Feasibility of a Systems Approach for Alzheimer's Services Among Latinos Attending Primary Care Practices

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are a major cause of mortality and disability in later life and cost the US healthcare system more than cancer or heart disease. The National Alzheimer's Plan Act and the National Institutes of Health have identified ADRD disparities among ethnic minorities as a public health priority. Latinos with ADRD experience substantial disparities with reduced rates of early diagnosis and lower quality care compared to their non-Latino white peers, which put them at an increased risk for steeper cognitive decline, morbidity, mortality and higher caregiver burden. A number of barriers conspire to create these disparities including a lack of an evidence-based strategy to address ADRD in clinics, patient and primary care provider (PCP) reduced ADRD knowledge, negative attitudes regarding ADRD, PCP's lack of time, cultural and language barriers and health insurance status. To improve healthcare delivery to Latinos with ADRD, researchers need to redesign current ADRD detection and care systems to follow evidence-based recommendations for early detection and culturally appropriate chronic care.

The overall aim of this proposal is to enhance the delivery of ADRD services to Latinos in primary care through a scalable systems approach that includes evidence-based recommendations. Primary care clinics are the ideal setting to provide ADRD services, as 93% of older Latinos have a usual source of healthcare. The novel systems approach (Alianza Latina/Latino Alliance) will enhance timely ADRD diagnosis and optimal care to minimize behavioral symptoms and cognitive decline among Latinos in a linguistically and culturally-appropriate way. Alianza Latina will use the Collaborative Care Framework that capitalizes on PCPs and Health Navigators. 1) PCPs will undergo evidence-based training to enhance timely and culturally appropriate diagnosis and implement it in their work routine. 2) PCPs will detect, treat and refer Latino ADRD patients to a bilingual Health Navigator to provide chronic care management, which will reduce PCP time burden.

Aim 2: Test the feasibility and acceptability of Alianza Latina. Aim 2.a: The research team will train PCPs from Kansas City clinics to enhance skills in cultural competence, ADRD detection, treatment and referral to a Health Navigator among Latinos 65 and older with ADRD. Aim 2.b. The Health Navigator will provide patients/caregiver dyads referred by Alianza Latina PCPs with care management, psychosocial support and links to relevant community resources. The research team will assess the feasibility and acceptability of 1) PCP training and 2) patient and caregiver ADRD care. Caregivers will be enrolled in a text messaging program, called CuidaTEXT, that will educate about memory and thinking problems, solve problems that are common among families with memory and thinking problems, send reminders for appointments and medications, and improve communication with the PCP, family, friends, and other resources.

Inclusion criteria

for care recipients within the dyad:

• Identify as Latino
• Community dwelling
• Diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia
• Have a caregiver 18 years old or older
• Have co-participant with access to a privately-owned cell phone with a flat fee for text messages

Inclusion criteria

for primary care providers:

• Be 18 years old or older
• Work as a primary care provider in the US

Exclusion criteria

for care recipients within the dyad:

• Not identify as Latino
• Not community dwelling
• Not diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia
• Not having a caregiver 18 years old or older
• Not having a co-participant with access to a privately-owned cell phone with a flat fee for text messages

Exclusion criteria

for primary care providers:

• Younger than 18 years old
• Not work as a primary care provider in the US