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Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology

Tajima Quoted in the Washington State Standard on Extended Foster Care

CSDE Affiliate Emiko Tajima (Social Work) was quoted by Grace Deng in the Washington State Standard on recently signed state legislation that removes barriers to accessing extended foster care, which is a voluntary program to support former foster youth between 18 and 21 years old. The program is intended to help meet the needs of young adults transitioning to adulthood. Tajima highlighted how extended foster care is also an opportunity to strengthen meaningful relationships with adults, like caseworkers, legal counselors, and peers. The foster care system frequently moves youth around, Tajima says. “[Extended foster care] just keeps them connected to those possible supports. It’s not a guarantee, but at least it gives them kind of this chance of having those connections”.

Xue and Fohner Examine Statistical Implications of Diversity in U.S. Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Data

CSDE Trainee Diane Xue (Public Health Genetics) and CSDE Affiliate Alison Fohner (Epidemiology) released an article with co-authors in Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, titled “The power of representation: Statistical analysis of diversity in US Alzheimer’s disease genetics data“. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex disease influenced by genetics and environment. More than 75 susceptibility loci have been linked to late-onset AD, but most of these loci were discovered in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) exclusive to non-Hispanic White individuals. There are wide disparities in AD risk across racially stratified groups, and while these disparities are not due to genetic differences, underrepresentation in genetic research can further exacerbate and contribute to their persistence. Authors investigated the racial/ethnic representation of participants in United States (US)-based AD genetics and examined the statistical implications of current representation on our understanding of AD’s genetic causes across populations.

Cumulative Housing Cost Burden and Children’s Well-being and Health: New Study by Hess, Colburn, Crowder, and Allen

CSDE Affiliates Chris Hess (Sociology, Kennesaw State University), Gregg Colburn (Real Estate, UW), and Kyle Crowder (Sociology, UW) published their work with their colleague Ryan Allen (University of Minnesota) in Social Science Research, titled “Cumulative housing cost burden exposures and disadvantages to children’s well-being and health“. Housing affordability is a growing challenge for households in the United States and other developed countries. Prolonged exposure to housing cost burden can have damaging effects on households, and, in particular, children. These burdens can exacerbate parental stress, reduce investments in children and expose households to greater neighborhood disadvantage. In this study, authors use national survey data to assess whether cumulative housing cost burden exposure is associated with disadvantages to children’s well-being and health.