Xiang Qi
PhD RN
Assistant Professor
xiang.qi@nyu.edu
1 212 992 5797
Assistant Professor
433 First Ave
New York, NY 10010
United States
Accepting PhD students
Xiang Qi's additional information
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Xiang Qi, PhD, RN, is an Assistant Professor at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. A nurse-scientist with interdisciplinary training in gerontology and neurobiology, Prof. Qi’s research program operates at the critical intersection of geriatric oral health, social epidemiology & psychiatry, and dementia caregiving, with the goal of reducing disparities in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias among older populations in the U.S. and globally. Qi is an expert in data science and advanced quantitative methods, including machine learning, multilevel modeling, and causal inference. He has extensive experience analyzing large-scale population health datasets and electronic health records to map the social determinants of health.
Qi is currently the principal investigator of an NIH-funded R01 project investigating the social and biological pathways linking poor oral health to dementia subtypes. His research challenges the historical separation of dental and medical care, providing robust evidence that oral health is a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. His landmark research established a strong relationship between poor oral health and dementia risk, a finding that has reshaped clinical conversations around preventative oral care. Furthermore, his advocacy for including oral health in global dementia prevention guidelines was published in The Lancet.
In parallel, Qi is a leading voice in Asian American health research. He leads multiple NIH-funded studies (NIMHD P50, NIA P30) that utilize data disaggregation to reveal hidden disparities in cardiometabolic disease, mental health, and cognitive aging among diverse Asian American subgroups. Prior to his faculty appointment, Qi served as a postdoctoral research scientist at the Rutgers-NYU Center for Asian Health Promotion and Excellence, where he contributed to a community-based participatory intervention to support Chinese and Korean family caregivers of people with dementia.
His research has been featured by major media outlets such as CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Science News, and The Toronto Star. He serves on the Editorial Boards of Innovation in Aging and Discover Public Health. He has also held key roles within the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Oral Health Interest Group, contributing to reports that advocate for expanded Medicare dental coverage. He further serves on advisory boards for community organizations like CaringKind and VNS Health, helping to bridge research with real-world improvements in dementia care.
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PhD in Nursing Research and Theory Development, New York UniversityExchange Program in Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, University of California, DavisBS, Fudan University
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GerontologyOral-systemic healthPublic and Global HealthUnderserved populations
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Alzheimer’s Association International SocietyNew York Academy of MedicineSigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor SocietyGerontological Society of AmericanEastern Nursing Research Society
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Faculty Honors Awards
Research Poster Award, Health Equity Action Network (2024)Minority Issues in Gerontology Student Poster Award, Gerontological Society of American (2023)2022-2023 Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award, NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing (2023)The Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization – Best Poster Award, Gerontological Society of American (2022)Minority Issues in Gerontology Student Poster Award, Gerontological Society of American (2022)The Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization – Carol Schutz Student Travel Award, Gerontological Society of American (2022)FIRE Doctoral Student Research Leadership Award, New York Academy of Medicine (2022)Douglas Holmes Emerging Scholar Paper Award, Gerontological Society of American (2022)Student Registration Award, Gerontological Society of American (2021)Excellent Graduate of Shanghai, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (2019)National Undergraduate Scholarship, Ministry of Education of China (2018)Research and Innovation Award, Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (2018)Overseas Exchange Outstanding Student Scholarship, Fudan University, China (2017)The First Prize Scholarship, Fudan University, China (2016)Excellent Student Leader, Fudan University, China (2015) -
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Publications
Association Between Oral Hygiene Behaviours and Cognitive Decline in Adults : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
