Center for Aging in Diverse Communities: Ending Health Inequities in Older Adults
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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT – LEADERSHIP ADMINISTRATIVE CORE The RCMAR Center for Aging in Diverse Communities (CADC) at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) has been funded continuously since 1997. We have a well-established comprehensive, interdisciplinary program of research and mentoring with broad impact on minority aging research. CADC’s research theme focuses on understanding multilevel social and behavioral mechanisms of health disparities impacting older adults and developing interventions to achieve health equity. CADC’s assets include strong scientific leadership, diverse faculty, and a passionate commitment to achieving health equity among older adults, and to mentoring the next generation of researchers from diverse backgrounds. UCSF's strength as a biomedical research institution attracts substantial numbers of talented early career investigators conducting health disparities/equity research. Over the past 25 years, CADC has closely mentored 99 diverse Scientists from traditionally excluded and underrepresented in research groups (20 in the 2018-2023 cycle), delivering them pilot study funding, training, career development activities, and longitudinal mentoring. Throughout, the Leadership and Administrative Core (LAC) has provided scientific leadership and coordination and fostered a culture of equity and inclusion. In this proposed renewal, the LAC will continue to provide scientific leadership and coordinate and evaluate our Research Education Component (REC) and Analysis Core’s (AnC) robust longitudinal mentoring and research education and training program for diverse early career investigators, while expanding our reach through a newly established affiliation with University of California Merced (UCM), a Hispanic serving institution situated in the rural Central Valley of California, and enhanced and expanded collaborations at UCSF. The aims of the LAC are to: 1) coordinate the internal activities of our REC and AnC, and external activities with other RCMARs and the RCMAR Coordinating Center, sharing our training materials and research resources with the RCMAR Coordinating Center; 2) maintain CADC’s structure, processes, and culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) to effectively mentor CADC Scientists, with guidance from an internal Executive Committee (EC), an External Advisory Committee (EAC), and a Community Advisory Board (CAB); 3) select 3-4 CADC Scientists per year – diverse early investigators from traditionally excluded and underrepresented groups focused on the Center’s research theme – through a rigorous recruitment, review, and selection process in collaboration with the REC; 4) expand joint research and mentoring collaborative activities between CADC and UCM, and between CADC and other UCSF NIA/NIH sponsored centers and programs, and aging-related researchers; 5) evaluate CADC’s mentorship and research education and training program and maintain a system for tracking pilot Scientists through award of independent research funding.
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT – OVERALL The US population is rapidly aging and becoming more diverse. Yet substantial disparities in health outcomes remain for older adult populations from diverse communities. In order to achieve health equity for older adults, NIA’s Strategic Directions for Research, 2020-2025 Goal F is to ‘understand health disparities related to aging and develop strategies to improve the health status of older adults in diverse populations.’ Accordingly, the Center for Aging in Diverse Communities (CADC) at the University of California San Francisco’s research theme is to understand multilevel social and behavioral mechanisms of health disparities impacting older adults and develop interventions to achieve health equity. Growth and diversification of the research workforce to investigate the mechanisms of health disparities and identify solutions for older adults is crucial. NIA’s Goal G is to ‘support the infrastructure and resources needed to promote high-quality research’, a goal shared by CADC. A Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) since 1997, CADC has a successful track record of providing pilot study funding, comprehensive training in behavioral and social research on aging and older adults (aging-related health disparities research), and longitudinal mentorship of early-stage diverse researchers until they obtain independence. CADC’s Faculty have a multiplicity of social and behavioral focused aging-related health disparities research expertise and a wealth of experience mentoring diverse early-stage investigators in establishing sustained research careers. CADC has closely mentored 99 diverse Scientists (20 in the 2018-2023 cycle) from traditionally excluded and underrepresented in research groups. CADC’s goal for this proposed renewal is to build on our position of strength to advance NIA's Strategic Plan. With a focus on our research theme, CADC will accomplish the following Specific Aims: 1) select 3-4 CADC Scientists per year, provide pilot study funding, train them in social and behavioral research methods tailored to their pilot and subsequent research and mentor them to develop independent, sustained careers in aging- related health disparities research; 2) develop methodological resources as needed by our Scientists to promote and build capacity in utilizing optimal methods in aging-related health disparities research and disseminate these resources through publications and our website; 3) expand joint research and mentoring collaborative activities between CADC and our newly affiliated Hispanic serving institution, University of California Merced (UCM), and between CADC and other UCSF NIA/NIH sponsored centers, programs, and aging-related researchers; 4) maintain CADC’s structure, processes, and culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) to effectively mentor CADC Scientists and coordinate all CADC Core activities and external activities with other RCMARs and the RCMAR Coordinating Center. Through impactful research, CADC Faculty and Scientists will contribute to improving the health status for older adults in diverse populations and achieving health equity.
