Maria T. Brown

Associate Research Professor, School of Social Work, Falk College of Sport & Human Dynamics Link

Faculty Associate, Aging Studies Institute
Faculty Affiliate, Center for Aging and Policy Studies

CAPS Biography:

My research agenda focuses on aging and the life course effects of cumulative inequality, particularly the impacts of inequality on health disparities experienced in later life among vulnerable populations. Current and past projects fit within the CAPS health and well-being signature theme and have been particularly salient to the cross-cutting theme of specific populations. Specifically, much of my research focuses on health disadvantages experienced by racial and sexual minority populations. My work in this area has illuminated the greater risk of nursing home use among individuals with psychiatric issues, the cognitive disparities faced by men and women in racial and ethnic minority groups with psychiatric issues, and the impact of discrimination on the relationship between biological aging and health outcomes in racial and ethnic minority older adults.  

My community-based health research is used to improve care for vulnerable, community-dwelling older adults across New York State. My recent community-based participatory research on the clinical care of adults aging with HIV has identified gaps in care for this population and inspired quality initiatives to improve clinical care, beginning with a 2022 recommendation from the New York State AIDS Institute to conduct annual comprehensive screens of all patients living with HIV who are 18 and older. My research partnership with Upstate Medical University’s Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease evaluates the impact of adding evidence-based cognitive screening of vulnerable older adults living in the community to assessment tools used by the Area Agencies on Aging. This research has shown that a significant proportion of screened older adults (26% in our 2018 pilot) are living with previously unidentified cognitive impairment. I am currently the Program Evaluator and Co-Investigator for a project expanding that pilot to embed evidence-based cognitive screening in area agencies on aging in seven Central New York counties.