IMPACT OF HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ON LATE-LIFE COGNITION IN BLACK ADULTS - PROJECT SUM…

Assistance award details

Assistance award identifier

ASST_NON_R00AG076973_075

FAIN

R00AG076973

Recipient

REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, THE

Awarding agency

Department of Health and Human Services

Funding agency

Department of Health and Human Services

Assistance listing (CFDA)

93.866

Total obligated

$740,584

Period

Sep 1, 2024 – May 31, 2027

Fiscal year

2024

Place of performance state

CA

Source file

FY2024_All_Assistance_Full_20261006.zip

Description

IMPACT OF HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ON LATE-LIFE COGNITION IN BLACK ADULTS - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT BLACK-WHITE INEQUITIES IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIA (ADRD) ARE A PRESSING PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM: PREVALENCE IS ALMOST DOUBLE FOR BLACK ADULTS AGED 65-84. ADRD IS A LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES, AFFECTING AN ESTIMATED 5 MILLION AMERICANS. ADRD IS A PROGRESSIVE DISEASE IMPACTING THE PARTS OF THE BRAIN THAT CONTROL THOUGHT, MEMORY, AND LANGUAGE. UNLIKE HEART DISEASE AND CANCER, DEATH RATES FROM ADRD ARE RISING. ADRD PREVALENCE IS PROJECTED TO DECREASE FOR WHITE AND INCREASE FOR BLACK ADULTS OVER TIME. HIGHER EDUCATION IS A STRONG SOCIAL DETERMINANT OF LOWER ADRD RISK. HOWEVER, LARGE BLACK-WHITE INEQUITIES IN ADRD PERSIST AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF EDUCATION. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE STUDIES ON ADRD ARE COMPRISED OF WHITE ADULTS. TO ADDRESS THIS DISPARITY, WE MUST CONSIDER RISK FACTORS THAT IMPACT BLACK AMERICANS UNIQUELY AS OPPOSED TO WHITE EXPERIENCES. THOUGH STRUCTURAL RACISM IS IMPLICATED AS A FUNDAMENTAL CAUSE OF HIGHER EDUCATION GAPS, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT IF, AND TO WHAT EXTENT, UNIQUELY BLACK COLLEGE EXPERIENCES INFLUENCE ADRD RISK IN BLACK ADULTS, SPECIFICALLY HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS). HBCUS ARE COMPRISED OF PREDOMINANTLY BLACK STUDENTS (76%) AND UPLIFT BLACK INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS BLACK COMMUNITIES THROUGH ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL EMPOWERMENT, INCREASED SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CAPITAL, AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND PRIDE. THUS, EARLY LIFE EXPOSURE TO HBCUS IS A PROMISING AND UNEXPLORED MECHANISM THAT MAY IMPROVE LATER-LIFE ADRD OUTCOMES AND INEQUITIES FOR BLACK ADULTS. THIS K99/R00 STUDY PROPOSAL LEVERAGES THREE LARGE, WELL-ESTABLISHED RACIALLY DIVERSE NATIONAL PANEL DATASETS TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF EARLY LIFE EXPOSURE TO HBCUS ON VASCULAR RISK FACTORS OF ADRD, LATE-LIFE INCIDENCE OF ADRD, AND ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY IN BLACK ADULTS; THE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STU