C1. Develop research-based information resources
Action Plan: Over the past 3 years the NIA Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL) has carried out a number of activities related to reducing health disparities among older people and populations. Activities have included newsletters, press releases, and other health communication projects.
Newsletters: The OCPL provides creative, editorial, and logistical support for the NIA Work Group on Minority Aging newsletter Links, which is produced twice a year. Each issue includes: profiles of successful minority scientists with an interest in aging research; highlights from research focusing on aging issues within minority communities; and research support available from NIA for minority researchers. Press activities: Alzheimer's disease briefing (10/98), which included a discussion of the growing minority population at risk for AD (Dr. Morrison-Bogorad) and a presentation on behavioral and social aspects of AD focused on African-American families (Lisa Gwyther, MSW) Press release: "Older disabled women have trouble managing pain" from an article (Marco Pahor and Jack Guralnik) in AJPH, (6/99) with data from the Women's Health and Aging Study in Baltimore. Press release on REACH, "Innovative programs to be tested for Alzheimer's disease caregivers" (11/95) announcing the study, and an article, "Reaching Out to Dementia Caregivers" by Richard Schulz and Marcia Ory in Innovations (1999).
Article on RCMARs: "Centers work to enhance minority research" in Innovations (1999)
Health Communication Activities: Developed Spanish-language radio broadcast on forgetfulness for Dr. Elmer Huerta. Produced and distributed a Spanish-language version of Age Page: Forgetfulness. Updated packaged literature search, Ethnicity and AD: Assessment, Research, and Education, for distribution to health professionals. Sent promotional mailings for the ADEAR Center's Spanish-language, cost-recovery materials to organizations concerned with ethnic and minority issues. Developed exercise exhibit featuring minority. Promoted and distributed five Spanish-language bulletins, produced by the Suncoast Gerontology Center, about AD and related care issues . Developed proposal to the Office of Research on Minority Health to develop Spanish-language exercise video.
Work through the Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics to gather data from statistical agencies to identify health disparities and relevant issues.
Action Plan: Participate in an interagency effort to develop a "Chartbook on the Well-Being of the Older Population" which will highlight important indicators of the health and well-being of America's aging population. The Chartbook will identify disparities by race and ethnic status. Consider reissuing this chartbook at 2 to 4 year intervals.
Action Plan: Enhance the capacity of various centers such as the National Archive on Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA) and the demography and RCMAR centers to 1) collect and archive databases suitable for secondary data analyses on health disparities, 2) distribute the data through CD-ROMS, FTP, and where necessary the creation of special enclaves that permit analyses of linked administrative or sensitive (e.g. geographic specific) data, and 3) provide workshops and summer institutes to assist potential users especially at non-research universities, and 5) provide post workshop assistance through 800 numbers and online help.
Ensure that older minority subjects are retained in longitudinal studies.
Action Plan: The differential loss of older minority subjects in longitudinal studies, especially those below the median in income and education, presents a major threat to the generalized validity of the findings. Relatively small differentials in retention can, when accumulated over many years, result in substantial losses to longitudinal studies. Most minority tracking data focuses on just the numbers in the studies and not the retention rate. Improved tracking is needed especially for Mexican Americans who move back to Mexico, and for minority subjects who move into medical and long-term care institutions. Encourage research, workshops and pilot studies (for example through the RCMAR program) on retention research, and encourage the development of new approaches (such as more frequent contacts, higher payments to respondents, and post interview satisfaction studies) to counteract this problem.
C2. Communicate research-based information to increase public awareness
The Office of Communication and Public Liasion of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) has developed an exercise guide to inform older people about the benefits of exercise in improving and maintaining good health in later life. This guide is based on NIA-supported research results and the recommendations of the U.S. Surgeon General and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the 1990 Census, as many as 40 percent of elderly Hispanics either do not speak English or do not speak it well. To meet the information needs of this growing target audience, health education materials must take into account not only cultural sensitivities, but also language preferences. According to a recent survey conducted by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), older Hispanics would like to have all information, regardless of the way it is communicated, available to them in Spanish. HCFA also found that many of the Spanish-speaking participants in their survey could not read in English or Spanish and therefore would require health and beneficiary information in non-printed form.
Action Plan: Translate and print the NIA Exercise Guide in Spanish.
Action Plan: Target magazines serving special populations to promote health materials' such as Spanish Age Pages and Age Pages particularly relevant to African Americans and promote the NIA Exercise Guide for Older People to community groups such as churches, local health care clinics, and community centers serving special populations.
Action Plan: Translate and print three additional Age Pages into Spanish; explore the advisability of developing a special version of the NIA Video Exercise Guide for the African American Community. Test the effectiveness of 4 Age Pages - cancer, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes in an African American community in Baltimore.
C3. Transfer knowledge to health care providers
Action Plan: Attend (with exhibit) National Medical Association meeting to inform health providers of free health education materials from the NIA. Identify and media train one or several minority grantees to serve as spokesperson for the NIA to special populations.
Action Plan: Attend and exhibit at selected specialty meetings around health problems such as High Blood Pressure, Cancer, Diabetes, Stroke to make NIA publications available to minority health professionals and the association of clinicians for the underserved. Translate into Spanish and print two Age Pages.
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