Improving early dementia detection for Black adults in Allegheny County
Brain CHEC-AC (Brain and Cognitive Health Equity Campaign for Allegheny County)
This project will try new community and clinic approaches to find Alzheimer's and related dementias earlier in Black adults so they can get care sooner.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195706 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the team will work with Black communities in Allegheny County to reduce stigma, improve awareness, and make memory screening and follow-up easier to access. They plan to combine community outreach, education, clinician training, and improved pathways to diagnostic testing (including biomarker evaluation when appropriate). The project targets structural barriers like discrimination in healthcare and aims to connect people who screen positive to timely diagnostic workups and treatment options. Over several years, the team will implement and refine these multilevel strategies across local clinics and community sites.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Black or African American adults living in Allegheny County who are worried about memory problems or are at risk for Alzheimer's disease or related dementias.
Not a fit: People who do not identify as Black/African American, those living outside the Pittsburgh/Allegheny County area, or those already in very advanced stages of dementia may not benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more Black adults in the Pittsburgh area could be diagnosed earlier and become eligible for treatments that work best in early stages.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior community outreach and clinic-training programs have improved dementia recognition in other areas, but this coordinated, multilevel approach focused on Allegheny County and Black adults is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shaaban, C. Elizabeth — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Shaaban, C. Elizabeth
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.