577-2297
hmgonzalez@med.wayne.edu
234 Knapp Building

Hector M. González, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Institute of Gerontology and the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences at Wayne State University. Dr. González is a Faculty Associate in the Program for Research on Black Americans at the University of Michigan. He is a clinical neuropsychologist and neuroepidemiologist. Dr. González recently joined the Wayne State faculty from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology.

Research Focus

Dr. González’ primary research objectives are to determine modifiable risk factors for disability and to develop and implement cost-effect methods for reducing public health burdens, particularly in disadvantaged populations. Since his clinical and research fellowship at the University of California, Davis, Department of Neurology and later as faculty in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, he has been a Co-Investigator of the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (SALSA). Work in this prospective cohort study of aging in older Mexican Americans formed his research objectives into research foci on the leading determinants of morbidity facing the U.S. and global populations, vascular disease and depression.

Dr. González is pursuing his research agenda as Principal Investigator of a National Institute of Mental Health funded study to examine Vascular Depression and Function in Older Latinos.

Areas of Expertise

• Neuropsychology
• Neuroepidemiology
• Psychiatric Epidemiology

Education

Bachelor of Science, University of New Mexico – Psychology, 1982

Doctor of Philosophy, California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego – Clinical Psychology, Behavioral Medicine/Health Psychology, 1998

Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Neurology Department and the Center for Neuroscience – Clinical/Research Neuropsychology, 1999

Certifications

Licensed clinical psychologist: Michigan

Grants

Current Research Support

Vascular Depression and Function in Older Latinos
PI: González, H.M.
2003-2008, NIH, $834,520
 
The objectives of this study are to examine how depression and vascular disease are associated with cognitive and functional changes in community-dwelling older Mexican Americans.

Epidemiology of Functional Status in Elderly Hispanics
PI: Haan, Co-PI: González, H.M.
2003-2008, NIA/DHHS (Renewal), $8.3 million

The aim of this study is to examine risks for prevalent and incident dementia in community-dwelling older Mexican Americans.

Diabetes in Older Latinos, Stress and Brain Changes
PI: Haan, Co-PI: González, H.M.
1999-2006, NIA/DHHS, $1.42 million
 
The objectives of this study are to examine the role of diabetes and stress on the cognitive and functional status of community-dwelling older Mexican Americans.

Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research (MCUAAAR), Resource
Center for Minority Aging
PI: Jackson, J., Co-PI: González, H.M.
1997-2007, NIH, $3.1 million

Pending Research Support

• Epidemiology of Late-life Depression and Ethnicity Research Study (ELLDERS): DHHS/NIH/NIMH
• Interdisciplinary Research Training in Health and Aging(PI: Haan), DHHS/NIMH/NIA

Professional Service

Journal of Aging & Health

          Editorial Board

Gerontological Society of America

National Institute on Aging

Journal Reviewer
American Journal of Public Health
Annals of Epidemiology
Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology
Journal of the American Board of Family Practice
Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society

New England Journal of Medicine
Social Science & Medicine

Professional Associations

American Psychological Association
International Neuropsychological Society
Hispanic Neuropsychological Society
Gerontological Society of America
American Public Health Association

Honors and Awards

National Institute of Aging, Summer Institute, Scholarship
RAND, Summer Institute, Scholarship
Eighth International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, Stockholm, Sweden, Scholarship

Publications

González, H.M., *Bowen, M.E. & Fisher, G.G. (2008) Memory Decline and Depressive Symptoms in a Nationally Representative Sample of Older Adults: The Health and Retirement Study (1998-2004). Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 13;25(3):266-271.

*Bowen, M.E. & González, H.M. (2008) Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Relationship between the Use of Health Services and Functional Disability: The Health and Retirement Study (1992-2004). The Gerontologist, Oct;48(5):659-67.

Williams, D.R. González, H.M. Williams, S. Mohammed, S.A. Herman, A. Stein, H. Perceived Discrimination, Race and Health in South Africa. (2008) Social Science and Medicine. Aug;67(3):441-52.

González, H.M., Croghan, T., West, B., Williams, D., Nesse, R, Tarraf, W., Taylor, R., Hinton, L., Neighbors, H., Jackson, J. (2008) Antidepressant use by Blacks and Whites in the United States. Psychiatric Services, Oct 2008;59(10):1131-1138.

González, H.M. Croghan, T.W., *Tarraf, W., West, B.T., Bowen, M.E., Cao, Z., Alegría, M. (2009) Antidepressant Use among Latinos in the United States. Depression and Anxiety, March 20 Epub ahead of print.

González, H.M. Ceballos, M. *Bowen, M.E., *Tarraf, W., Vega, W.A. (in press). The Health of Older Mexican American in the Long Run. American Journal of Public Health

*Bowen, M.E. & González, H.M. (In press) Childhood socioeconomic conditions and disability in later life: nationally representative findings from the health and retirement study. American Journal of Public Health

Hinton, L., West, N., González, H.M., Mungas, D. Haan, M.N. (In press) Are your Partner’s Depressive Symptoms Bad for your Cognition? A Longitudinal Study of Spousal Pairs from the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging. Dementia & Geriatric Cognitive Disorders.

González, H.M., Vega, W.A., Williams, DR, *Tarraf, W., West, B.T., Neighbors, H.W. (Accepted) Depression care in the United States: Too little for too few. Archives of General Psychiatry
 

* Denotes trainees