The need for Native elder care research
Native elders are at higher risk for illnesses and more frequently suffer multiple illnesses resulting in more severe health outcomes yet have less access to healthcare services than non-Native people. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) recognized this disparity and developed the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) program that advances scientific discoveries in minority elder health research and provides career development support for early-career scientists.
In 1998, the Colorado School of Public Health’s Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, in response to NIA’s research framework, established the Native Elder Research Center to address the barriers in Native elder research.
For 25 years, the research center directed and coordinated culturally relevant research for Native elders. The center also supported emerging and diverse investigators capable of addressing a wide range of priority questions related to the aging of Native elders through the Native Investigator Development Program.
The Community Health and Aging in Native Groups of Elders Resource Center for Minority Aging Research
The Community Health and Aging in Native Groups of Elders Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (CHANGE – RCMAR) project is a new iteration of the Native Elder Research Center Native Investigator Development Program that was created in 1998, building upon the frameworks established over 25 years researching Native aging and Native investigator development.
Dedra Buchwald, MD, a Washington State University (WSU) professor and founding director of the Initiative for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH), led the initiative as program director for 25 years, and she now co-leads the CHANGE-RCMAR center alongside Julie Baldwin, PhD, NAU Regents’ professor, NARBHA vice president for NAU Health, and executive director of the Center for Health Equity Research.
Core Components of CHANGE
Baldwin, (Cherokee), based at NAU, and Buchwald, based at WSU, co-lead the Leadership and Administrative Core, and ensure cohesive direction and effective project management.
The Research Education Component is led by Denise Dillard, PhD, Co-Director of IREACH and professor in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at WSU. Her expertise guides the educational aspects of the project, shaping the development and dissemination of research methodologies and findings.
The Analysis Core is led by Richard MacLehose, PhD, University of Minnesota professor of public health, with support from Luciana Hebert, PhD, assistant research professor at IREACH and the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at WSU. This core ensures proper data analysis so the center can derive meaningful insight from their research.
Community Integration activities are managed by Gary Ferguson, ND (Unangax̂/Aleut), based at WSU. This core works to embed community engagement and education into all aspects of CHANGE.
Members of these components have strong backgrounds in the advancement of community health equity and worked together in establishing the goals for this research center.
Aims for CHANGE
CHANGE has four specific aims during the five-year cycle from 2023-2028:
- Deliver the 18-month CHANGE curriculum to a diverse cohort of nine scientists pursuing careers in aging research with Native people.
- Provide state-of-the-art support for CHANGE scientists’ Pilot Studies within a holistic framework of mentoring, professional development, and research excellence.
- Integrate CHANGE scientists into a network of investigators, RCMAR alumni, and community partners who conduct Native health research and promote Native health interventions; and
- Embed principles of community outreach, engagement, and participatory research, as well as diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across all CHANGE activities.
Please visit the CHANGE-RCMAR webpage to learn more about the project and opportunities for early stage investigators to get involved.