Development of evidence-based strategies to improve self-management of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases requires that investigators develop scientifically sound, rigorous research studies. Measuring biobehavioral outcomes of self-management of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases presents challenges to investigators entering this field of study. The University of Kentucky College of Nursing is doubling the size of the undergraduate program. Funding to hire eight additional faculty members who will have 50% release time for research has been approved by the Board of Regents. These new members, who will be investigators early in their research careers, will be hired over three years. Three of these members will start in the Fall of 2007. In addition, we have junior faculty (Darlene Welsh and Misook Chung) and established investigators (Ann Peden and Lynne Hall) on our faculty who are planning to join our cardiovascular and pulmonary research team (RICH Heart Program). The proposed Center will be ideally suited to assist these faculty members to develop programs of research in self-management of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. To meet the needs of current and future faculty members, the proposed Core will assist project investigators in the development and conduct of pilot/feasibility studies aimed at improving self-management of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases that include measurement of biobehavioral outcomes. Advice, training, and mentorship will be provided in research design as well as measurement and interpretation of three types of outcomes: 1) biobehavioral variables that demonstrate effectiveness of interventions (e.g., knowledge, psychological status, physiological status), 2) biobehavioral variables that demonstrate improvement in self-management behaviors (e.g., adherence, nutritional status, physiological status), and 3) biobehavioral variables that demonstrate improvement in clinical outcomes (e.g., physiological status, mortality, morbidity, and quality of life).
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