# INDO-US CROSS NATIONAL DEMENTIA EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDY

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 1991 · $336,688

## Abstract

In this proposal, we will focus on developing and testing a valid cognitive
screening instrument suitable both for use in Ballabgarh and for
comparisons with the Mon Valley data.  Pilot data is provided showing the
feasibility of this enterprise.  We will systematically identify,
translate, and modify appropriate test items, pretest them on volunteers,
assemble them into tests of various cognitive domains, and compile a
cognitive screening battery as analogous as possible to that used in the
Mon Valley studies.  We will then pilot-test the battery on a community
sample, examine the distribution of scores in the population, and make
further modifications to the instrument.  After establishing reliability
and validity, we will field-test the cognitive screen on a 10% community
sample of the elderly (approximately 430 subjects aged 55 and older) in
Ballabgarh, concurrently measuring functional ability with a specially
developed scale.  The entire sample will then be diagnostically evaluated
for dementia, using standard criteria.  The psychometric properties,
sensitivity, and specificity of the screening instrument will be
determined, and the data compared with Mon Valley results to identify
similarities and differences in the distributions of test scores, age-
affects, predictive power, and associations with other variables.  The
result will be a relatively culture-fair, and optimally sensitive and
specific, community screening tool for dementia, which can be used for
epidemiological studies in the target population and for comparison with
the Mon Valley population; it will also be a first step for a more
universally applicable cross-national screening instrument.  The
development of such an instrument is an essential step towards our long-
term goal of conducting a prospective community study to compare the
incidence and characteristics of and risk factors for the dementias in the
Indian and American populations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3120973
- **Project number:** 1R01AG009202-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MKAGLD59JRL1
- **Principal Investigator:** MARY GANGULI
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1991
- **Award amount:** $336,688
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1991-07-01 → 1994-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3120973

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3120973, INDO-US CROSS NATIONAL DEMENTIA EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDY (1R01AG009202-01A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3120973. Licensed CC0.

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