Strengthening primary care to improve dementia diagnosis
Official title: Building Primary Care Workforce Capacity in the Dementia Diagnostic Process
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11299023 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aimed at helping primary care teams diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias earlier and more equitably, especially in diverse and underserved communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2027 |
| Award (this year) | $810,509 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG087166-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11299023 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with cognitive concerns who seek care in participating primary care practices serving diverse populations.
✕Less likely to help
Patients outside the participating sites or those with conditions not related to ADRD may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project will work with seven diverse primary care practices to understand and remove barriers that delay ADRD diagnosis. It will test practical, real-world approaches to help PCPs recognize cognitive concerns, coordinate care, and plan with patients and caregivers. The study emphasizes equity, accessibility, and use of existing primary care workflows to support timely diagnosis as new therapies become available. Researchers will collect data from diverse urban and rural clinics to identify effective strategies that can be adopted broadly in primary care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may receive earlier and more equitable dementia diagnoses, enabling timely treatment planning and better caregiver support.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that primary care interventions can improve dementia detection, but this project focuses on durable, equity-focused workforce solutions in real-world clinics.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sideman, Alissa Bernstein — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Sideman, Alissa Bernstein
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Using health records and AI to improve dementia screening in primary care
A patient-friendly program uses existing medical records and smart computer tools to help doctors screen for memory problems earlier, especially for people aged 65 and up.
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Nurse practitioner care for older adults living with dementia
This project looks at whether different nurse practitioner primary care approaches help people 65 and older living with dementia—especially those in low-income, rural, or racial and ethnic minority groups—get more coordinated care and fewer emergency or hospital visits.
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Advancing Dementia Diagnosis in Primary Care
A project to help primary care doctors better identify the cause of cognitive problems like dementia earlier using a comprehensive toolkit.
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Primary care checks and caregiver support to prevent neglect in people with dementia
This project will try a quick primary-care screening and a technology-based caregiver support program to help prevent neglect for people living with Alzheimer's and related dementias.
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Improving how primary care doctors diagnose dementia
This study is working to help doctors in primary care better diagnose Alzheimer's and related dementias by creating a helpful toolkit that makes it easier for them to spot the signs early, especially for patients showing changes in thinking or behavior.
-
Screening and intervention for elder neglect in dementia patients
This study is working on a new way to spot neglect in older adults with Alzheimer's and related conditions, and it will also create helpful tools for caregivers to prevent this neglect, all while comparing these new methods to regular care to see how well they work.
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.