AbstractZhu, Z., Yang, Z., Qi, X., Mao, W., Pei, Y., & Wu, B. (2024). In Journal of Advanced Nursing. 10.1111/jan.16525AbstractAim: To evaluate the association between oral hygiene behaviour and cognitive decline in adults. The outcomes include changes in global cognitive function, visual attention, task switching and the risk of dementia. Design: We conducted a systematic review following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Data Sources: A systematic search of 11 databases and grey literature sources was conducted from inception to January 2024. We included interventional trials or cohort studies that investigated the effect of oral hygiene behaviours (e.g., toothbrushing, mouth washing, flossing, using toothpicks and cleaning dentures) on cognitive decline in adults. Methods: Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed by two independent reviewers with expertise in conducting systematic reviews. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models, and heterogeneity was assessed with the I2 statistic and χ2 test. Results: A total of eight studies (six intervention studies and two cohort studies) met inclusion criteria, including 261,772 participants. Follow-up periods ranged from 30 days to 48 months for interventions and 9 to 18 years for cohorts. Toothbrushing was associated with a significantly slower decline in global cognitive overtime. Toothbrushing in older adults with moderate/severe dementia could achieve significant changes in cognitive decline. There was no significant difference between the effectiveness of toothbrushing performed by professionals and caregivers. Other oral hygiene behaviours, including dental flossing, using mouthwash, using toothpicks and cleaning dentures, were not associated with the risk of dementia. Conclusions: Toothbrushing is linked to a decreased risk of dementia and improved global cognitive function. Promoting toothbrushing at least twice daily may significantly reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Impact: These findings highlight the urgent need for programmes that encourage daily toothbrushing, particularly in nursing home settings and among older adults with moderate-to-severe dementia.Association of gum treatment with cognitive decline and dementia risk among older adults with periodontal symptoms: a 12-year prospective cohort study
AbstractQi, X., Zhu, Z., Wang, K., Zheng, Y., Li, A., & Wu, B. (2024). In Neuroepidemiology (pp. 1-10).Abstract~Denture use and a slower rate of cognitive decline among older adults with partial tooth loss in China : A 10-year prospective cohort study
AbstractQi, X., Zhu, Z., Pei, Y., & Wu, B. (2024). In Aging Medicine (Vols. 7, Issues 6, pp. 781-789). 10.1002/agm2.12383AbstractObjective: Denture use has been shown to improve nutritional intake and diet quality in people with tooth loss. Despite evidence linking tooth loss and dementia, few studies have examined the association between denture use and cognitive decline. We investigated the relationship between denture use and cognitive decline among Chinese older adults with tooth loss. Methods: We analyzed data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey 2008–2018, including 27,708 community-dwelling dentate and edentulous (i.e., who have lost all natural teeth) older adults aged 65 and older. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination from 2008 to 2018. Linear mixed-effect models were employed to assess the association of denture use with baseline cognitive function and rate of cognitive decline, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health-related behavior, and health status. Subgroup analyses evaluated differences in associations among dentate participants with varying degrees of tooth loss (1–9, 10–19, 20–31). Results: Compared to non-denture users, dentate participants who used dentures had better baseline cognitive function (β, 1.032; 95% CI, 0.813–1.251; p < 0.001) and a slower annual decline in cognitive function (β, 0.127; 95% CI, 0.047–0.206; p < 0.01). For edentulous participants, denture use was associated with higher baseline cognitive function (β, 3.063; 95% CI, 2.703–3.423; p < 0.001) but not with the rate of cognitive decline (β, 0.011; 95% CI, –0.082 to 0.105; p = 0.818). Results remained consistent across subgroups of dentate participants with various degrees of missing teeth. Conclusions: Denture use may help protect against cognitive decline in older adults with partial tooth loss. This study highlights the potential importance of prosthodontic rehabilitation in preserving cognitive health. Further research is needed to establish a causal relationship between denture use and cognitive function.How do Asian American young adults influence the health of family members? Structural equation modeling of age, acculturation, interactivity, and closeness
