MOSAAIC Cognitive Assessment Reading Center Administrative Supplement

Project Summary
The Multiethnic Observational Study in American Asian and Pacific Islander Communities (MOSAAIC) is a
landmark, NHLBI-funded longitudinal cohort study designed to address critical gaps in health research among
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations. By enrolling 10,000 participants
across generations, regions, and languages, MOSAAIC aims to generate comprehensive data on
cardiometabolic, mental, and cognitive health. Through clinical examinations, biospecimen collection, and
annual follow-ups, the study will provide the most robust and inclusive dataset available to investigate health
disparities within these historically underrepresented communities.
As part of its in-person examination, MOSAAIC administers a brief but comprehensive cognitive battery to all
main cohort participants. The battery assesses multiple cognitive domains—semantic fluency, memory
encoding and recall, attention, executive function, processing speed, and visuospatial skills—and has been
translated into five AANHPI-relevant languages (Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Tagalog,
and Vietnamese) using a community-informed, linguistically rigorous process. Given the diversity of study
populations and field settings, ensuring standardized administration and scoring is essential to maintaining the
reliability and scientific value of the cognitive data.
This administrative supplement proposes to establish a centralized Neurocognitive Reading Center within the
Coordinating Center to provide infrastructure for high-quality cognitive data collection. The Reading Center will
be responsible for developing standardized training materials, certifying CCFC staff, and providing ongoing
review of scoring forms and audio recordings to ensure scoring fidelity and inter-rater reliability. It will also
support the electronic upload system for cognitive assessments, troubleshoot field-level issues, and lead
harmonization of outcome variables across languages and sites. The Reading Center will be equipped to
support the validation and oversight of additional cognitive measures as the study evolves.
By improving data quality and comparability across diverse participants and settings, this initiative directly
enhances the scientific rigor of MOSAAIC’s cognitive outcomes. It supports the parent study’s long-term
objectives of advancing research capacity, promoting data equity, and generating actionable insights into brain
health and cognitive aging in AANHPI communities. Ultimately, these efforts will strengthen MOSAAIC’s
potential to inform culturally responsive public health strategies and reduce disparities in neurological and
cognitive health.

Grant Number: 3U24HL169645-03S3
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: GARNET ANDERSON