Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Developing the longitudinal study of aging in Guatemala and its dementia-focused substudy - The project’s overall objective is to conduct preliminary work in key areas to develop a nationally representative, longitudinal, population-based study in Guatemala to assess key aging outcomes including Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The “Longitudinal Study of Aging in GUAtemala” (AGUA) will be modeled on the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) Family of Studies, a global network of longitudinal aging studies. These studies use comparable methods to collect data on the health and well-being of aging adults, with dedicated sub-studies focused on cognitive aging and ADRD. There is no ongoing HRS Family study in Central America, and there are HRS Family studies in fewer than 10 of 134 low- and middle-income countries like Guatemala. Aging populations in Guatemala have unique characteristics including use of non-written Mayan languages, climatic and environmental exposures (exposome) during critical life periods, discrimination, migration, and lack of public social support systems for older adults. Thus, the addition of Guatemala to the HRS Family has the potential to expand understanding of aging processes, including risk of ADRD. Aging research in Guatemala also can further scientific knowledge of aging in U.S. populations: 10% of all Guatemalans live in the U.S., and the number of Central Americans in the U.S. has risen 10-fold since 1980 (now totaling 4 million people). The high proportion of Indigenous Guatemalans offers an enriched sample to study aging mechanisms and outcomes, including ADRD, in American Indian/Alaska Native populations. This proposal leverages the investigators’ expertise conducting longitudinal aging studies including ADRD assessments, an exceptional institutional environment, and prior NIH-funded studies completed in Guatemala. The project has three Specific Aims. In Aim 1, the project will select and translate from Spanish to Mayan key modules including cognition/ADRD. New modules also will be developed in Guatemalan-relevant domains of language use, lifecourse climatic/environmental exposures, and discrimination/trauma. In Aim 2, the project will pilot survey modules and data collection procedures in a sample of 200 individuals aged ≥45 years (n=100 in Spanish and n=100 in Mayan). Data collection will include questionnaires, geographic information, household air pollution, and biomarkers. Linkages with critical climatic/environmental exposome indicators also will be explored. In Aim 3, the project will develop strategic plans to launch the national population-based aging study in Guatemala. This Aim will include (a) strengthening relationships with institutional stakeholders, (b) forming an international Technical Advisory Committee, and (c) planning for an ADRD-focused substudy modeled on the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP). Upon completing this R21 project, the investigators will submit an R01 proposal to launch the national study and have a plan to conduct the ADRD-focused substudy. This proposal responds to the NIA’s Strategic Directions to “support the development of internationally harmonized biological, social, and behavioral longitudinal data on aging to foster cross-national research” and is relevant to ADRD Research Implementation Milestone 1.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).