Pilot project launched to provide early detection of Alzheimer’s and dementia in Latino community

Across the United States, the Latino community is disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Hispanic Americans are 1.5 times more likely to have dementia than whites. Almost 6 in 10 Hispanic Americans believe that a significant loss of memory or cognitive abilities is a normal part of aging, and 85 percent say it is important for Alzheimer’s and dementia care providers to understand their ethnic or racial background and experiences.

Barriers to receiving trusted and culturally relevant health care are devastating for many. More than one-third of Hispanic Americans report having experienced discrimination when seeking health care.

In an effort to address these disparities, Broadlawns, the Polk County Health Department, and the University of Northern Iowa have partnered to launch a pilot program aimed at promoting cognitive health and early detection of Alzheimer’s and dementia among Latino adults.

Through the pilot, Community Health Workers from within the Latino community have been trained to provide educational sessions and early detection screenings at community-based organizations.

“We know that trust and understanding are key to breaking down the barriers to care that Latinos face,” said Ana Coppola, a public health planner with the Polk County Health Department. “It is important to have Community Health Workers who already have that trust offering this education and support.”

The Community Health Workers received training about Alzheimer’s and dementia from Broadlawns and the Alzheimer’s Association, and their valuable work is paid for and coordinated by the Polk County Health Department. UNI is collecting data from the pilot to better understand the impact of disparities related to cognitive health and how they can continue to be addressed through public health.

Several educational sessions have been hosted as part of the pilot program, with the next event taking place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17 at Our Lady of the Americas at 1271 E. 9th St. in Des Moines. The events are open to the public and free to attend. Attendees who require follow-up from the cognitive screening are being seen at the Corinthian Family Health free clinic and Broadlawns Memory Care Clinic.

For more information on the educational sessions, contact Ana Coppola at ana.coppola@polkcountyiowa.gov or 515-323-5227.

Media contact:

Addie Olson, Public Health Communications Officer

515-286-3848 | addria.olson@polkcountyiowa.gov