Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core

Project Summary: Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core The Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement (ORE) Core is aligned with the vision of the OADRC's overarching aims, with a specific focus on connecting and engaging Oregonians across the state. The OADRC ORE Core Leads, and the diverse ORE team will concentrate their efforts on increasing recruitment for clinical trials, fostering education of lay and professional learners, and maintaining and nurturing strong connections with underrepresented groups, such as African American and rural communities. The OADRC ORE Core is committed to increasing access to ADRD research, education and clinical care in our state and beyond. We will raise awareness of dementia and care options by knitting strong, mutual ties with underrepresented communities (e.g., African American, rural) and with organizations serving these communities (e.g., PreSERVE Coalition), through personalized contributions and meaningful educational experiences. Our online research registry (ACTNOW) combined with our face-to-face outreach events will make research participation more equitable for Oregonians. Our education efforts will address the needs of learners across the educational spectrum, from undergraduate minority scholars (BUILD) to post-doctoral fellows. Our technology-based ECHO programs will provide evidence-based educational opportunities to any clinician with a computer and Internet access. The specific aims of the ORE Core are informed by the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Goals: Aim 1. Outreach: Expand public awareness and engagement across communities by building on established relationships with underrepresented groups (e.g., African Americans and rural residents), and the lay and professional public to co-develop and implement programs that increase understanding of brain health, ADRD, and dementia prevention (NAPA Goals 3-5(1)). Aim 2: Recruitment: Support recruitment and retention of research participants from all communities to make research participation in OADRC studies more equitable and study findings more generalizable (NAPA Goals 1, 6(1)). Aim 3: Engagement: Develop, implement, and sustain culturally relevant engagement strategies that educate Oregonians about ADRD, research, and treatment, and improve care quality (NAPA Goals 2, 3(1)).