Dementia Among African American and Hispanic Communities

On November 17, a live webcast will explore the clinical and cultural challenges of dementia in African American and Hispanic communities. While research shows that the symptoms and course of dementia are similar across race and ethnicity, disparities exist among ethnic minorities, including being less likely to receive a formal diagnosis. Register now for this webcast hosted by the State University of New York School of Public Health.

Training like this can help public health practitioners develop and use culturally-appropriate strategies to promote early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, as recommended by the Public Health Road Map. Public health and community partners around the country are already tailoring outreach specifically to Latino and Hispanic populations. In Oregon, for example, a fotonovela (a narrative tool with pictures and story) helps Spanish-speaking families understand the importance of timely detection and diagnosis of cognitive impairment. And in Minnesota, the Latino Collaborative for ACTing on Alzheimer’scontinues engaging the Latino community to better ensure dementia-readiness (view their progress report).