Health equity among ethnic and rural caregivers of people with ADRD

What was this study about?

This was a one-year study that identified the unique needs and assets of caregivers to persons with Alzheimer’s and similar brain conditions living in Northern Arizona. We were also interested in the health of caregivers in our area, and the resources they use and still need to maintain their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. We want programs that provide support to caregivers to recognize the unique needs and assets of these populations in Northern Arizona. Results from this project can be used to inform culture-based programs for Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and rural caregivers.

Our study combined findings from focus groups and surveys of caregivers with interviews of policymakers and providers, and GIS mapping of caregiver resources in the region. We  produced a report on the healthcare and social support resources that are available to caregivers in Northern Arizona.

Read the full report, “A Mapped Resource Guide for Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Caregivers and Community Members Living in Northern Arizona.”

This study was conducted by Drs. Julie Baldwin, Dorothy Dunn, Yolanda Garcia, Michael McCarthy and Heather Williamson, with the assistance of Mark Remiker, program coordinator, Rachel Bacon, project coordinator, and Morgan Hustead, graduate student.

Study name: A Multilevel Examination of Health Equity among Ethnic and Rural ADRD Caregivers Specific Aims.
Funding: The study is funded by NIMHD/NIH U54MD012388
IRB Project Number: 1404845-1

Julie Baldwin

Principal Investigator, Administrative Core Lead, Recruitment Core Lead

Director, Center for Health Equity Research (CHER)

Regents’ Professor, Department of Health Sciences

Email: Julie.Baldwin@nau.edu

Phone: 928-523-6566

Research Interests: Community-based participatory research, HIV/AIDS & substance abuse prevention, chronic disease prevention, diverse & rural populations

Dorothy Dunn

Co-Investigator

Associate Professor, School of Nursing

Email: Dorothy.Dunn@nau.edu

Phone: 928-523-6455

Research Interests: Geriatric nursing, gerontology, Alzheimer’s disease, community health, community-based participatory research

Yolanda Garcia

Co-Investigator

Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology

Email: Y.Evie.Garcia@nau.edu

Phone: 928-523-7106

Research Interests: Health disparities, health psychology, neuropsychological assessment, multiculturally competent treatment, ethics

Michael McCarthy

Co-Investigator

Associate Professor, Department of Social Work

Email: Michael.J.McCarthy@nau.edu

Phone: 928-523-4237

Research Interests: family caregivers, mixed methods, mental health, stroke

Heather Williamson

Co-Investigator, Community Engagement Core

Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy

Email: Heather.Williamson@nau.edu

Phone: 928-523-2031

Research Interests:Health equity among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, family caregiver support, health & social services research

Rachel Bacon

Project Coordinator

Research Associate, CHER/SHERC

Email: Rachel.Bacon@nau.edu

Phone: 928-523-5794

Research Interests: Health behaviors, immigration, racial-ethnic disparities, religious communities, GIS and spatial methods

Morgan Lee-Regalado Hustead

Research Assistant

Graduate Student, Department of Educational Psychology

Email: mr2448@nau.edu

Research Interests:Psychological Assessment, neuropsychological assessment

The Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative is a grant-funded initiative of the Center for Health Equity Research at Northern Arizona University. SHERC is supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U54MD012388.

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