Resource Core

University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham AL

Investigators

Abstract

Modified Project Summary/Abstract Section The high prevalence of disability in the United States, particularly in the Deep South, highlights the critical need for comprehensive research dedicated to health promotion and secondary condition prevention (HP/SCP) for people with disabilities. To advance HP/SCP research, four key challenges must be addressed: 1) designing and conducting research that represents a range of people with disabilities to capture the full heterogeneity of the disability population; 2) achieving larger samples to improve the generalizability and validity of study findings; 3) overcoming barriers in participant recruitment, intervention adherence, and retention during post-intervention and follow-up phases; 4) developing multilevel and multidomain interventions that incorporate holistic lifestyle medicine principles. To address these challenges, we propose a transdisciplinary Resource Core within the Disability Health Promotion Research Center (DHPRC). Consisting of experts in disability, rehabilitation medicine, digital technology, and health promotion research, the Resource Core will offer comprehensive services and resources supporting the entire research process, from study development and implementation to data analysis and interpretation. This support is crucial for both early-stage and established researchers, whether they are currently working or transitioning into the HP/SCP research areas, ensuring high-quality research. Specific aims of the Resource Core include: 1) assisting in formulating study aims and designs in HP/SCP research by providing consultation and access to de-identified datasets from the NCHPAD Connect registry, the National SCI and TBI Model Systems, and large randomized controlled trials to assist researchers develop robust study aims and designs; 2) guiding the development of digital HP/SCP interventions through selection and use of accessible telehealth assessments, wearable technologies, and intervention strategies that are theoretically grounded and empirically informed; 3) facilitating participant recruitment using extensive participant registries; and 4) providing expertise in data analytics, ensuring the availability of high-quality, standardized datasets and a variety of analytical techniques to support rigorous data analysis. By achieving these aims, the Resource Core will significantly enhance research capacity for digital HP/SCP studies, driving evidence-based agendas and ultimately improving health outcomes for people with disabilities in the Deep South and across the United States.