Accessibility and Community: Bringing Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resources to the Latinx Community

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s newly-released tool, BrainGuide, may seem like a simple questionnaire, but the project highlights a growing movement to make Alzheimer’s disease research and resources accessible to a broader range of communities. Released in 2021, BrainGuide is a one-of-a-kind resource that provides information about Alzheimer’s disease in English and Spanish through online and telephone questionnaires. Dr. Maria Mona Pinzon, a physician-scientist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and a consultant on BrainGuide, joins the podcast to discuss the impacts this project has had on educating the Latinx community about Alzheimer’s disease. Discussing the barriers and risks that the Latinx community face surrounding brain health, the ways to connect with the community through research, and her experience working on BrainGuide, Dr. Pinzon highlights the importance and impacts of community-tailored research and resources. 

Guest: Maria Mona Pinzon, MD, MS, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Episode Topics

1:17 - How did you get into this field of an aging population and people living with dementia?

6:12 - Is the idea of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia discussed within the Latinx community in general?

7:38 - Latinx individuals are 1.5 times more likely to develop dementia. Is there research that can explain this higher risk?

9:53 Tell us about this tool, the Spanish-Language BrainGuide, some of the resources it offers, and why it is important to make it available to Spanish speakers.

12:47 - What’s something you learned from this experience that surprised you?

14:14 - What are the barriers Latinx people face in learning about brain health, dementia, and getting involved in research?

18:25 - What strategies do you suggest to improve the connection between researchers and the Latinx community as well as recruitment into research?

20:06 - When thinking about education and raising awareness, what topics are most important right now for the Latinx community?

21:58 - What do you do in your personal life to keep your brain healthy? 

Show Notes

Learn more about the Spanish-Language BrainGuide, its questionnaire, and other resources on their website. To fill out the questionnaire, you can find it digitally on their website (mybrainguide.org) or complete it over the phone by calling or texting 855-272-4641.

Learn more about Dr. Mora Pinzon at her bio on the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute website.