Gallo Joseph J, Guetterman Timothy C, Taylor Janiece L, Jenkins Emerald, Murray Sarah M
Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research, Baltimore, MD, USA.
J Aging Health. 2025 Mar;37(3-4_suppl):104S-113S. doi: 10.1177/08982643241308933. Epub 2025 Mar 23.
ObjectivesThe NIA health disparities research framework details a life course approach that considers multilevel environmental, sociocultural, behavioral, and biological factors. Mixed methods are well-suited to study complex problems like structural racism, combining the benefits of generalizability with contextualization.MethodsWe draw on experience as faculty in the Mixed Methods Research Training Program for the Health Sciences to introduce mixed methods research on health equity and disparities in dementia and cognitive impairment.ResultsWe describe common reasons why health science investigators may use mixed methods, provide examples of mixed methods designs, and discuss challenges and practicalities of mixed methods research.DiscussionMany risk factors for dementia are modifiable, so the emphasis of research turns from description to intervention studies that enhance health equity. The information and insights acquired from the use of mixed methods are central in tailoring interventions to populations most affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
目标
美国国立衰老研究所（NIA）的健康差异研究框架详细阐述了一种生命历程方法，该方法考虑了多层次的环境、社会文化、行为和生物学因素。混合方法非常适合研究诸如结构性种族主义等复杂问题，它将普遍性的优点与情境化相结合。
方法
我们借鉴健康科学混合方法研究培训项目教员的经验，介绍关于痴呆症和认知障碍方面健康公平与差异的混合方法研究。
结果
我们描述了健康科学研究人员可能使用混合方法的常见原因，提供了混合方法设计的示例，并讨论了混合方法研究的挑战和实际问题。
讨论
许多痴呆症风险因素是可以改变的，因此研究重点从描述转向旨在促进健康公平的干预研究。通过使用混合方法获得的信息和见解对于为受阿尔茨海默病及相关痴呆症影响最大的人群量身定制干预措施至关重要。
