Exploring Advance Care Planning Among Older Adults Across Racial, Ethnic, and Cognitive Differences Using Data Science - The overall objective of this K01 is to propel the continued upward trajectory of the career development of Dr. Rahemi as an independent researcher. Her research focus is on decision making for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers and the role of advance care planning (ACP), using large datasets and data science. This K01 will position her to achieve her career goal of supporting ADRD-related decision making for end-of-life care among older adults, regardless of their background. Research: The specific aims are 1) to identify variation across cognitive function levels in the relationship between ACP and healthcare use and 2) to describe predictors of caregivers’ perception of patient care quality. To address these aims, she will obtain training in data science, including advanced statistics, explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), and state-of-the-science ADRD and aging. The Health and Retirement Study (HRS), including HRS post-mortem proxy interviews and HRS-linked Medicare data, will be used. This project will provide evidence on nuanced interactions between a mix of variables in end-of-life care for older adults with or at risk of ADRD and their caregivers—groups vastly overlooked in end-of-life research. Candidate: Dr. Rahemi is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Clemson University. She has substantial training in quantitative research using secondary data analytic approaches (e.g., HRS dataset analyses and training) to investigate ACP and healthcare use among populations with ADRD. Building upon her Carolina Center on Alzheimer’s Disease and Minority Research pilot project using HRS data, this K will allow her to model complex determinants of differences in ACP and end-of-life care. Two training goals will support her success in becoming an independent researcher: 1) develop expertise in current research on aging, ADRD, and ACP and 2) gain skills in advanced statistics, XAI, and secondary analysis of large datasets in interdisciplinary aging research. Mentors/Environment: This career development plan includes experiential and hands-on research training on related projects led by Drs. Demiris and Jarrín. Dr. Rahemi and her mentors have developed a 3-pronged strategy to address her career goals and training needs: 1) a robust and interdisciplinary team of mentors and collaborators who will guide her research and career development; 2) an innovative research project integrated with her training goals that are scientifically relevant and rigorous; 3) an assembly of coursework, workshops, and seminars offered by artificial intelligence (AI) programs, the Alzheimer's Association Interdisciplinary Summer Research Institute, the National Institute on Aging, and the Hartford Institutes for Geriatric Nursing, complemented by professional interactions that build upon existing resources at Clemson University and affiliated institutes. This project will provide training, mentorship, and research experiences foundational to Dr. Rahemi’s career development as an independent investigator improving ACP for all older adults living with ADRD and their caregivers.
