Bei Wu

Faculty

Bei Wu headshot

Bei Wu

FAAN FGSA PhD

Dean's Professor in Global Health
Vice Dean, Research
Affiliated Professor, Ashman Department of Periodontology & Implant Dentistry
Co-director, NYU Aging Incubator

1 212 992 5951

433 First Ave
New York, NY 10010
United States

Accepting PhD students

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

Art Attendance and Change in Cognitive Function Among U.S. Community-Dwelling Chinese Older Adults

Petrovsky, D. V., Wu, B., Hodgson, N. A., & Dong, X. Q. (2022). Journal of Applied Gerontology, 41(4), 1047-1056. 10.1177/07334648211017339
Abstract
Abstract
Engaging in leisure activities that are cognitively simulating and enjoyable may be protective against cognitive decline in older adults; yet, few studies have examined this topic. We used two waves of data from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly and ran mixed-effects regression models to examine the relationship between baseline art activity attendance (including attending museum, musical arts, or both) and change in cognitive function (global, episodic memory, working memory, and executive function) among 2,703 older U.S. Chinese adults. We found that compared with older adults who did not attend any art activities, those who reported attending both art activities experienced a slower rate of change in episodic memory (estimate = −0.07; SE = 0.03; p =.01) and executive function (estimate = −0.06; SE =.03; p =.04). Our study findings point to the importance of attending art-based culture events among U.S. Chinese older adults.

Assessing psychological symptom networks related to HIV-positive duration among people living with HIV: a network analysis

Zhu, Z., Guo, M., Dong, T., Han, S., Hu, Y., & Wu, B. (2022). AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS HIV, 34(6), 725-733. 10.1080/09540121.2021.1929815
Abstract
Abstract
This study aims to explore and visualize relationships among multiple psychological symptoms among people living with HIV (PLWH) with different HIV-positive durations and to compare centrality indices and densities of psychological symptom networks. We used subsets of data collected from five designated HIV/AIDS hospitals in China. Networks were constructed among 16 psychological symptoms. Centrality properties, including strength and closeness, were adopted to describe relationships among symptoms. The results showed that PLWH with longer HIV-positive durations had denser emotional networks, which indicated that they had more emotional neuroticism than their newly diagnosed counterparts. Sadness, self-abasement, and self-loathing were the most central psychological symptoms across different HIV-positive durations. Our study suggests the need to provide psychosocial support services targeting PLWH according to changing symptom severity and neuroticism trajectories. Interventions should focus on increasing empathy for PLWH and enhancing the ability to consider the situation from different perspectives to avoid the development of neuroticism in long-term survivors.

Assessing the Sustainability of Long-Term Care Insurance Systems Based on a Policy–Population–Economy Complex System: The Case Study of China

Peng, R., Deng, X., Xia, Y., & Wu, B. (2022). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(11). 10.3390/ijerph19116554
Abstract
Abstract
Although China launched long-term care insurance (LTCI) pilot program in 2016, there are great challenges associated with developing a sustainable LTCI system due to limited financial resources and a rapid increase in the aging population. This study constructed an LTCI policy– population–economics (PPE) system to assess the sustainability of the LTCI system in China. Based on the latest 76 LTCI policy documents published between 2016 and 2021, this study evaluated the strength of LTCI policy modeling in 14 pilot cities by constructing a policy modeling consistency (PMC) index containing 9 main variables and 36 sub-variables. The coupling coordination model was used to evaluate the interaction between LTCI policy, population aging, and economic development. The results showed that the PMC index ranged from 0.527 to 0.850. The policy strength of Qingdao, Nantong, and Shanghai was the highest (PMC > 0.8). Anqing, Qiqihaer, Chongqing, and Chengdu had the lowest level of policy strength (PMC < 0.6). The main policy weaknesses were the coverage of the LTCI, the sources of funds, the scope of care services, and benefit eligibility. The coupling coordination degree of PPE systems varied from 0.429 to 0.921, with a mean of 0.651. Shanghai, Nantong, and Suzhou had the highest level of coordination. The coordination between subsystems of PPE in most pilot cities (12 of 14 cities) was at a basic or low level. The findings from this study concluded that the coordination within the PPE system should be improved to develop a sustainable LTCI system. To improve the coordination of the PPE system, it is suggested that the country should maintain sustainable economic growth and modify LTCI policies based on demographic transitions and economic development.

