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, New York Academy of Medicine

Fellow, Gerontological Society of America

Fellow, Association for Gerontology in Higher Education

Cognitive function and oral health-related quality of life in older adults

Lee, K. H., Wu, B., & Plassman, B. L. (2013). In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (Vols. 61, Issues 9, pp. 1602-1607). 10.1111/jgs.12402

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives To examine the relationship between cognitive function and self-reported oral health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in community-dwelling older adults. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Community in West Virginia. Participants Two hundred twenty-six community-dwelling older adults. Measurements Oral HRQoL was measured using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) (range 12-60), and cognitive function was assessed using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. Dental professionals performed oral health examinations. Results Participants with normal cognitive function had higher GOHAI total scores (mean 55.1), indicating better oral HRQoL, than participants with cognitive impairment without dementia (CIND) (mean 52.3) and mild dementia (mean 51.0). The difference remained significant after controlling for sociodemographic, health status, comorbidity, and clinical dental status covariates. Conclusion Oral HRQoL, as measured using the GOHAI, was better in participants with normal cognitive function than in those with CIND of mild dementia in the population studied.

Experiences and concerns of family caregivers providing support to people with dementia : A cross-cultural perspective

Ivey, S. L., Laditka, S. B., Price, A. E., Tseng, W., Beard, R. L., Liu, R., Fetterman, D., Wu, B., & Logsdon, R. G. (2013). In Dementia (Vols. 12, Issues 6, pp. 806-820). 10.1177/1471301212446872

Abstract

Abstract

We examined experiences and concerns among caregivers of community-dwelling people with dementia from two ethnic groups. We conducted a thematic analysis of responses to the question, 'What is your life like as a caregiver?' in nine focus groups (n = 75) with Filipino and non-Hispanic White caregivers. Constant comparison methods identified themes by ethnicity. Experiences and concerns expressed across groups were related to care recipient symptoms commonly associated with dementia, including severe memory loss and behavioral changes. Participants in both ethnic groups described strategies that help them cope, such as receiving help from family and friends, receiving respite support, and participating in support groups. Filipino caregivers more often emphasized positive aspects of caregiving, whereas Whites often expressed that others do not understand the daily experiences of caregiving. Filipinos more commonly described caregivers as a 'good person' or 'saint' and emphasized that caregiving made them stronger.

How do older people describe others with cognitive impairment? A multiethnic study in the United States

Laditka, S. B., Laditka, J. N., Liu, R., Price, A. E., Friedman, D. B., Wu, B., Bryant, L. L., Corwin, S. J., & Ivey, S. L. (2013). In Ageing and Society (Vols. 33, Issues 3, pp. 369-392). 10.1017/S0144686X11001255

Abstract

Abstract

We studied how older people describe others with cognitive impairment. Forty-two focus groups represented African Americans, American Indians, Chinese Americans, Latinos, Vietnamese Americans, and Whites other than Latinos (Whites) (N=396, ages 50+), in nine locations in the United States of America. Axial coding connected categories and identified themes. The constant comparison method compared themes across ethnic groups. African Americans, American Indians and Whites emphasised memory loss. African Americans, American Indians, Latinos and Whites stressed withdrawal, isolation and repetitive speech. African Americans, American Indians, Vietnamese Americans and Whites emphasised 'slow thinking'. Only Whites described mood swings and personality changes. Many participants attributed dementia to stress. Terms describing others with dementia included 'Alzheimer's', 'dementia', 'senile' and 'crazy'. Euphemisms were common ('senior moment', 'old timer's disease'). Responses focused on memory, with limited mention of other cognitive functions. Differences among ethnic groups in descriptions of cognitive health and cognitive impairment underscore the need to tailor public health messages about cognitive health to ways that people construe its loss, and to their interest in maintaining it, so that messages and terms used are familiar, understandable and relevant to the groups for which they are designed. Health promotion efforts should develop ethnically sensitive ways to address the widely held misperception that even serious cognitive impairment is a normal characteristic of ageing and also to address stigma associated with cognitive impairment.

Racial disparities in trajectories of dental caries experience

Liang, J., Wu, B., Plassman, B., Bennett, J., & Beck, J. (2013). In Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology (Vols. 41, Issues 6, pp. 517-525). 10.1111/cdoe.12045

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives This study charted the trajectories of dental caries, including decayed teeth, missing teeth and filled teeth among older Americans over a 5-year period. In particular, it focused on racial differences in the levels of and rates of change in dental caries experience. Methods Data came from the Piedmont Dental Study. The sample included 810 older Americans who were dentate at the baseline with up to 4 repeated observations between 1988 and 1994. Hierarchical linear models were employed in depicting intrapersonal and interpersonal differences in dental caries experience. Results Different measures of caries outcomes exhibited distinct trajectories. On average, the number of decayed teeth decreased over time, whereas missing teeth increased. In contrast, the number of filled teeth remained stable during a 5-year period. Relative to their white counterparts, older black Americans had more decayed teeth and missing teeth but fewer filled teeth. Blacks and whites differed in the levels of dental caries but not in their rates of change except for missing teeth. Even when demographic and socioeconomic attributes were adjusted, racial variations in dental caries experience remained significant. Conclusions Although significantly correlated, various dental caries outcomes move along different paths over time. In view of the persistent racial disparities in dental caries trajectories, future interventions to minimize such variations among older Americans in the levels of and the rates of change in dental caries experience are clearly warranted.

