Bei Wu

Dr. Wu is Dean’s Professor in Global Health and Vice Dean for Research at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. She is an inaugural Co-Director of the NYU Aging Incubator. Prior to joining NYU, she was the Pauline Gratz Professor of Nursing at Duke University School of Nursing. Prof. Wu is an internationally-known leader in gerontology.

As a principal investigator, Prof. Wu has led numerous projects supported by federal agencies and private foundations, including the NIH and CDC. She is currently leading several NIH-funded projects including a clinical trial to improve oral health for persons

with cognitive impairment, and a large secondary data analysis to examine how the co-occurrence of diabetes and poor oral health may lead to the development of dementia and cognitive decline. She co-leads the newly funded Rutgers-NYU Center for Asian Health Promotion and Equity. Through this center, she also leads a 5-year intervention study that focuses on supporting Chinese and Korean dementia caregivers who are at increased risk for high blood pressure and diabetes due to the physical and emotional demands of caregiving. She is a director of the Research and Education Core for the NIA-funded Asian Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR).

As a scholar, Prof. Wu is an internationally known leader in gerontology. Her scholarship has been distinguished by interdisciplinary collaborations with researchers in various disciplines, including nursing and dentistry, in the US and abroad. Her research areas cover a wide range of topics related to aging and global health, including oral health, long-term care, dementia, and caregiving. She is one of the first in the nation to study the linkages between oral health and cognitive decline in older adults. Her research has also addressed knowledge gaps in the linkages between oral health and diabetes.

Prof. Wu has devoted much of her time to training the next generation of aging and nursing scientists from dozens of academic institutions in the U.S. and abroad. She has mentored hundreds of faculty members, visiting scholars, and students from various disciplines, including nursing, gerontology, dentistry, medicine, social work, demography, public health, sociology, public policy, geography, and economics. She is successful in mentoring several dozens of early-stage faculty members in receiving competitive funding from NIH, Robert Wood Johnson Scholars, the Alzheimer’s Society (UK), National Science Foundation of China, China Medical Board, National Medical Research Council (Singapore), and many others.

Prof. Wu is a productive researcher. She has published more than 600 peer-reviewed papers, books, reports, and conference abstracts. Her extensive publications cover a wide range of topics related to aging and global health. She has delivered presentations at hundreds of conferences as an invited speaker. Her work has been widely recognized in the field. Research findings from her team have been featured by the National Institute on Aging, and in numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, CNN, BBC, U.S. News and World Report, MarketWatch, CBS News, Reuters, AARP Bulletin, China Daily, Daily Mail, South China Morning Post, and Financial Review.

Her achievement has been recognized by many international and national organizations and she is a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education, and the New York Academy of Medicine. She is an honorary member of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, and is the former president of the Geriatric Oral Research Group of the International Association for Dental Research. She has served on a number of NIH review panels and is a frequent reviewer for multiple international funding agencies. She was honored as the 2017 IADR Distinguished Scientist in Geriatric Oral Research. She is the recipient of the 2022 Wei Hu Inspiration Award from the China Health Policy and Management Society.

PhD - Gerontology Center, University of Massachusetts, Boston

MS - Gerontology Center, University of Massachusetts, Boston

BS - Shanghai University

Gerontology

Global

Honorary Member, Sigma Theta Tau International - Honor Society of Nursing

Distinguished Scientist Award for Geriatric Oral Research, International Association for Dental Research (2017)

Pauline Gratz Professorship, Duke University School of Nursing (2014)

J. Morita Junior Investigator Award in Geriatric Oral Health, International Association for Dental Research (2007)

Fellow, Gerontological Society of America

Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine

Fellow, Association for Gerontology in Higher Education

Disparities in Sources of Added Sugars and High Glycemic Index Foods in Diets of US Children, 2011–2016

Russo, R. G., Peters, B. A., Salcedo, V., Wang, V. H., Kwon, S. C., Wu, B., & Yi, S. (2020). Preventing Chronic Disease, 17, 1-11. 10.5888/pcd17.200091

Abstract

Abstract

Introduction Added sugars and high glycemic index (GI) foods might play a role in cardiometabolic pathogenesis. Our study aimed to describe the top sources of added sugars and types of high GI foods in diets of children by race/ethnicity. Methods We examined data for 3,112 children, aged 6 to 11 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2011 to 2016. Mean intake was estimated and linear regression models tested for differences by race/ethnicity. Population proportions for food sources were created and ranked, accounting for survey weighting when appropriate. Results Asian American and Mexican American children had the lowest reported added sugar intake. Cereals were observed to contribute highly to added sugar intake. Soft drinks did not contribute as much added sugar intake for Asian American children as it did for children of other races/ethnicities. Asian American children consumed significantly more high GI foods than other groups. Types of high GI foods differed meaningfully across racial/ethnic groups (ie, Mexican American: burritos/tacos; other Hispanic, White, and Black: pizza; Asian American: rice). Rice accounted for 37% of total high GI foods consumed by Asian American children. Conclusions Sources of added sugars and types of high GI foods in children’s diets vary across racial/ethnic groups. Targeting foods identified as top sources of added sugars for all race/ethnicities and focusing on substitution of whole grains may reduce obesity, diabetes, and related cardiometabolic risk more equitably.