AbstractAli, S. H., Nayak, A., Qi, X., Misra, S., & DiClemente, R. J. (2024). In Discover Social Science and Health (Vols. 4, Issue 1). 10.1007/s44155-024-00128-7AbstractFamily members of Asian Americans (AAs) hold enormous potential as health changemakers to help combat the growing non-communicable disease burden in the community. To inform the development of impactful family-based interventions, there is a need to disentangle the mechanisms behind family influences on health. This study aims to deconstruct how interactivity and closeness mediate the association of age and acculturation with how much AA young adults perceive themselves to influence the health behaviors of family members. 502 AA young adults (48.0% East Asian, 20.9% South Asian, 23.1% Southeast Asian) were recruited in March 2021 to participate in an online survey on family interaction patterns, providing data on 944 unique dyadic family relationships. Associations between age, acculturation, interactivity (shared family activities, living proximity, and interaction frequency), closeness (family connectedness and interaction quality), and family health influence (reflecting influence on diet, exercise, sleep, stress, substance use, and relationship building) were evaluated through structural equation modeling. The final model displayed strong fit (CFI:0.956, RMSEA:0.081, SRMR:0.041), and revealed that an increase in closeness compared to interactivity corresponded with a greater increase in family health influence, with both completely mediating the association between age and family health influence. Acculturation was not associated with closeness, and its effect on family health influence was only partially mediated through interactivity. In subgroup analyses, neither interactivity nor closeness mediated the relationship between age and family health influence among South Asians (unlike East and Southeast Asians). Findings suggest the importance of targeting interactivity and closeness separately when developing AA family-based health interventions, and considering how the age and acculturation profile of AA young adults may shape these dynamics.The informal discussion of advance care planning among Chinese older adults: Do education and social media use matter?
AbstractQi, X., Pei, Y., Qi, X., Zhu, Z., Zhang, W., Tsay, R.-M. M., & Wu, B. (2024). In Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.) (Vols. 55, pp. 1-5).AbstractThis study aimed to examine and compare the associations between education, social media use, and advance care planning (ACP) discussion among Chinese older adults in mainland China (Wuhan), Taiwan (Taichung), and the United States (Honolulu). Community-dwelling older adults (≥ 55) were recruited from 2017 to 2018. The ACP discussion rate in Wuhan, Taichung, and Honolulu were 15.2 %, 19.2 %, and 31.3 %, respectively. Logistic regression models revealed that education was positively associated with ACP discussion in Taichung and Honolulu. Social media use was positively associated with ACP discussions in Wuhan and Honolulu, and it attenuated the association between education and ACP discussion in Honolulu. The present study contributes to previous studies by comparing the associations between education, social media use, and ACP discussion in different settings within the same ethnicity. Policy and practice implications were also discussed.Maintaining daily living activities in older adults : The impact of a functional exercise program in long-term nursing homes. A single-group pre-post intervention
AbstractMugica-Errazquin, I., Irazusta, J., Kortajarena, M., Elosegi, S., Wu, B., Qi, X., Rodriguez-Larrad, A., & Rezola-Pardo, C. (2024). In Geriatric Nursing (Vols. 60, pp. 215-224). 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.09.003AbstractObjective: To evaluate the impact of a function-focused multicomponent exercise program on long-term nursing home (LTNH) residents’ ability to maintain activities of daily living (ADL), physical performance, cognitive function, quality of life, and frailty. Methods: This multicenter single-group pre-post quasi-experimental study involved 148 participants from 16 LTNHs in Gipuzkoa, Spain. Participants underwent a twice-weekly, 6-month function-focused multicomponent exercise program and were assessed both before and after the intervention. Results: Following the intervention, participants significantly maintained ADL ability, improved physical performance and quality of life, and reduced frailty (all p < 0.05). Cognitive function showed a positive trend. Subgroup analysis showed consistent improvements across demographics and health variables. Conclusions: The exercise program effectively maintained or improved ability to perform ADL, cognitive function, physical performance, and quality of life while reducing frailty in LTNH residents, irrespective of individual characteristics. This highlights the importance of exercise interventions to preserve overall function and wellbeing in this population.The mitigating role of social capital on the association between food insecurity and psychological distress among Chinese adults
