Longitudinal health and aging study in Kenya (LOSHAK) for older adults
Official title: The Longitudinal Study of Health and Ageing in Kenya (LOSHAK): A Population study of Health, Wellbeing, Economics, and AD/ADRD in Older Kenyan Adults
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11390479 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long-term study in Kenya follows adults 45 and older to understand health, well-being, economics, and risks for cognitive decline and dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,788,324 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG093721-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11390479 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 45 and older living in Kenya who consent to longitudinal survey participation, biomarker collection, and wearable sensor monitoring.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who do not participate in follow-up waves or who decline biomarker or wearable data collection may not benefit.
What this research studies
LOSHAK-Core will enroll nationally representative Kenyans aged 45 and older to collect detailed health, economic, and lifestyle data over time. The study uses surveys, blood biomarkers, and wearable sensor information to build a picture of aging in Kenya and its relationship to AD/ADRD risk. It joins an international network of aging studies modeled after the U.S. Health and Retirement Study to enable comparisons and global learning. The project partners include the University of Michigan, Aga Khan University, Kenya’s Ministry of Health, KNBS, and KEMRI to ensure local relevance and sustainability.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could inform policies and programs to support healthy aging and dementia prevention in Kenya.
How similar studies have gone: Similar international aging cohorts have yielded valuable insights into aging, health, and cognitive decline, with mixed but promising early results in comparable settings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ehrlich, Joshua Robert — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Ehrlich, Joshua Robert
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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.