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Bardhan S, Li H, Tarver E, Schramm C, Brown M, Garcia L, Schwartz B, Mazzucco A, Natarajan N, Walsh E, Ryan L, Pearson G, Parisi MA. The National Institutes of Health INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE (INCLUDE) Project: Accelerating research discoveries for people with Down syndrome across the lifespan. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet 2024; 196:e32081. [PMID: 38197535 PMCID: PMC10939900 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.32081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a long-standing history of support for research in Down syndrome (DS). In response to a 2018 congressional directive for a trans-NIH initiative to address medical issues in DS, NIH launched the INCLUDE Project (INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE). Reflecting the three INCLUDE components of basic science research, cohort development, and clinical trials, the Project has published funding opportunities to address conditions such as immune disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Due to a steady expansion in dedicated funding over its first 5 years, INCLUDE has invested $258 M in over 250 new research projects. INCLUDE also supports training initiatives to expand the number and diversity of investigators studying DS. NIH has funded an INCLUDE Data Coordinating Center that is collecting de-identified clinical information and multi-omics data from research participants for broad data sharing and secondary analyses. Through the DS-Connect® registry, INCLUDE investigators can access recruitment support. The INCLUDE Research Plan articulates research goals for the program, with an emphasis on diversity of research participants and investigators. Finally, a new Cohort Development Program is poised to increase the impact of the INCLUDE Project by recruiting a large DS cohort across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujata Bardhan
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Huiqing Li
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Erika Tarver
- National Institute on Aging (NIA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Charlene Schramm
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Marishka Brown
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Linda Garcia
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Bryanna Schwartz
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anna Mazzucco
- Office of the Director, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Walsh
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Laurie Ryan
- National Institute on Aging (NIA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Gail Pearson
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Melissa A Parisi
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Landes SD, Turk MA. Health equity for people with intellectual and developmental disability requires vast improvements to data collection: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Disabil Health J 2024; 17:101539. [PMID: 37783651 DOI: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2023.101539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic drastically underscored the lack of proper health surveillance for people with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) in the USA. This data equity failure resulted in researchers having to rely on nontraditional data sources to develop an understanding of how this population was faring during the pandemic. To begin addressing this data equity concern, in this commentary, we (1) discuss the difficulties in accessing data during the pandemic specifically related to people with IDD; (2) provide guidance regarding how existing data can be used to examine COVID-19 outcomes for people with IDD; and (3) provide recommendations for improving data collection for people with IDD in light of lessons learned during the pandemic. In sum, the data currently available to examine COVID-19 as well as other health outcomes among people with IDD are severely limited, compromising the ability to both understand and address health disparities among this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott D Landes
- Department of Sociology and Aging Studies Institute, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA.
| | - Margaret A Turk
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
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Batbold S, Cummings G, Riggan KA, Michie M, Allyse M. Views of parents of children with Down syndrome on Alzheimer's disease vaccination. J Intellect Disabil 2023:17446295231177787. [PMID: 37226465 DOI: 10.1177/17446295231177787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) experience increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent studies suggest that a vaccine against AD may be forthcoming. Parental buy-in is critical to the success of any intervention in this population, as adults with DS often rely on familial support. This study aims to characterize parents' perceptions of a hypothetical vaccine to prevent AD in individuals with DS. A mixed-methods, anonymous survey was distributed via social media. Participants were asked about their experiences with DS and reactions to proposed interventions. Open-ended responses were thematically analyzed using NVivo 12. Of 1,093 surveys initiated, 532 were completed. Of the parents sampled (N = 532), a small majority (54.3%), supported the proposed AD vaccine. All expressed the need for extensive pre-enrollment education and minimal risk. For many, limited research and long-term sequelae were concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Batbold
- Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | - Kirsten A Riggan
- Biomedical Ethics Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Marsha Michie
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Megan Allyse
- Biomedical Ethics Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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