Health and Aging from Multicultural Perspectives Lab
@hamplab.bsky.social
HAMPLAB is a community of Faculty, students, volunteers, & community partners. Our research leverages the health justice framework to examine health & aging outcomes in Black communities.
HAMPLAB’s PI, Darlingtina Esiaka, PhD, recently participated in the Faculty ACCESS Program—a multi-year initiative connecting biomedical researchers nationwide. Through mentorship & NIH grant funding, the program drives long-term equity in science. #FacultyACCESS
On May 2nd, HAMPLAB hosted one of our community outreach and relationship building events titled, “Community Health, Education, and Safety.” The event was in partnership with Global Lexington. Thank you to everyone who joined as an attendee, speaker, or vendor.
HAMPLAB's PI selected as a fellow of the American Psychological Association's Leadership Education and Advancement Program (LEAP) for Early Career Scholars program.
From conducting research in West Africa to hosting the inaugural CHAMP Health Fair to expanding our outreach with our lunch and learns, HAMPLAB continues to display its commitment to expanding neurological health research for at-risk adults in 2025.
This November, HAMPLAB had the privilege of presenting at the Gerontological Society of America’s Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston, MA. Lab members showcased the meaningful work that our lab has been a part of. We look forward to attending next year’s conference!
Our laboratory was well represented at the University of Kentucky Neuroscience Clinical-Translational Research Symposium, held on November 6–7, 2025.
On Friday, October 31, 2025, our lab attended the 2025 Markesberry Symposium. Thank you to the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging for hosting such a meaningful event.
🚨 My latest essay on Black men’s brain health interrogates dominant narratives of brain health that prioritize individual responsibility while neglecting systemic and structural determinants of health. doi.org/10.1002/hast...
Charting New Frontiers for Black Men's Brain Health: Implications for Dementia Research and Public Engagement
This essay critically explores the intersection of brain health and dementia research within the context of Black men's lived experiences. It interrogates dominant narratives of brain health that pri...
doi.org
Happy to see that people are viewing our article “Is to persevere dangerous for brain health?…” #humbled
Dr Mia@askdrmia.bsky.social · last yr.Cannot believe that @alzdemjournals.bsky.social newest journal Behavioral Socioeconomic of Aging #BSEA is already 1 year old! Here are the top 10 viewed articles! #AAIC25
“In this more realistic definition, perseverance can include self-care and rest. Knowing when to take a break or prioritize self-care is a practical strategy for maintaining cognitive health in the face of challenges.” —DKE @hamplab.bsky.social @blackinneuro.bsky.social tinyurl.com/4dr7jafc
‘Grit’ and relentless perseverance can take a toll on brain health − particularly for people facing social stresses like racism
Perseverance helps people achieve goals and is linked with well-being. But combined with chronic societal stressors, it can lead to cognitive overload that puts a strain on brain health.
tinyurl.com
I made it a mission at the #Altersummit2025 to get selfie with the incredible Fayron Epps PhD, RN, FGSA,FAAN. You inspire me so much, and I am privileged to call you my mentor. @hamplab.bsky.social @blackingeron.bsky.social
Have you preordered your own “Aging while Black — the book” today? It’s never too late to do so. Visit: agingwhileblack.co/awb-the-book/ @hamplab.bsky.social @blackingeron.bsky.social
Your girl is in the news! uknow.uky.edu/research/uk-...
UK researcher selected to work with Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Nigeria
Darlingtina K. Esiaka's project aims to address challenges in the early detection and diagnosis of cognitive impairment in low- and middle-income countries by leveraging low-cost, mobile, wearabl...
uknow.uky.edu
Check out some of the amazing authors that contributed to #BSEA publications @ketlynesol.bsky.social, @dkesiaka.bsky.social!
New publication alert. 🚨 Our findings reveal that, contrary to expectations, high levels of both grit and active coping may paradoxically exacerbate SCD symptoms in Black American males, suggesting a complex relationship between these factors. @hamplab.bsky.social doi.org/10.1002/bsa3...
Is to persevere dangerous for brain health? Effect of active coping and grit on subjective cognitive decline in Black American males
Introduction One strategy for early detection of risk of dementia is identification of subjective cognitive decline (SCD). However, there is a paucity of data examining the intricate interplay betwe...
doi.org
Sometimes you push all the doors and not even one of them opens. Sometimes, more than one doors open in front of you unexpectedly and are full of beauty. @hamplab.bsky.social @blackingeron.bsky.social
Do you want to learn more about the impact of Alzheimer’s disease in the Black community? Join us on November 9, 2024! #ENDALZ @hamplap.bsky.social
Preprint alert. We found that “there is a sex difference in accuracy and speed trade-off. While men were faster in reaction time, women were better in the accuracy of the memory task.” What is the implication for predicting cognitive decline? Find out here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Differential Speed and Accuracy Trade-off in Working Memory Retrieval and Bilateral Precuneus between Older Men and Women
Background: Despite various hypotheses, including differences in longevity, hormones, genetics, and neuroanatomy, the reasons for the higher prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in older women compared t...
biorxiv.org
It’s been quite a journey to get this out there, and it is finally out. Black men are not hard to reach, you are failing to reach them. Get creative. muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/articl...
“This paper examines how race and SES contribute to sleep health disparities, emphasizing the importance of understanding their impact on sleep disorders and treatment particularly in minority populations and veterans.”
Race and Socioeconomic Status: Interlinked Drivers of Sleep Health Disparities | Health Equity
The effect of race and socioeconomic status on sleep disorders has significant effects on the availability of healthcare and health outcomes. This paper examines how race and SES contribute to sleep h...
liebertpub.com
🗣️ Exciting opportunity for HBCU students!!! BIGG and the Gerontological Society of America’s (GSA) HBCU Collaborative Interest Group are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2024 HBCU Aging Ambassadors Program (HAAP).
I had a great time as a speaker on a panel titled “examining prevention to advance health equity.” It is always refreshing to amplify the voices of the communities I work with and push for better health equity research practices.
“In the cross-sectional study using 1991 hospitals admitting 4 870 252 Medicare fee-for-service patients, 79.4% of the acute care hospitals in the sample did not admit a representative proportion of Black Medicare enrollees based on their market area.” — Akre et al., 2024
Measuring Local-Area Racial Segregation for Medicare Hospital Admissions
This cross-sectional study assesses local hospital segregation in US hospitals, defined as the difference between the racial composition of a hospital’s
jamanetwork.com
Thank you to everyone that read and cited our work on modernity/colonization of love. Check it out if you are yet to read it. Link below. spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
A new study found that “Across the outcomes, Black individuals exhibited accelerated biological aging relative to White individuals.” read.dukeupress.edu/demography/a...
Patterns and Life Course Determinants of Black–White Disparities in Biological Age Acceleration: A Decomposition Analysis | Demography | Duke University Press
read.dukeupress.edu
“Decades of evidence shows that exercise leads to healthier, longer lives. Researchers are just starting to work out what it does to cells to reap this reward.”
Why is exercise good for you? Scientists are finding answers in our cells
Decades of evidence shows that exercise leads to healthier, longer lives. Researchers are just starting to work out what it does to cells to reap this reward. Decades of evidence shows that exercise l...
nature.com
“Summary: A new study establishes the critical role of flavanols, nutrients found in certain fruits and vegetables, in mitigating age-related memory loss.” neurosciencenews.com/memory-aging...
Memory Boosting Power of Flavanols in Aging Adults - Neuroscience News
A new study establishes the critical role of flavanols, nutrients found in certain fruits and vegetables, in mitigating age-related memory loss.
neurosciencenews.com
