Nationally, men are dramatically underrepresented in dementia research. This is also reflected locally as men comprise only 32% of the research population at the Center. Having a diverse cohort of research participants, reflective of the entire population, is critical in building a strong evidence base for treatment and care. At the Center, we’ve made it a key goal to educate and recruit males into research projects.
This past fall, we took one of the first steps toward this end by participating in the Men’s Health Event hosted by the Men’s Health Foundation in Detroit. We joined over 100
vendors to offer brain health and dementia information to local males. We hope to continue these recruitment efforts by educating about aging research at additional male-focused events in the future.
Additionally, the Center is developing a Community Advisory Board—comprised of male research participants and community members from the Ann Arbor and Detroit communities— which will begin meeting this year. We hope to utilize the expertise and connections of our Community Advisory Board members to reach new men’s health networks, offering education around the importance of male participation in research studies and dispelling longstanding skepticism toward research.