Improving Primary Care for Older Adults with Alzheimer's and Related Dementias
Understanding and Addressing Disparities in Primary Care: A National Mixed Methods Study
This project aims to understand how access to high-quality primary care affects older adults, especially those with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, across the United States.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11106027 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We want to understand why some older adults, particularly those with Alzheimer's and related dementias, face challenges getting good primary care, and how this has changed over time. Our team will look at a large national dataset that includes information about primary care clinics, their staff, and how they are owned, from 2015 to 2024. We will also use Medicare claims data and surveys from primary care practices to see how access to care varies for different groups of older adults. By doing this, we hope to identify factors at the policy, system, and practice levels that lead to better primary care for everyone.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research focuses on understanding healthcare access for older adults, particularly Medicare beneficiaries and those with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
Not a fit: Patients who are not older adults or Medicare beneficiaries, or who do not have Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, may not directly benefit from the specific findings of this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help policymakers and healthcare systems make changes that improve access to high-quality primary care for older adults, especially those living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
How similar studies have performed: While disparities in health are well-known, this project is novel in its comprehensive approach to understanding recent trends in primary care access for older adults using a unique national dataset.
Where this research is happening
Hanover, United States
- Dartmouth College — Hanover, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schifferdecker, Karen E. — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Schifferdecker, Karen E.
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.