Study Examines How to Reduce Dementia, Alzheimer's Risk in African Americans

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing are using a two-year, $400,000 grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health to close gaps in knowledge about African Americans' risk factors for dementia or Alzheimer's so they can be more effectively treated, reports UAB News . UAB Professor Pariya Fazeli Wheeler will compile educational information that encourages healthy behaviors among African Americans to reduce that risk. Participants will be queried about their exercise, diet, social, and other habits, which will be fed into a risk factor profile. A personalized plan will then be produced for each individual to help maximize their potential role in healthy brain aging, in the hope that a tailored individual plan will encourage healthy behaviors. The project aims to assess the effectiveness of the individualized plans compared to general education on risk factors. "We hope, with both of the groups receiving dementia education, all will improve their dementia risk factor knowledge and brain health literacy," Wheeler said. "We also hope the individuals with a tailored risk factor profile are more likely to engage in the recommended activities more than those without a tailored profile."