Dr. Van Ta Park: Diversifying Alzheimers Research in Asian American Communities [Video]

Asian Americans are currently underrepresented in Alzheimer’s research. That’s why UCSF’s Dr. Van Ta Park is working to improve brain health equity through education, outreach, and research involvement.

Research and clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease often include few people of color, including the Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) population, which is why many advocates are arguing for greater diversity in clinical trials. And for immigrant populations, access to healthcare and education in their native language can be limited. These imbalances mean inequity in brain health.

That’s why researchers like the University of California, San Francisco’s Dr. Van Ta Park are working with immigrant communities to inspire more Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander people to get involved in research. Her research — including studies like the Asian Cohort for Alzheimer’s Disease (ACAD) project — focuses on addressing issues related to racial and ethnic minority health and healthcare disparities. 

In particular, Park focuses on teaching caregivers and people living with …