Association between cognitive functioning and active life engagement: A time-use study of older adults in rural China

Liu, H., Pei, Y., & Wu, B. (2022). International Journal of Population Studies, 8(1), 52-62. 10.18063/ijps.v8i1.1301
Abstract
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the pattern of active life engagement and the association between cognitive functioning and active life engagement among older adults in rural China. Two waves of panel data with the previous day’s activities in a time-use survey were collected among older adults age 60 and older in rural China. Logistic and OLS regressions were used to examine the impacts of cognitive functioning on participation and intensity in six types of activities. The overall active life engagement level of older adults in rural China was relatively low. Cognitive functioning and its decline significantly associated with the active life engagement. Older adults with higher cognitive functioning were more likely to engage in household work, recreational activity, and socially connected activity, and the decline in cognitive functioning was also significantly associated with the lower likelihood of engaging in household work, recreational activity, physical activity, and lower intensity of socially connected activity. Participation in diverse life activities is an important component of successful aging. The findings of this study suggest the need for increasing awareness of the influence of cognition on daily activities. Future interventions need to consider cognitive health to maximize active life engagement in Chinese rural older adults.

Association between frailty and cognitive function in older Chinese people: A moderated mediation of social relationships and depressive symptoms

Ma, W., Wu, B., Gao, X., & Zhong, R. (2022). Journal of Affective Disorders, 316, 223-232. 10.1016/j.jad.2022.08.032
Abstract
Abstract
Background: To date, few studies have focused on examining either the direct or indirect effect of physical frailty on cognitive impairment. This study aimed to investigate the moderating effects of social relationships, including their individual components in the role of depressive symptoms as a mediator between frailty and cognitive impairment. Methods: This study included a total of 7525 Chinese older adults from the 2017–2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Mediation analyses and moderated mediation effect analysis fully adjusted for all potential confounding factors were conducted. Results: Significant correlations were found between frailty, depression, social relationships, and cognitive function. Depression partially mediated the association of frailty with cognitive function [B = −0.198; 95 % confidence interval (CI): (−0.258, −0.143)]. Social relationships moderated the effect of frailty on cognitive function through both path b (depression–cognitive function) [B = 0.137; 95 % CI: (0.045, 0.230)], and path c’ (frailty–cognitive function) [B = 0.870; 95 % CI: (0.562, 1.178)]. In addition, social activities and social networks moderated both the direct and indirect effect of the moderated mediation model. Social support only moderated the direct effect. Limitations: The cross-sectional design of this study precludes any conclusion from the results as to the causality of cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Social relationships moderated both the direct and indirect effects of depressive symptoms on the association between frailty and cognitive impairment. The findings suggest that interventions, such as paying attention to the mental health of old people and improving the quality of social relationships, may help break the link between frailty and cognitive impairment.

Association Between Social Determinants of Health and Glycemic Control Among African American People with Type 2 diabetes: The Jackson Heart Study

