The Trust Prescription:
Empowering Nurses to Promote Brain Health in Black and Latino Communities
The Brain Health Equity Nurse Fellowship is proudly led by the UsAgainstAlzheimer's Center for Brain Health Equity
Building a Network of Trusted Healthcare Professionals
Liliana, a recent nursing graduate, is dedicated to her community. However, she was concerned about her ability to provide accurate guidance on brain health, a topic often overlooked in nursing school. Determined to address this gap, she joined the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Brain Health Equity Nurse Fellowship, a transformative experience that changed her approach to care.
Black and Latino families face an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s but often lack access to necessary information, support and resources. Systemic barriers, like healthcare mistrust and language differences, add to these challenges. Nurses, like Liliana, are trusted community members and are crucial in addressing these needs, but without specialized training, even the most dedicated nurses are limited in their impact.
Through the Fellowship, Liliana gained essential, evidence-based training that allows her to better serve her community. She has advanced her nursing skills to recognize Alzheimer’s risk factors, educate on prevention, and become a valuable resource within her community. The fellowship has empowered her to be a community leader, creating a ripple effect of positive change.
The Brain Health Equity Nurse Fellowship Mission:
Empower nurses with the knowledge and public health leadership skills needed to promote brain health in communities with a high risk for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
The Program
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s (UsA2) Center for Brain Health Equity’s designed the Brain Health Equity Nurse Fellowship to address knowledge gaps among African American and Latino nurse professionals so they are better equipped to promote brain health in the communities they serve. The Fellowship program is designed to achieve the following objectives:
- Improve Knowledge: Provide tailored continuing education on Alzheimer’s and related dementias to address brain health knowledge gaps.
- Cultivate Leadership: Provide leadership skills and content needed to promote tailored brain health education among their peers and in their community.
- Facilitate Networking: Connect fellows to a national network of experts working at the intersections of brain health, public health, and health equity to create opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Program details:
- 8 month fellowship (approx Feb-Sept each year)
- Up to a $2,000 stipend + Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) credit hours for workshops attended
- Fellows must attend mandatory virtual workshops, custom-created to achieve program objectives
- Fellows must lead at least one risk reduction-focused event with two audiences: peers (nurses, social workers, physicians, etc) and community members. Fellows should aim to reach at least 25 people per audience
- Fellows are required to gather pre- and post-event data on events
- Fellows are equipped with all necessary event materials, available in both English and Spanish
- Fellows are assigned an alumni mentor who they meet with at least twice throughout the fellowship
- After program completion, alumni continue to receive timely information and opportunities to network
"The fellowship expanded my knowledge in brain health, allowed me the confidence to engage in conversations, and a sense of belonging in my community. It's wonderful to have been in this fellowship. It's been a dream come true."
- Mavely, 2024 Fellow
Focusing on Communities Most Affected by Alzheimer's
African Americans and Latinos are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer’s. By 2030, African American and Latino people will make up 40% of Alzheimer’s patients in the United States. Additionally, the costs of Alzheimer's is overburdening these same communities - in 2020, the total economic impact of Alzheimer’s for African American and Latino adults reached almost $94 billion, with most of that (66%) attributed to the value of unpaid care ($62 billion) – usually provided by family and friend caregivers.
These communities need equal access to healthcare and evidence-based information about brain health from people they trust – and nurses are the most trusted voices in communities across the country.
"I was aware of some disparities. I just did not realize the depth of those disparities. I think the most important thing was to realize that African American and Hispanic people are not receiving a timely diagnosis, and that we need to change that."
- Tammy, 2024 Fellow
Equipping Nurses with Evidence-Based Information
Most current US nursing curricula do not cover brain health education, so nurses to be equipped with evidence-based information about Alzheimer’s in order to properly support patients.
According to a study performed by WomenAgainstAlzheimer’s and the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health:
- 26% of Nurse Practitioners don’t know when to start asking about brain health, despite the fact that changes in brain health can start more than a decade before active symptoms occur.
- 84% of NPs agreed or strongly agreed that they would benefit from additional resources and training.
- 45% of NPs report a lack of familiarity with the signs and symptoms of dementia; however, 54% said that they want better knowledge in this area.
"Nurses need specialized training in brain health, a gap in current traditional nursing education. The fellowship program empowers nurses to provide evidence-based information to their patients and communities."
- Angela Allen, PhD, RN, CRRN
"Before the fellowship, I had a general sense of the issue, but the additional training has deepened my insight into the complexities and nuances of these disparities. So now, as a provider, I feel more equipped to address them effectively in my practice, especially in my community."
- Jose, 2024 Fellow
"The fellowship developed my skills in public speaking, event facilitation, and how to connect with colleagues and community members in different settings. Knowing the information we know now, this is going to change how we approach the needs of our patients and how we connect with them, in whatever specialty of nursing."
- Justine, 2024 Fellow
"I honestly was not aware of how glaring the brain health disparities are in the community. It was a shock and an eye opener."
- Stephannie, 2024 Fellow
Impact on the Community
"One of the biggest things that I discussed with the community was correcting myths and misconceptions, things that may be seen on social media or TV. We had a deep dive into where to get accurate information, what evidence-based resources they could use, and also how to get good follow up from doctors."
- Ottamissiah, 2024 Fellow
Nurse Fellows hold risk reduction focused conversations with community members and peers where they collect pre- and post-conversation data. Fellows themselves are tested on their knowledge gains throughout the fellowship. Among the knowledge gains tested, we asked about those who agree with this statement: "You can help reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by making healthy lifestyle choices." This substantial increase in knowledge highlights the power of educating people on behavioral factors within their control to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's or dementia.
99%
of community members agreed to share the information with their peers.
96%
of nurse peers agreed to share the information with their peers.
“The opportunity to develop reliable information and bring something new to my community was amazing.”
- Aundrea, 2024 Fellow
Partners
This fellowship is supported in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award (1NU58DP006781) totaling $1.5 million with 100% funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC, HHS or the US Government.
The mark “CDC” is owned by the US Dept. of Health and Human Services and is used with permission. Use of this logo is not an endorsement by HHS or CDC of any particular product, service, or enterprise
Want to support the Fellowship?
For partnership opportunities, contact Director of Institutional Giving, Roseann Abdu.
More info about the Fellowship...
Learn more, including information about applying and contacting program staff, at our main webpage.
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