Edentulism and Trajectories of Cognitive Functioning Among Older Adults: The Role of Dental Care Service Utilization

Han, S. H., Wu, B., & Burr, J. A. (2020). Journal of Aging and Health, 32(7), 744-752. 10.1177/0898264319851654

Abstract

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the associations between edentulism, dental care service utilization, and cognitive functioning trajectories among older adults. Method: Longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2014) were employed to examine individuals aged 51 and older who were identified as having normal cognition at baseline (N = 12,405). Cognitive functioning was measured with a modified version of the Telephone Interview for Cognition Status. Edentulism was self-reported as total tooth loss at baseline. Dental care service utilization was measured by self-report of having visited a dentist at least once during the previous 2 years. Results: The results indicated that edentulism and dental care service utilization were independently associated with cognitive decline during the observation period. Findings also showed that dental care service utilization moderated the association between edentulism and cognitive decline. Discussion: The findings suggested that providing access to dental services may promote cognitive health and potentially reduce health care expenditures.

Education, adult children's education, and depressive symptoms among older adults in rural China

Pei, Y., Cong, Z., & Wu, B. (2020). Social Science and Medicine, 253. 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112966

Abstract

Abstract

This study examines whether children's education amplifies the effect of older adults' own education on their later life depressions in rural China. Data derives from six waves of panel data (2001, 2003 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015) from the Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Anhui Province, China. Random effect models showed that both older adults' own education and adult children's education had direct effects on depressive symptoms of older adults. Older adults' education influenced children's education, and in turn influenced intergenerational support from children, which consequently influenced depressive symptoms of older adults. Taken together, children's education amplifies the effect of older adults' own education on their depressive symptoms in rural China. This process increases health inequalities among older adults as a result of associated educational achievements in two generations. Educational policy should promote the equality of educational attainment of individuals in the future.

Effects and mediating mechanisms of a structured limbs-exercise program on general cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized controlled trial

Wang, L., Wu, B., Tao, H., Chai, N., Zhao, X., Zhen, X., & Zhou, X. (2020). International Journal of Nursing Studies, 110. 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103706

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Exercise is known to prevent cognitive decline. Sleep quality and depression symptoms, which are associated with processing speed, are considered as common mediators in the exercise-cognition putative model. However, these mediating mechanisms have not been empirically tested in an intervention study. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a structured limbs-exercise program on general cognitive function, and to test the mediating effects and mediating pathways of depressive symptoms, sleep quality and processing speed in the relationship of exercise-induced cognitive benefits. Design: A two-arm and assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial. Settings and participants: Community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment living in an urban area in Chifeng, China. Methods: Participants (N=116) were randomly allocated to one of the two arms: (1) a 24-week structured limbs-exercise program (3 supervised limb exercise sessions /week, 60 min /session for the first 12 weeks and 3 unsupervised practice sessions /week, 60 min /session for the following 12 weeks) or (2) health promotion classes alone. Measures of depressive symptoms, sleep quality, processing speed, and general cognitive function were collected at baseline, 12-week, and 24-week. Multivariate analysis of variance and structural equation modeling was used to test the effectiveness and mechanisms of structured limbs-exercise-induced cognitive improvement respectively. Results: The structured limbs-exercise program was beneficial for maintaining general cognitive function at 12 weeks (mean difference = 1.20, 95% CI [0.354, 2.054], p = 0.006) and at 24 weeks (mean difference = 1.59, 95% CI [0.722, 2.458], p = 0.001) in the intervention group. The results from the goodness-of-fit indices of structural equation modeling show as following: (1) The effect of structured limbs-exercise program on cognitive function was partially mediated by depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and processing speed, with 69.22% of joint mediation proportion; (2) Relative to the combined Z values of depressive symptoms and processing speed, sleep quality was more strongly related to cognitive function in the structured limbs-exercise program (Z= 9.294, p<0.01); (3) Processing speed was affected by depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and in turn, yielding a significant effect on cognitive function; and (4) Five potential mediating pathways for improvement in general cognitive function in the structured limbs-exercise intervention were identified. Conclusion: This study shows that this exercise program can maintain general cognitive function for older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Mediating variables include depressive symptoms, sleep quality and processing speed. Future research should continue to incorporate path-oriented intervention strategies in the exercise intervention to maximize improvements in cognitive function.

Gender differences in quality of life among community-dwelling older adults in low- and middle-income countries: results from the Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE)

Lee, K. H., Xu, H., & Wu, B. (2020). BMC Public Health, 20(1), 114. 10.1186/s12889-020-8212-0

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Quality of life (QoL) is an important component of individuals' general well-being, particularly in older adults. However, factors influencing QoL among older adults in low- A nd middle-income countries (LMICs) have not been fully examined. Furthermore, the role of gender differences in relation to QoL in multiple LMICs has also not been examined in detail. Methods: This study used data from the World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), Wave-1. Based on a literature review of existing works, a set of variables- A n independent variable and covariates-were selected. The study sample consisted of 33,019 participants aged 50 years and above from China, Ghana, India, Russia, and South Africa. Multivariate linear regression models were estimated with the World Health Organization QoL scores as the dependent variable. To preserve the analytical sample size, multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. Results: The results showed that generally, male older adults reported a better QoL than female older adults across all of the countries. The associations between QoL and sociodemographic factors, health-related factors, and social support factors among older adults differed according to country. Conclusions: This study provides a better understanding of QoL among older adults in LMICs, which can help prepare LMICs to better address the QoL of older adults. The results of this study can be used to develop programs to promote better living standards and services to reduce gender disparities and ultimately, to improve the QoL among older adults in LMICs.