Hu, J., Kline, D. M., Tan, A., Zhao, S., Brock, G., Mion, L. C., Efird, J. T., Wang, D., Sims, M., Wu, B., Mongraw-Chaffin, M., & Joseph, J. J. (2022). Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 56(12), 1300-1311. 10.1093/abm/kaac026
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Social determinants of health have a significant impact on health outcomes. However, the complexity and interaction of multiple factors influencing glycemic control remain understudied. Purpose: This study examined associations of socioeconomic position (income, education, and occupation), environmental (physical activity facilities, neighborhood social cohesion, neighborhood problem, and violence), behavioral (physical activity, nutrition, and smoking), and psychological factors (depressive symptoms, stress, and discrimination) with glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c [A1c]) using the World Health Organization Social Determinants of Health framework in African American adults with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted using a longitudinal cohort of 1,240 African American adults with type 2 diabetes who participated in the community-based Jackson Heart Study. Socioeconomic position, environmental, behavioral, and psychological factors were measured using validated instruments in the Jackson Heart Study. Longitudinal structural equation modeling was used with glycemic control (A1c) collected over time (Exams 1-3) as the study outcome. Results: Our study presents the complex interplay of socioeconomic determinants of health and glycemic control over time. Higher socioeconomic position (higher income, higher level of education, and professional occupation) was directly associated with improvement in glycemic control over time. An association of socioeconomic position on glycemic control mediated through health behavior factors was also observed. Conclusions: In this analysis, socioeconomic position components were determinants of glycemic control in African American adults with type 2 diabetes. Future studies aimed at reducing health disparities and achieving equality of outcomes in this population will benefit from embedding socioeconomic position components into their design.

Caregiver burden and its associated factors among family caregivers of persons with dementia in Shanghai, China: a cross-sectional study

Liu, Z., Sun, W., Chen, H., Zhuang, J., Wu, B., Xu, H., Li, P., Chen, X., Li, J., & Yin, Y. (2022). BMJ Open, 12(5). 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057817
Abstract
Abstract
Objective To assess the level of caregiver burden and factors associated with it among family caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD) living in communities of Shanghai, China. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Communities in Hongkou District of Shanghai, China. Participants A random sample of 109 older adults with dementia and their primary family caregivers. Main outcome measure Caregiver burden measured by the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), and the Caregivers' depressive symptom measured by the simplified Chinese version of Self-rating Depression Scale was the outcome variable of the study. The independent variables, including the cognitive function (measured by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), sleep quality assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, abilities of daily life assessed by the Activities of Daily Living Scale, and behavioural and psychological symptoms assessed by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory of PWDs, the community service utilisation (measured by the Community Service Utilisation Measurement), perceived social support (assessed by three questions), positive aspects of caregiving (PAC) (assessed by the PAC) of dementia caregivers, were analysed. Multivariate linear regression was employed to determine the factors related to caregiver burden. Results The average level of CBI was 65.92±16.74. The score of MoCA, PAC and perceived social support of caregivers were negatively associated with caregiver burden (β=-0.84, p<0.001, β=-3.61, p=0.03 and β=-1.22, p=0.001, respectively). Community service utilisation was positively associated (β=3.46, p<0.001) with caregiver burden. Perceived social support by the caregiver moderated the relationship between caregiver burden and caregivers' depression symptoms. Conclusion Dementia caregivers experienced a high level of caregiver burden. The cognitive function of PWD, PAC, social support and community service utilisation were factors associated with caregiver burden. Strengthening social support, providing more high-quality home care services, promoting PAC are imperative to reduce caregiver burden.

Chinese American Caregivers’ Attitudes Toward Tube Feeding for Persons with Dementia — USA, 2021–2022

Pei, Y., Qi, X., Cong, Z., & Wu, B. (2022). China CDC Weekly, 4(47), 1051-1054. 10.46234/ccdcw2022.211
Abstract
Abstract
What is already known about this topic? Little is known about Chinese American dementia caregivers’ attitudes toward tube feeding. What is added by this report? To address this knowledge gap, the paper seeks to characterize participants’ attitudes toward tube feeding based on a survey conducted among Chinese American dementia caregivers. What are the implications for public health practice? It is crucial to develop culturally tailored interventions to promote knowledge on tube feeding and advance care planning engagement in Chinese American communities.

