Latinos needed for Alzheimer’s research
Scientists at a leading research facility here are focused on removing cultural barriers to diagnosing and treating dementia among Hispanics. The University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Center is working to address racial disparities in dementia research. The Clinical Research Center in Fairway, Kan. has several new initiatives to increase Hispanic participation.
“I want to develop and tailor interventions that work for Latinos,” says Jaime Perales Puchalt. “They’re the fastest growing group in the U.S. aging population, but there’s very little research on the topic (of Alzheimer’s and related dementias in Hispanics).”
Latinos are one-and-a-half times more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to have Alzheimer’s, Perales says. More than 379,000 Latinos in the U.S. are now living with dementia. Barring discovery of a cure or treatment to slow the disease, 3.5 million Latinos are expected to develop dementia by 2060. And yet, Latinos account for less than one percent of clinical trial participants.
Perales officially joined the KUADC staff in April “to enhance prevention and treatment programs” for regional Latino communities. The bilingual postdoctoral fellow had previously worked at Juntos, a University of Kansas Medical Center-based group where he collaborated with the Alzheimer’s Disease Center.
In just the past six months, he has established programs at the Guadalupe Centers. Perales has also received federal funding for Latino engagement. Representing Memory Strings Kansas City Alliance, Perales served as a panelist at the National Alzheimer’s Summit in October and met with the Kansas congressional delegation, says Eric Vidoni, the KUADC’s outreach and recruitment director.
“Dr. Perales is a great resource for our community,” he says.
Perales is actively involved with Latinos Against Alzheimer’s, a national coalition of Latino organizations and “Envejecimento Digno,” (Aging with Dignity), a “curriculum to increase Alzheimer’s disease awareness among different layers of the Latino community.” Besides his presentations at the Don Bosco and Guadalupe centers, he has also recruited Latinos to participate in research studies.
“One of our aims is to educate the Latino community about Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia,” Perales says. “Latinos are more likely to think that Alzheimer’s is a normal part of aging. We want to make clear that it’s a disease, and there are things people do that put them at higher risk for Alzheimer’s.”
He gives culturally appropriate interactive presentations on Alzheimer’s disease and dementias in Spanish or English to Latino or multi-ethnic community groups on request. They take around 45 minutes. Email Perales at jperales@kumc.edu. He’s also actively recruiting Latinos ages 60 and over to participate in research studies.
KUADC is currently enrolling participants in over a dozen studies. Volunteers who are symptom-free as well as those who have begun to lose their memory are needed. For more information about the studies or to volunteer, go to www.kualzheimer.org or call 913-588-0555. Information is available in Spanish. There’s no charge to study participants who are not asked to provide personal information such as Social Security number. If transportation to the center is an issue, KUADC may be able to assist.
“There are already so many barriers for Latinos,” Perales says. “And we really want them to participate in these studies.”