How Bachelorhood and Migration Increase the HIV Transmission Risk Through Commercial Sex in China?

Xiao, Q., Liu, H., & Wu, B. (2020). AIDS and Behavior, 24(3), 791-801. 10.1007/s10461-019-02640-3

Abstract

Abstract

In China, the serious involuntary bachelorhood due to sex ratio imbalance in decades is expected to dramatically increase the spread of HIV through heterosexual contact. However, the higher HIV transmission risk and its correlates among never married men in rural China are not well understood. This study explored whether and how bachelorhood and migration increased the HIV transmission risk through commercial sex. By combining two cross-sectional survey data from never married men in rural areas and male migrants (including both married and unmarried men) in urban areas, a total of 1030 participants who were never married and age 28 and above or married male migrants were included in this study. The results show that both bachelorhood and migration put the never married male migrants at particularly higher HIV transmission risk by increasing both the possibility of engaging in commercial sex, and the frequency and inconsistency of condom use in commercial sex. Selection bias into marriage and neighborhood characteristics associated with exposure to commercial sexual risk may partly explain why male migrants that never married had a higher commercial sex related risk than that of married male migrants and never married non-migrant males.

Immigrant Status, Resilience, and Perceived Oral Health Among Chinese Americans in Hawaii

Wu, B., Pei, Y., Zhang, W., & Northridge, M. (2020). Research on Aging, 42(5), 186-195. 10.1177/0164027520912493

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to examine the associations among immigrant status, resilience, and perceived oral health for Chinese American older adults in Hawaii. Method: Data derived from 430 Chinese American adults aged 55 years and older residing in Honolulu, HI. We compared the self-rated oral health and oral health problems between U.S.-born Chinese Americans and foreign-born Chinese Americans by using ordered logistic regression and ordinary least squares regression models. Results: Findings suggest that immigrant status and lower levels of resilience are associated with poorer self-rated oral health and more oral health problems for Chinese American older adults in Hawaii. Resilience is more strongly associated with self-rated oral health for U.S.-born Chinese American than for foreign-born Chinese Americans, but this pattern was not evident for oral health problems. Discussion: Older Chinese American immigrants in Hawaii are disadvantaged in terms of their oral health. Understanding their susceptibilities may lead to targeted interventions.

The Impact of Living Alone and Intergenerational Support on Depressive Symptoms Among Older Mexican Americans: Does Gender Matter?

Pei, Y., Cong, Z., & Wu, B. (2020). International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 90(3), 255-280. doi.org/10.1177/0091415019836099

Abstract

Abstract

The study examined gender differences in the impact of living alone and intergenerational support on depressive symptoms among Mexican American older adults. The sample included 335 parent–adult child pairs which are nested within 92 Mexican American respondents, because each respondent reported their specific relationships with each child. Clustered regression analysis showed gender differences in the impact of living alone and intergenerational support on depressive symptoms among Mexican American older adults. In general, older men provided and received less intergenerational support than older women, but their depressive symptoms were more susceptible to living alone and different types of intergenerational support. Factors such as living alone, receiving instrumental support were associated with more depressive symptoms in older men than inolder women, whereas older men benefited more from the emotional closeness with children than older women. The findings highlight the need for a gender-specific approach to future research on this topic.

Investigation for the transcultural self-efficacy of nurses in Guizhou, China

Li, J., Wu, B., He, Z., Liu, J., Xiao, R., & Luo, Y. (2020). International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 7(2), 191-197. 10.1016/j.ijnss.2020.03.004

Abstract

Abstract

Aim: As conflict caused by cultural diversity among patients in China continues to rise, hospitals are in urgent need for improvement of transcultural efficacy among nurses. This study aims to evaluate the transcultural self-efficacy of nurses working in the tertiary general hospital in Guizhou Province, an ethnic minority region in western China, and to identify whether nurses’ demographic characteristics affect their transcultural self-efficacy. Method: We used the Chinese version of the Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool (TSET-CV) to survey 1,190 in-service nurses. Results: Results showed that the level of transcultural self-efficacy of the nurses was generally moderate; few of the nurses had high or low transcultural self-efficacy. The nurses’ transcultural self-efficacy was affected by demographic variables, including age, marital status, employment type, income, work experience, and whether or not they were head nurses. Having a stable work environment, a stable marriage, a good educational background, and a high-ranked professional title were associated with increased transcultural self-efficacy. Conclusion: Nursing administrators in hospitals should offer continuing education on transcultural nursing according to nurses’ demographic characteristics and the SEST scores.