Racial and ethnic variations in preventive dental care utilization among middle-aged and older Americans, 1999-2008

Wu, B., Liang, J., Luo, H., & Furter, R. (2013). In Frontiers in Public Health (Vol. 1, Issue DEC). 10.3389/fpubh.2013.00065

Abstract

Abstract

Objective: This study examined recent trends of preventive dental care utilization among Americans aged 50 and above, focusing on variations across racial and ethnic groups including Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and Asians. Methods: Self-reported information on oral health behaviors was collected from 644,635 participants in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System between 1999 and 2008. Results: Despite a significant upward trend of frequency of dental cleaning from 1999 to 2008 (ORD1.02), in 2008 still only 56-77% of any ethnic or racial group reported having had a dental cleaning in the previous 12 months. Relative to Whites, Blacks (ORD0.65) were less likely to have a dental cleaning in the previous 12 months. These variations persisted even when SES, health conditions, health behaviors, and number of permanent teeth were controlled. In contrast, Hispanics, Asians, and American Indians/Alaskan Natives did not differ from Whites in dental cleanings. Discussion: This is the first study to provide national estimates of the frequency of dental cleaning and associated trends over time for five major ethnic groups aged 50 and above in the U.S. simultaneously. Our findings suggest that public health programs with an emphasis on educating middle-aged and older minority populations on the benefits of oral health could have a large impact, as there is much room for improvement. Given the importance of oral health and a population that is rapidly becoming older and more diverse, the need for improved dental care utilization is significant.

Teaching chinese health care professionals about community-based long-term care in china

Wu, B. (2013). In Aging Education in a Global Context (pp. 117-136). Taylor and Francis. 10.4324/9781315821092

Abstract

Abstract

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Traditional Chinese Medicine at the county level in China : An analysis of the status quo and development strategies

Yi, C., Wu, B., Tang, S., & Mao, Z. (2013). In Chinese Journal of Health Policy (Vols. 6, Issue 1, pp. 57-61).

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Trends of edentulism among middle-aged and older Asian Americans

Wu, B., Liang, J., Landerman, L., & Plassman, B. (2013). In American journal of public health (Vols. 103, Issues 9, pp. e76-e82). 10.2105/AJPH.2012.301190

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives. We estimated national trends of the prevalence of edentulism (complete tooth loss) for Asian American subgroups in the United States and investigated factors that could contribute to improvements in edentulism across populations over time. Methods. We used 10 waves of the National Health Interview Survey data collected from 1999 to 2008. Eligible respondents were those aged 50 years and older who completed the question on tooth loss. We contrasted the odds and probabilities of edentulism over time in Chinese, Filipinos, Asian Indians, and other Asians with those in Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics. Results. The rates of edentulism differed substantially across Asian subgroups. Compared with Whites, Chinese and other Asians had a lower risk of being edentulous, whereas being Filipino increased the odds. The rate for Asian Indians was similar to that for Whites. Nonetheless, rates of decline were similar across the Asian population groups. Conclusions. Asian Americans are heterogeneous in edentulism. Innovative and sustainable public health programs and services are essential to prevent oral health diseases and conditions.

Trends in ADL and IADL disability in community-dwelling older adults in Shanghai, China, 1998-2008

Feng, Q., Zhen, Z., Gu, D., Wu, B., Duncan, P. W., & Purser, J. L. (2013). In Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences (Vols. 68, Issues 3, pp. 476-485). 10.1093/geronb/gbt012

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives. We investigated trends in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) disability from 1998 to 2008 among elder adults in Shanghai, China.Method. Our data came from 4 waves of the Shanghai Longitudinal Survey of Elderly Life and Opinion (1998, 2003, 2005, and 2008). ADL and IADL disabilities were recorded dichotomously (difficulty vs. no difficulty). The major independent variable was survey year. Covariates included demographics, socioeconomic conditions, family and social support, and other health conditions. Nested random-effect models were applied to estimate trends over time, referenced to 1998.Results. In comparison with the baseline year (1998), older adults in 2008 had lower odds of being ADL disabled, though the effect was no longer statistically significant when other health conditions were taken into account. Elders in 2003, 2005, and 2008 were 20%-26%, 17%-38%, and 53%-64% less likely to be IADL disabled than those in 1998, respectively, depending on the set of covariates included in the model.Discussion. Shanghai elders experienced substantial improvements in both ADL and IADL disability prevalence over the past decade. The trend toward improvement in IADL function is more consistent and substantial than that of ADL function.