The purpose of the proposed predoctoral and postdoctoral training program is to prepare nurse researchers to develop and test theory-based nursing interventions to prevent and/or manage chronic illness in vulnerable populations. Interventions for these populations need to be multifaceted and include variables that characterize vulnerabilities and resilience. Indicators of vulnerability such as compromised physiological status, disparities in access to health care, poverty, and cultural beliefs about symptoms and treatment, and indicators of resilience such as optimism, religiosity, physiological conditioning, self esteem, support system and resources are likely to interact with characteristics of the subject and moderate the effectiveness of interventions. This traineeship program will include complex conceptualizations of intervention studies to include analysis of these variables as moderators of treatment benefit. Interventions will be based on theory and empirical evidence on the nature of treatable conditions, actions needed to attain expected effects, steps n the change process, and anticipated outcomes. Interdisciplinary collaboration is an important theme in both the pre-doctoral and post-doctoral programs. The predoctoral program will provide beginning researchers with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and test nursing interventions in areas in which problems have been widely studied. The program will build on the current nursing doctoral program by providing substantive content in the prevention and management of chronic illness, minority health issues and factors related to health disparities, advanced coursework on theories of chronic illness and intervention methods, research experience with ongoing studies, and a 9 credit area of concentration outside nursing and 6 credits of electives. A total of 20 predoctoral trainees will be supported over the 5-year project with each trainee supported for 2 years. Four predoctoral trainees from prior funding will be continuing for 1 year. The postdoctoral program will prepare investigators with the skills to conduct complex intervention studies that require an interdisciplinary perspective or sophisticated analytic techniques or novel conceptualizations. Understanding of vulnerable populations and heath care issues will be gained from coursework, research with the mentor and interdisciplinary programs on campus. Postdoctoral fellows will work with experienced faculty researchers on ongoing intervention and assessment studies of chronic illness, participate in an interdisciplinary post-doctoral training program in centers within the University, and develop an application for external funding. Ten post-doctoral fellows will be supported over 5 years, 2 each year. Two postdoctoral trainees will be continuing for one year from the prior funding cycle.
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