycle ADRD training for community health workers of Allegheny County and medical assistants in partnership with a CTSI initiative to grow the clinical research workforce (Aim 3). These and other elements of our research strategy will be evaluated on an ongoing basis using such methods as tracking the number and characteristics of participants in our programs (community, student, and professional), administering feedback forms and/or pre-post activity surveys to each group of learners, and monitoring the number of individuals who sign up to receive information or be contacted by the PITT-ADRC either following community presentations, or as a result of specific partnerships with community groups, providers, and other research collaborators. Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core Abstract: