Core E: Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core

ABSTRACT – OUTREACH, RECRUITMENT, AND ENGAGEMENT CORE The overall goal of the proposed Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core is to cultivate the inclusive and active participation of diverse persons underrepresented and understudied in research on the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD). Active participation is achieved by providing educational services created and tailored to meet the expressed needs of diverse persons underrepresented and understudied in aging research. Continuing a long tradition of applying an integrated program to promote diverse inclusion in the proposed Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) and other National Institute on Aging (NIA) research initiatives, the Specific Aims of the proposed Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core are to: 1) network with leaders in communities underrepresented and understudied in aging research to cultivate mutually respectful and mutually beneficial relationships; (2) give first to communities underrepresented and understudied in aging research by meeting their expressed needs for education, resources, and support services regarding age-related cognitive conditions including normal aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD/ADRD; (3) advocate for research participation in Rush ADRC and NIA research initiatives to address unanswered community needs; (4) give back to communities underrepresented and understudied in aging research by disseminating information about Rush ADRC and related NIA research findings to build community capacity to better serve diverse persons living with cognitive conditions and their caregivers; (5) evaluate the effectiveness of Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core activities to strengthen capabilities to engage with communities underrepresented and understudied in aging research; and 6) design and develop research conducted by the Rush ADRC and other NIA research initiatives that integrate diverse participant perspectives to facilitate the transfer of information between diverse older adults and researchers to enhance the impact of such research initiatives. The Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core will collaborate with other Rush ADRC Cores to achieve its Specific Aims including Clinical Core (Aims 3, 4, and 6), Data Management and Statistical Core (Aims 3 and 5), Latino Core (Aims 3, 4, and 6), and Religious Orders Study Core (Aims 3, 4, and 6). By leveraging enduring relationships in diverse communities and integrating diverse participant perspectives, the Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core will facilitate active participation by persons underrepresented and understudied in research on the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of AD/ADRD.