Current Research

April 2024: This page is currently being updated with recent grants.

Current research studies conducted in the HSR lab are funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging (NIA), Center to Accelerate Population Research in Alzheimer’s (CAPRA), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), among others. The following figure outlines current population health projects.

Conceptual model with overview of research projects.

An overview of currently funded projects and accomplishments are provided below. For publications and presentations listed, *denotes mentorship of undergraduate student and **denotes mentorship of graduate student.

Novel approaches to explore national and state-based evidence on the burden of cognitive difficulties among Middle Eastern and North African Americans

This project was funded by the Center to Accelerate Population Research in Alzheimer’s (CAPRA), which is funded by the National Institute of Aging (NIA) grant 5P30AG066582-02 [sub-PI: Kindratt].

Using national and state-based data from the American Community Survey, this study aims to use novel methods to examine cognitive difficulty among MENA Americans compared to all other federally required reporting categories and determine how these estimates differ when MENA Americans are removed from the non-Hispanic White group on a national and state level. States that will be evaluated are California, Michigan, and Texas, which have the top three largest populations of MENA Americans. This study was funded to start in Summer/Fall 2023.

Uncovering maternal and child health disparities among Middle Eastern and North African women and children in the United States

This project is funded by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) grant 1 R42MC45812‐01‐00 [PI: Kindratt].

The purpose of this study is to use national data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to estimate and compare HRSA performance measures among MENA women and children and ultimately improve the health and well-being of this population. The research team is working on six papers to fulfill these goals to compare maternal and child health outcomes among foreign-born MENA individuals, US-born non-Hispanic White, Black, Hispanic and Asian individuals. Paper 1 focuses on maternal and perinatal health. Paper 2 focuses on health insurance coverage among children. Paper 3 focuses on well-child and dentist visits. Paper 4 focuses on chronic and developmental health conditions. Paper 5 focuses on childhood immunization. Paper 6 focuses on child mental health and school readiness.

Publications

  • Kindratt TB, Dallo FJ, Brown KK. (2023). Maternal and perinatal health disparities among Middle Eastern and North African women and children in the United States. Maternal and Child Health Journal. Under Review. Preprint published, Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2748317/v1

Presentations

  • Kindratt TB, Dallo FJ, Brown KK. Maternal and perinatal health disparities among Middle Eastern and North African and non-Hispanic White women and children in the United States. Poster Presentation at the Society for Epidemiologic Research Annual Meeting. Portland, OR. June 14, 2023. Abstract.
  • Dallo FJ, Brown KK, Omembe A,** Kindratt TB. Health insurance coverage among Middle Eastern and North African American children in the United States: results from American Community Survey and National Health Interview Survey. Oral Presentation at the 2013 American Community Survey Data Users Conference. Washington, DC. May 17, 2023.
  • Obembe A,** Dallo FJ, Brown KK, Kindratt TB. Prevalence of influenza vaccine uptake among Middle Eastern and North African children in the United States. Poster Presentation at the Spring 2023 University of Texas at Arlington Department of Kinesiology Graduate Research Day. Arlington, TX. April 28, 2023. Abstract.
  • Kindratt TB, Dallo FJ, Brown KK. Uncovering maternal and perinatal health disparities among Middle Eastern and North African women and children in the United States. Oral Presentation at the Population Association of America Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. April 13, 2023.

Prevalence of Diagnosed and Undiagnosed Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias among Arab Americans

This project is funded by the National Institute of Aging (NIA) grant R03AG070177-01 [PI: Kindratt].

The purpose of this study is three-fold: 1) estimate the age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) among foreign-born Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Americans compared to US- and foreign-born non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Asian and Hispanic adults; 2) examine associations between race, ethnicity and nativity status and the prevalence of ADRD before and after controlling for confounders; and 3) determine the prevalence of undiagnosed ADRD by comparing estimates of diagnosed ADRD and cognitive disability. This secondary study utilizes linked national data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) analyzed at the Dallas Fort-Worth Federal Statistical Research Data Center.

Due to small sample size of foreign-born MENA individuals in our study, we have expanded our research with this funding to examine other health-related outcomes related to MENA health and racial/ethnic health disparities in aging and risk factors for ADRD.

Publications

Presentations [updates in progress]

Prevalence of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias and Management of Comorbid Diabetes among Arab Americans

This project was funded by the Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease (MCCFAD), which is an Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (AD-RCMAR) funded by the National Institute of Aging (NIA) grant P30AG059300 [sub-PI: Kindratt].

The purpose of this study is three-fold: 1) estimate the age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) only and ADRD with comorbid diabetes among foreign-born Arab Americans compared to US-born non-Hispanic whites, and foreign-born non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, non-Hispanic Asians and Hispanic adults; 2) examine associations between race, ethnicity and nativity status and the prevalence of ADRD with and without comorbid diabetes before and after controlling for covariates; and 3) examine associations between race, ethnicity and nativity status and adherence to standards of diabetes care treatment, monitoring and self-efficacy among adults with ADRD and comorbid diabetes before and after controlling for covariates. This secondary study utilizes national data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) linked to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) at the Dallas Fort-Worth Federal Statistical Research Data Center.

Publications

Presentations

  • Kindratt TB, Dallo FJ, Zahodne LB, Ajrouch K. Disparities in cognitive limitations with and without diabetes among foreign-born Arab Americans compared to other racial and ethnic groups. [Virtual] Poster Presentation at the Academy Health Annual Research Meeting. June 17, 2021.
  • Kindratt TB, Dallo FJ, Zahodne LB, Ajrouch K. Cognitive limitations and diabetes comorbidity among Arab American immigrants. [Virtual] Invited Oral Symposium Presentation at the Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease and Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research (MCCFAD/MCUUAR) First Annual Mini-Symposium. Ann Arbor, MI. October 6, 2021.
  • Kindratt TB, Dallo FJ, Zahodne LB, Ajrouch K. Disparities in cognitive limitations with and without diabetes among Arab American immigrants compared to other racial and ethnic groups Accepted for [Virtual] Poster Presentation at the American Public Health Association (APHA) 2021 Annual Meeting and Expo. Denver, CO. October 21, 2021. Abstract. Presentation Recording.
  • Kindratt TB, Dallo FJ, Zahodne LB, Ajrouch K. Disparities in cognition among US and foreign-born minority populations with and without diabetes. [Virtual] Oral Symposium Presentation at The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting. Phoenix, AZ. November 10, 2021.