Project Grant 1W1CMS331931

This federal Project Grant award from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under the CMS Research, Demonstrations and Evaluations program (CFDA 93.779) provides $250,800 to San Diego State University Foundation to conduct a 10-year longitudinal study investigating factors contributing to loss of independence among ethnic minority older adults in the U.S. The study aims to 1) identify predictors of loss of independence using the WHO's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model, and 2) examine how these ICF domain impacts differ across gender and race/ethnicity subgroups. The project leverages data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and will employ innovative methods such as using the Vulnerability of Elder Survey tool to measure loss of independence. The findings are expected to enhance evidence-based knowledge, validate the ICF model for evaluating functional decline, and inform future research efforts to address healthcare disparities and improve outcomes for minority older adult populations.