I, Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD, am a physician and health policy researcher who is passionately committed to pursuing a meaningful career in clinical research by translating research findings into better care for patients. The NHLBI K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award will provide me with the additional training I need to achieve this goal, thus maximizing my contribution to patients' lives I completed a PhD in Health Policy during medical school and my primary research interest relates to the use of clinical decision-analysis to improve the care of patients evaluated and treated for coronary heart disease (CHD) and other chronic diseases. My interest in this area has grown out of my own personal experience with diagnostic uncertainty and also from my experience caring for patients evaluated for new, life-changing diseases. I have published prior studies in this area, some of which has been cited in clinical guidelines issued by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.
The specific aims of this proposal involve developing patient-centered approaches to diagnosing CHD that improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce unnecessary testing and radiation exposure, and incorporate the impact of false-positive stress test results on patients' anxiety, perception of illness, and quality of life These aims significantly extend prior work in this area and involve (1) primary analyses of electronic health records from Geisinger Health System that inform clinical and demographic characteristics of this patient population; (2) development of epidemiological models of follow-up management and Bayesian models of diagnostic test performance that adjust for verification bias (this has not previously been done in this type of work); (3) qualitative interviews of patiens in focus groups to better understand the impact of false-positive test results on quality of life, followed by survey research informed by these interviews; and (4) development of a clinical decision-analysis model that combines all of the above elements and informs optimal approaches to evaluation and treatment. [The overall hypothesis that drives my work is the belief that patient-centered approaches to diagnosing CHD can improve diagnostic accuracy while reducing patient harms. The clinical decision-analysis model I propose to build in Aim 3 will permit formal evaluation of this hypothesis.] With the supervision and mentorship of Scott Braithwaite, MD, MSc (primary mentor), Judith Hochman, MD (co-mentor), Donna Shelley, MD (co-mentor), David Carey, PhD (co-mentor), Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MS, MPH, FACP (co-mentor), and Pamela Douglas, MD (advisor); participation in seminars and workshops at New York University (NYU); and formal coursework, I will receive the training I need to develop into an independent investigator. The specific methodological skills that will enable me to complete my training and research objectives constitute a combination of quantitative and qualitative training, including epidemiological training in survival analysis, clinical informatics training to leverage the powerful tool of EHR for research, qualitative methods in the performance and analysis of patient focus groups, and survey research. I will also benefit from additional training in advanced clinical decision-analysis, computer modeling techniques, model calibration, and validation. My coursework will be completed at NYU's Graduate School of Arts and Science; Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development; Stern School of Business; and the School of Medicine. My career goals are consistent with NHLBI's mission to promote the prevention and treatment of heart disease and enhance the health of all individuals, and I have a highly supportive team of mentors to supervise and direct my training. I believe the K23 will provide me with the training and mentorship I need to develop into an independent investigator.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed research is relevant to public health because the findings will support the dissemination of approaches to improve screening, diagnosis, and clinical management of patients evaluated for coronary heart disease, while reducing risks from excessive radiation and unnecessary testing. The proposed research is relevant to the part of NHLBI's mission that seeks to promote treatment of heart disease to improve individuals' quality of life and longevity.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
7K23HL116787-04
Application #
9107902
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHL1-CSR-X (M1))
Program Officer
Aviles-Santa, Larissa
Project Start
2013-08-01
Project End
2018-07-31
Budget Start
2016-08-20
Budget End
2017-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
$174,390
Indirect Cost
$12,918
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
092530369
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
Ladapo, Joseph A; Spritzer, Charles E; Nguyen, Xuan V et al. (2018) Economics of MRI Operations After Implementation of Interpersonal Skills Training. J Am Coll Radiol 15:1775-1783
Ladapo, Joseph A; Pfeifer, John M; Choy-Shan, Alana A et al. (2017) Association of Patient Beliefs and Preferences With Subsequent Testing After Initial Evaluation for Ischemic Heart Disease. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 10:1076-1078
Berger, Jeffrey S; Ladapo, Joseph A (2017) Underuse of Prevention and Lifestyle Counseling in Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease. J Am Coll Cardiol 69:2293-2300
Ladapo, Joseph A; Coles, Adrian; Dolor, Rowena J et al. (2017) Quantifying sociodemographic and income disparities in medical therapy and lifestyle among symptomatic patients with suspected coronary artery disease: a cross-sectional study in North America. BMJ Open 7:e016364
Ladapo, Joseph A; Bogart, Laura M; Klein, David J et al. (2016) Cost and Cost-Effectiveness of Students for Nutrition and eXercise (SNaX). Acad Pediatr 16:247-53
Ladapo, Joseph A; Prochaska, Judith J (2016) Paying Smokers to Quit: Does It Work? Should We Do It? J Am Coll Cardiol 68:786-8
Ladapo, Joseph A; Elliott, Marc N; Kanouse, David E et al. (2016) Firearm Ownership and Acquisition Among Parents With Risk Factors for Self-Harm or Other Violence. Acad Pediatr 16:742-749
Blecker, Saul; Katz, Stuart D; Ladapo, Joseph A et al. (2016) In reply. Ann Emerg Med 67:792-793
Ladapo, Joseph A; Blecker, Saul; Douglas, Pamela S (2016) Appropriateness of cardiac stress test use among primary care physicians and cardiologists in the United States. Int J Cardiol 203:584-6
Ladapo, Joseph A; Hoffmann, Udo; Lee, Kerry L et al. (2016) Changes in Medical Therapy and Lifestyle After Anatomical or Functional Testing for Coronary Artery Disease. J Am Heart Assoc 5:

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