Introduction to the Special Issue on Promoting Cognitive Health in Diverse Populations of Older Adults

This special issue of The Gerontologist , “ Promoting Cognitive Health in Diverse Populations of Older Adults, ” is devoted to cognitive health, a major factor in ensuring quality of life and preserving independence. Cognitive health has been identifi ed as a priority area for aging and public health through national efforts such as the National Institutes of Health’s Cognitive and Emotional Health Project ( Hendrie et al., 2006 ) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Healthy Brain Initiative ( Anderson & McConnell, 2007 ). This increased recognition also aligns with growing awareness of the signifi cant health, social, and economic burden associated with cognitive impairments; rising concerns and fears about potential loss of cognitive functions with age; and increasing demands of family and professional caregivers. As the readers of The Gerontologist are well aware, the U.S. population as a whole is aging at an unprecedented rate, and with that change comes an increasing incidence of cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias ( Administration on Aging, 2005 ). Alzheimer’s disease is now the sixth leading cause of death among U.S. adults aged 18 years or older and the fi fth leading cause of death among those aged 65 years or older ( Heron, Hoyert, Xu, Scott, & Tejada