The purpose of this application is to enable this candidate to become an independent research scientist by providing an intensive, supervised career development experience in the investigation of the moderating role of mobility impairment, specifically spinal cord injury (SCI) on the relationship of menopause and physical and behavioral outcomes. Guiding this career development plan are the candidate's co-mentors, accomplished investigators in menopause, SCI and rehabilitation research with well-established track records as successful, independent NIH investigators. This award will provide the candidate with advanced scientific training in the conduct of clinical research trials by enrolling in a two-year K30 Training Program in Clinical Research, with additional coursework in the School of Public Health and the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. Coursework will include cohort and case-controlled designs, randomized clinical trials, survey research, health policy, epidemiological research, biostatistics, qualitative methods and training in the responsible conduct of research. Training in the clinical and biological aspects of SCI includes a SCI Fellowship Lectures Series in the anatomy and pathophysiology of SCI and weekly SCI physiology lab meetings. This plan also provides the candidate with an opportunity to conduct a preliminary research project reflecting her long-term career goals. Research recommendations of NIH Office of Research on Women's Health for addressing the needs of underserved populations are reflected in these proposed studies. Using longitudinal survey and physiological data, three studies are designed to test the general hypothesis that SCI will moderate the impact of menopause by potentiating its negative effects on physical, behavioral and physiological outcomes. Non-disabled women and men with SCI will serve as important control groups to distinguish the effects of SCI on menopause and menopause on SCI using a longitudinal design. Study 1 will determine the occurrence and severity of menopause symptoms and their impact on secondary conditions and behavioral outcomes in women with SCI. Study 2 will determine the effect of menstruation cessation on physiological outcomes in women with SCI. Using a phenomenological tradition of qualitative methodology, Study 3 will explore the experience of menopause in women with SCI from a personal perspective. This proposed research will be conducted at an academic institution with a well established GCRC, Center for Excellence in Women's Health, SCI Exercise Physiology Laboratory, outpatient SCI clinics, and access to national databases for SCI. Findings will be used to write an R03 application during training in preparation for submission of an R01 application during year 5 of training.
| Kalpakjian, Claire Z; Quint, Elisabeth H; Bushnik, Tamara et al. (2010) Menopause characteristics and subjective symptoms in women with and without spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 91:562-9 |