AbstractQi, X., Pei, Y., Li, G., Liu, Y., Tang, W., Hall, B. J., & Wu, B. (2024). In International Journal of Social Psychiatry (Vols. 70, Issues 8, pp. 1542-1551). 10.1177/00207640241277152AbstractBackground: Food insecurity, a pervasive global issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has been linked to adverse mental health outcomes. However, the role of social capital in mitigating this relationship remains understudied, particularly in the Chinese context. Aims: This study investigated the associations between food insecurity and psychological distress (depressive and anxiety symptoms) and examined the potential moderating effects of bonding and bridging social capital among Chinese adults in Shanghai. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 3,220 Chinese adults (mean age: 34.45; 51.5% male) in Shanghai. Food insecurity was assessed using the modified Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, psychological distress was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and social capital was evaluated using the Revised Personal Social Capital Scale. Results: Multivariable linear regression analyses revealed that food insecurity was significantly positively associated with both depressive (β = 0.449, SE = 0.024) and anxiety symptoms (β = 0.391, SE = 0.022), after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and COVID-19-related factors. Higher levels of bonding and bridging social capital were significantly associated with fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms. Significant interactions (pPsychological distress in Asian American informal caregivers : an analysis by disaggregated ethnic groups
AbstractQi, X., Wang, K., Pei, Y., Ðoàn, L. N., Yi, S. S., & Wu, B. (2024). In Ethnicity and Health. 10.1080/13557858.2024.2430287AbstractBackground: Despite Asians being the fastest-growing ethnic group in the US, most studies have focused on Asian Americans as an aggregate racial/ethnic group. The burden of mental health problems is increasing among caregivers due to population aging, yet little is known about the distress experienced by Asian caregivers when examined by disaggregated ethnic groups. Methods: Using 2019–2020 California Health Interview Survey data, we examined disparities in psychological well-beings between non-Hispanic White and Asian American adult caregivers, with an emphasis on understudied Asian ethnic groups. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler 6 scale, with scores ≥6 indicating mental distress and ≥13 indicating serious mental illness. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for socio-demographics, physical health, caregiving relationship, intensity of care, and care recipients’ characteristics. Results: The study included 8,722 caregivers (mean age, 58.7 years; 61.3% women; 14.1% Asian [379 Chinese, 260 Filipino, 167 Japanese, 138 South Asian, 105 Korean, 101 Vietnamese, 78 other Asian], 85.9% White). Overall, 26.8% had mental distress, and 8.5% had serious mental illness. Compared to White caregivers, Korean American caregivers had higher odds of mental distress (Odds Ratio [OR], 2.37; 95% CI, 1.47–3.82) and serious mental illness (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.17–3.92), while Chinese (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55–0.95) and Japanese (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.45–0.99) American caregivers had lower odds of mental distress. Korean American caregivers had the highest prevalence of mental distress (43.1%) and serious mental illness (15.3%), compared with White and other Asian American caregivers. Conclusion: Disaggregating data reveals significant mental health disparities among ethnic subgroups of Asian American caregivers. Tailored resources should address the distinct needs of ethnic subgroups of Asian American caregivers, considering language barriers, acculturation, and cultural norms that may exacerbate psychological distress.Relationship Between Primary Caregiving Type and a Peaceful End-Of-Life Experience Among Older Adults in China
AbstractGong, X., Wang, X., Qi, X., & Wu, B. (2024). In Journal of Aging and Social Policy. 10.1080/08959420.2024.2422653AbstractFew studies have compared pain management provided by informal and formal caregivers of older adults in China at the end of life. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the association between formal and informal care and painfulness at the end of life among older adults in China. Specifically, the study focuses on the influence of various types of informal care. Data were obtained from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) conducted from 2002 to 2018, which is the largest nationally representative study of older adults in China, with a sample size of 21,849 deceased participants. Results from multiple logistic regressions suggest that informal care is associated with a more painful end-of-life experience compared to formal care, with care provided by adult children being a more favorable option within informal care. These findings underscore the urgent need to prioritize education on death and dying, improve the formal care system, and enhance professionalism within informal care.Age differences in the effects of multi-component periodontal treatments on oral and metabolic health among people with diabetes mellitus: a meta-epidemiological study
AbstractZhu, Z., Qi, X., Zheng, Y., Pei, Y., & Wu, B. (2023). In Journal of Dentistry (Vols. 135).Abstract~ -
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Media
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