Promoting Risk Reduction: Increasing Public Health Capacity to Address Dementia

Abstract

The Alzheimer's Association Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Public Health Center of Excellence on Dementia Risk Reduction (Center), established in 2020, was created to assist public health agencies translate this science into action and build health department capacity to address dementia risk reduction. Through partnerships with the academic community and public health agencies, the Center provides tools, training, and data to support the integration of dementia risk reduction into existing chronic disease prevention and healthy aging efforts. This article outlines the Center's approach, highlights key initiatives and outcomes, and identifies opportunities for future research to strengthen public health infrastructure to reduce dementia risk across the lifespan. Despite the strong evidence, dementia risk reduction remains underutilized in public health practice. By equipping the workforce with accessible training and resources and fostering collaboration across sectors, the Center creates a bi-directional bridge between research, public health practice and implementation.

Keywords: modifiable risk factors; public health workforce; risk reduction; social determinants of health.