Kukalamba ndi ulemu: Dementia and aging research in urban Zambia

This project advances dementia and healthy aging research in urban Zambia, building on the Zambian Cohort for Healthy Aging and Dementia partnership between the University of Michigan and Ciheb Zambia. Formed in 2023 to assess the feasibility of community-based dementia studies, the team trained community healthcare workers who have since visited more than 6,000 households and enrolled hundreds of older adults, with neuropsychologists assessing cognitive status using locally validated norms. This project extends that foundation to deepen understanding of dementia prevalence, risk and care needs in Lusaka communities, combining Michigan expertise in neurology, biostatistics and nursing with Zambian clinical, neuropsychological and community leadership. Community healthcare workers remain central to data collection, community education and dissemination, strengthening local capacity to study and respond to dementia as Zambia's population ages.