RESEARCH CORE

University Of Colorado Denver, Aurora CO

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Health Disparities (CAIANHD) is organized into 4 Cores: an Administrative Core (Core A), a Research Core (Core B), a Community Outreach and Dissemination Core (Core C), and a Native Investigator Training Core (Core D). Jack Goldberg, Ph.D., Research Professor of Epidemiology leads the Research Core. Dr. Goldberg is a senior epidemiologist with more than 20 years of professional experience in the design and conduct of observational and experimental studies. For the past decade he has worked closely with Dr. Spero M. Manson, the Principal Investigator and Director, CAIANHD, on studies involving AI/AN populations. The Research Core houses 4 full research projects and 7 pilot research projects. These projects address virtually all of the 9 DHHS special emphasis areas in the health disparities initiative as described by the NCMHD Project EXPORT RFA. Specifically, this core plans and carries out an interdisciplinary, culturally grounded, problem-oriented research program of major scientific and programmatic importance to the health status and functioning of AI/ANs. During the proposed renewal period, the 4 full research projects will focus on: 1) impact of loss of Medicaid insurance on patient outcomes and survival among low income American Indians and Alaska Natives diagnosed with cancer in Washington state, led by Scott Ramsey, M.D., Ph.D.;2) traditional healing for diabetes and CVD, led by Spero Manson, Ph.D.;3) treatment for depression in primary care, led by Denise Dillard, Ph.D.;and 4) exercise for obesity, diabetes and CVD reduction, led by Glen Duncan, Ph.D. The 7 pilot research projects will emphasize: 1) assessment of liver disease in the Shoalwater Bay tribe of Washington state, led by Kris Kowdley, M.D.;2) extending trauma focused intervention development to diverse American Indian communities, led by Douglas Zatzick, M.D.;3) investigating physician implicit and explicit attitudes and stereotypes and the delivery of health care to Al children, led by Janice Sabin, Ph.D., M.S.W.;4) preventing early childhood caries and improving nutrition of American Indian children, led by Joan O'Connell, Ph.D.;5) factors affecting myocardial infarction outcomes on the reservation, led by Jeff Henderson, M.D.;6) communicating risk information to American Indians with diabetes, led by Donna LaVallie, Ph.D.;and 7) health promotion for American Indian cancer survivors, led by Debra L. Friedman, MD The research projects housed within this core are informed and subsequently linked by a dynamic multilevel conceptual framework of health disparities. We are especially interested in how broadly defined environmental, social, and behavioral factors can induce, reinforce, and sustain desired change and ultimately reduce health disparities.