Biography
Dr. Aguiñaga is committed to advancing the scientific knowledge that addresses health disparities in cognition and dementia-related diseases through community-based physical activity research. She received an Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship to Promote Diversity grant for a study of sitting time, activity, and dementia in underserved populations in central Illinois and Chicago. She also has investigated relationships among cognitive function, lifestyle, and exercise after cancer treatment. Through her research, she hopes to increase diversity in dementia-related research and reverse growing disparities in physical activity and dementia-related diseases, with the ultimate goal of creating culturally appropriate physical activity interventions for racially and ethnically diverse older adults with cognitive impairment and dementia-related diseases.
Additional Campus Affiliations
Associate Professor, Health and Kinesiology
Associate Professor, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Recent Publications
Bakare, J. O., Choi, S., Aguiñaga, S., Wang, Z., & Sebastião, E. (2025). Domain-Specific Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Older Adults With Mobility Disability Risk Residing in a Continuing Care Retirement Community: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Aging Research, 2025(1), Article 7436862. https://doi.org/10.1155/jare/7436862
Canton, I., Jakachira, V., Blackman, D., Rose, H., & Aguiñaga, S. (2025). A culturally tailored community gardening approach to improving physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and psychological health among African American women: A pre-post feasibility study. Health Promotion Perspectives, 15(2), 122-137. https://doi.org/10.34172/hpp.025.43243
Choi, S., Chen, J., Sebastião, E., Aguiñaga, S., & Haegele, J. (2025). Codesigning a Home-Based Exercise Program With and for People With Visual Impairments: A Needs Assessment. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 42(2), 173-192. https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2024-0045
Ogunjesa, B. A., de Andrade Leão, O. A., Aguiñaga, S., Schwingel, A., & Raj, M. (2025). Associations of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior With Mental Distress According to Caregiver Status: Analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey, 2022. American Journal of Health Promotion, 39(3), 428-437. https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171241302019
Soto, Y., Guzman, J., Morales, D., Canton, I., Selzer, A., & Aguinaga, S. (2025). Barriers in motion: a multi-methods approach to exploring physical activity, physical function, and program challenges in adult day services. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, Article 1620038. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1620038