Decision Aid Interventions for Family Caregivers of Persons With Advanced Dementia in Decision-Making About Feeding Options: A Scoping Review

Pei, Y., Qi, X., Schulman-Green, D., Hu, M., Wang, K., & Wu, B. (2022). Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 23(12), 1927.e1-1927.e6. 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.08.014
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives: We provided an overview of the literature on decision aid interventions for family caregivers of older adults with advanced dementia regarding decision making about tube feeding. We synthesized (1) the use of theory during the development, implementation, and evaluation of decision aids; (2) the development, content, and delivery of decision aid interventions; (3) caregivers’ experience with decision aid interventions; and (4) the effect of decision aid interventions on caregivers’ quality of decision-making about feeding options. Design: Scoping review. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed studies published January 1, 2000–June 30, 2022, in MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases. The process was guided by Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework, which includes identifying the research question, choosing related studies, charting the data, and summarizing results. Empirical articles concerning the decision aid interventions about feeding options were selected. Results: Six publications reporting 4 unique decision aid interventions were included. All the interventions targeted caregivers of older adults with advanced dementia. Three decision aids were culturally adapted from existing decision aids. The Ottawa Decision Support Framework and the International Patient Decision Aid Standards Framework were used in these 6 publications. Interventions aimed to improve decision making regarding tube feeding for caregivers through static delivery methods. Caregivers rated these decision aids as helpful and acceptable. Decisional conflict and knowledge of feeding options were the most common outcomes evaluated. Reduction in decisional conflict and increase in knowledge were consistently found among dementia caregivers, but no intervention effects were found on preferences for the use of tube feeding. Conclusions and Implications: Decision aid interventions effectively improve decision-making regarding tube feeding among the target population. Cultural adaptation of an existing decision aid intervention is the main strategy. However, the lack of guidance of a cultural adaptation framework in this process may lead to difficulties explaining caregivers’ behavioral changes. Moreover, merely providing information is not enough to change caregivers’ preferences or behavior of use of tube feeding. A systematic approach to cultural adaptation and interactive intervention is needed in future studies.

Disparities in Dental Service Use among Adult Populations in the United States

Wu, Y. Y., Zhang, W., & Wu, B. (2022). JDR Clinical and Translational Research, 7(2), 182-188. 10.1177/23800844211012660
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives: This article aims to examine the disparities in dental service utilization among 3 age groups: younger adults (20–49 y), middle-aged adults (50–64 y), and older adults (65+ y), among Whites, Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, American Indians or Alaska Natives (AIAN), and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders (NHOPI). Methods: Weighted logistic regression models were conducted to analyze 9 waves of cross-sectional survey data (2002–2018) from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We estimated age group- and race/ethnic–specific prevalences of dental service utilization adjusting sociodemographics and self-rated health for each wave and compared with crude analysis. Next, we performed linear regression analysis of the trend of adjusted prevalences over time and the average level by race/ethnicity and age groups. Results: Racial/ethnic disparities increased with age, even though the adjusted prevalences of dental service utilization were less apparent than the crude analysis. The all-wave average prevalence was 71%. Black older adults had the lowest level of dental service utilization (65%) as compared with the 2 highest groups: White older adults (79%) and Asian older adults (76%). The general younger adult populations had low prevalences, with the lowest among Asian younger adults (65%). AIAN and NHOPI individuals from all age groups tended to have average or below average prevalences. In addition, a decreasing trend of dental service utilization was observed among White individuals of all age groups (0.2%–0.3% lower per year, P < 0.01) and AIAN younger adults (0.5% lower per year, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Health policy, federal funding, and community-based programs should address the needs of dental service utilization for racial/ethnic minorities including Blacks, AIANs, and NHOPIs. Knowledge Transfer Statement: Our study offers insights into our understanding of disparities in dental service utilization among minority racial/ethnic groups. As health policy, federal funding, and community-based programs seek to improve oral health, there is a need to address access to and utilization of dental service for Blacks, American Indians or Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders.