Program Area: Social Research, Policy, and Practice

A Public Health Approach to Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Reduction: Where We Are and Where We’re Headed

Chair(s)

• 

  John Omura, MD, MPH

  Medical Officer
  Healthy Aging Branch
  CDC
  Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Co-Chair(s)

• 

  Eva Jackson, MPH, CHES

  Associate Director of the Healthy Brain Initiative
  Healthy Aging Branch
  Alzheimer's Association
  Chicago, Illinois, United States

Discussant(s)

• 

  Kelly O'Brien, MPA

  Executive Director
  Brain Health Partnership
  UsAgainstAlzheimer's
  Chicago, Illinois, United States

Individual Symposium Abstract First Author(s)

• 

  Lisa McGuire, PhD, FGSA

  Lead, Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program
  Healthy Aging Branch
  CDC
  Atlanta, Georgia, United States
• 

  John Omura, MD, MPH

  Medical Officer
  Healthy Aging Branch
  CDC
  Atlanta, Georgia, United States
• BO

  Benjamin Olivari, MPH

  Health Scientist
  Healthy Aging Branch
  CDC
  Atlanta, Georgia, United States
• EH

  Elizabeth Head, MPH

  Deputy Director, Injury Prevention Program
  Injury Prevention Program
  Georgia Department of Public Health
  Atlanta, Georgia, United States

  Handouts
• 

  Matthew Baumgart

  Vice President, Health Policy
  Care and Support & Public Policy
  Alzheimer's Association
  New York, New York, United States

A growing body of evidence has identified potential modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). In 2021, the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease (National Plan) included a new goal to promote healthy aging and address risk factors to help delay onset or slow progression of ADRD. Applying a robust public health approach to ADRD risk reduction can help achieve meaningful progress at the population level. The activities outlined in the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (P.L. 115-406) are designed to create a uniform national public health infrastructure with a focus on various issues including risk reduction. The purpose of this session is to illustrate a public health approach to ADRD risk reduction, including its current status along with future directions and priorities. An overview of the National Plan’s new goal regarding ADRD risk reduction (McGuire) and data highlighting the current burden of key modifiable risk factors in the United States along with important disparities (Omura) will be presented. Holt will describe how ADRD risk reduction is integrated into the work of BOLD funding recipients, and Head will present experiences implementing public health activities that support ADRD risk reduction in the field along with successes and lessons learned. Finally, priorities and future directions for a public health approach to ADRD risk reduction will be presented from the perspective of the CDC’s Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure Public Health Center of Excellence on Dementia Risk Reduction (Baumgart).

Presentations:

• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  The Evolution of a Public Health Approach to ADRD and the Role of Risk Reduction
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Lisa C. McGuire, PhD, FGSA – CDC
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  Modifiable Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease: Current Status and Opportunities for Action
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: John D. Omura, MD, MPH – CDC
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Risk Reduction
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Benjamin Olivari, MPH – CDC
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  Getting to BOLD Using Systemic Education, Evidence, and Networks: Helping Georgians B-SEEN
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Elizabeth N. Head, MPH – Georgia Department of Public Health
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  Public Health Priorities and Future Directions for Alzheimer's Disease Risk Reduction
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Matthew Baumgart – Alzheimer's Association