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SPH alum and postdoctoral researcher receives Alzheimer’s Association International Research Grant
ATLANTA–For Dr. Catherine Scipion, the journey into Alzheimer's disease and related dementias research began in the rural regions of Haiti, where she witnessed firsthand the challenges of providing care to patients with dementia in resource-limited settings. Today, as a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia State University's School of Public Health, Scipion is breaking new ground with research that could transform dementia care for underserved populations.
Scipion was recently awarded an Alzheimer’s Association International Research Grant to study dementia in Haiti, where virtually no epidemiological data currently exists on the disease.
“We don't have any data available in terms of proportion, risk factors of dementia among those populations, or the challenges and barriers when it comes to seeking care,” Scipion explained. “Based on my literature review before applying for the grant, we don’t have any epidemiological data available for this specific population.”
Filling a Critical Gap in Dementia Research
The absence of data means Haiti is excluded from regional prevention and support efforts currently underway in other parts of the Caribbean. Scipion’s research aims to change that by collecting the first comprehensive dataset on dementia in Haiti, with plans to expand to other French-speaking Caribbean nations.
Her path to this pioneering research began after completing her medical degree in Haiti in 2017. She chose to work in a remote area of southern Haiti with a non-governmental organization, where she served as an attending physician for nearly four years before being promoted to coordinator of the chronic diseases program.
“That's actually where my interest in public health started,” she said. “Witnessing the lack of access to care for people dealing with chronic diseases, both in terms of financial and economic challenges, but also because of geographical and physical challenges of the area.”
An Exceptional Academic Journey
This experience inspired her to pursue further education in public health. Scipion’s academic journey took an exceptional turn when she was awarded not one but two prestigious scholarships—a Fulbright scholarship and a European scholarship from the Academy of Research and Higher Education. This allowed her to complete two master’s degrees in public health, one focusing on research methods applied to global health and another in health management and policy at Georgia State University.
When deciding where to pursue her studies in the United States, Scipion carefully researched her options, consulting with former Fulbright scholars from Haiti and professionals working in public health in Georgia.
“Based on the information I gathered, it was clear that Georgia State was the best option for me,” she said. “The program is very strong because it has professors who have a lot of research experience and also faculty with experience at agencies like the CDC and WHO, which is a great benefit for students."
Building a Foundation at Georgia State
At Georgia State, Scipion began working with Professor Jalayne Arias as a graduate research assistant, focusing on ethical and policy issues related to dementia. This mentor-mentee relationship continued after Scipion completed her MPH, when she seized the opportunity to stay at Georgia State as a postdoctoral researcher in Arias’s lab.
Scipion’s thesis examined the care pathway of people living with frontotemporal dementia, specifically looking at how Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act influenced diagnosis and treatment.
Her current research expands on this foundation but with a focus on Haiti and the broader Caribbean region. Scipion’s ultimate goal is to create culturally appropriate care pathways to improve the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s.
“The care pathway includes diagnosis—from the moment a person starts developing symptoms and is seeking diagnosis—to treatment and long-term care services,” Scipion explained.
Her work has significant implications not only for Haiti but also for Haitian immigrants in the United States and other countries. Through her volunteer work with an NGO in New Jersey, Scipion observed that healthcare providers often lack culturally adapted diagnostic tools and approaches for these populations.
A Vision for the Future
“I’m hoping to develop tools that consider the cultural and social beliefs and backgrounds of these particular populations," she said. Her collaboration with Dr. Jorge Llibre-Guerra, an assistant professor at Washington University who conducts similar work in Cuba, may eventually allow for comparative studies across different Caribbean populations and their diasporas.
Scipion’s long-term goal is ambitious but vital: to develop an evidence-based, culturally appropriate care pathway for dementia that works in resource-limited settings. Her current project represents the first step in what she describes as “a long road” to supporting families and patients dealing with dementia in underserved populations.
“This project is going to have a big impact,” she said, “not only in terms of advancing research in this field but also in terms of actionable efforts to support families dealing with dementia.”