Good practice involving African Caribbean communities in dementia research showcased
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has shared a good practice example of how to involve African Caribbean communities in dementia research and awareness.
Their example focuses on Bettina Wallace, a co-researcher with NIHR ARC East Midlands on the DEM-COMM dementia capacity programme. Bettina has personal experience of dementia and has become a respected community advocate in Nottingham.
Bettina brings researchers and African Caribbean communities together from the beginning of projects, with her success showing why genuine community involvement in research matters.
Bettina says:
“If you don’t talk about it, you cannot get help. We need as a community to get involved in research, because if we don’t, we then can’t complain that nobody’s taking care of us. It’s about communities having a voice in deciding what matters and how it should be studied.”
Read more, including Bettina’s key principles for researchers engaging with African Caribbean communities, here: https://arc-em.nihr.ac.uk/news/breaking-down-barriers-supporting-african-caribbean-community-dementia-research-and-awareness