Research Inclusion Supports Equity (RISE): Building Community and Research Engagement among Sexual and Gender Minority Adults at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundAn estimated 2.7 million U.S. older adults self‐identify as a sexual and/or gender minority (SGM; i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer), a numbers that will increase to 4 million by 2030. SGM adults age 50+ experience a higher prevalence of chronic disease and disability and poorer mental and physical health. About 27‐45% of SGM adults provide informal care for family and friends, taking on caregiving roles at a higher rate (one in five) than the general population (one in six). Little is known about the health‐ and caregiving‐related needs of SGM adults living with ADRD and SGM caregivers of people with ADRD.MethodA concerted, national effort to recruit SGM people into ADRD‐related research does not exist. Our recently funded NIA R24 award titled “Research Inclusion Supports Equity (RISE)” will increase research inclusion and engagement of SGM adults living with ADRD or caring for someone living with ADRD to allow for future development of targeted interventions and prevention studies in this under‐resourced community.ResultWe will present the rationale, design, best practices, and progress to date including: 1) our community‐based participatory research protocol for national and SGM‐community‐led engagement and outreach activities, 2) details of our RISE recruitment registry of SGM adults with ADRD and SGM caregivers for people with ADRD), and 3) development of a replicable model for recruitment and retention of SGM adults with ADRD and SGM ADRD caregivers in aging‐related research.ConclusionsOpportunities for investigator / physician / Center collaboration and utilization of the RISE Research registry will be discussed.