This is an application for the K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award for Suzanne Pollard, PhD, MSPH. Dr. Pollard has shown great promise as a young investigator, and has experience conducting research in epidemiology and chronic disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, she is now proposing to gain expertise in implementation science and requires additional training and mentorship to do so. Her overall career goal is to become an independent investigator in the implementation of evidence-based interventions for chronic respiratory diseases, and this award will provide Dr. Pollard with the support and training to accomplish this goal. She has assembled an experienced mentorship team including: Dr. William Checkley (Primary Mentor, Chronic Respiratory Diseases), Associate Professor (JHU); Dr. Adithya Cattamanchi (Co-Mentor, Implementation Science), Associate Professor (UCSF); Dr. Pamela Surkan (Co- Mentor, Mixed Methods), Associate Professor (JHU); and Dr. Lawrence Moulton (Co-Mentor, Quasi- experimental Designs), Professor (JHU). Through a combination of close mentorship, formal coursework, and practical experience, Dr. Pollard proposes to accomplish the following training goals: 1) Advanced training in implementation science; 2) Advanced training in mixed methods; and 3) Advanced training in causal inference and experimental and quasi-experimental study designs. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, and household air pollution (HAP) caused by use of biomass fuels is the leading risk factor for COPD in LMICs. The WHO recommends promotion and exclusive use of clean fuel technologies, such as liquefied propane gas (LPG) stoves, to reduce HAP to within safe levels and mitigate the burden of chronic respiratory diseases. However, there are myriad barriers to achieving exclusive use of clean fuels. Thus, multi-faceted, systematically designed intervention strategies that effectively target multiple barriers are urgently needed. Dr. Pollard proposes to design, test, and pilot a multi-faceted intervention strategy for promotion of LPG stoves in Puno, Peru. She proposes to determine if a multi-faceted intervention strategy, to include vouchers for LPG fuel, is more effective than LPG vouchers alone in achieving adoption of clean fuels. She also proposes to estimate effect sizes for differences in respiratory outcomes and quality of life between these two approaches. Results from this study will generate preliminary data to compete for an R01-level award to conduct an implementation-effectiveness hybrid trial in multiple communities and determine the effect on adoption and respiratory outcomes.
Household air pollution, caused by biomass fuel use, is the leading risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in low- and middle-income countries. Multi-faceted interventions to promote clean fuel technologies, such as liquefied propane gas (LPG), have the potential to substantially reduce the burden of chronic respiratory disease, and other non-communicable diseases, worldwide. We propose to design and pilot a multi-faceted intervention strategy to promote use of LPG in rural communities in the Peruvian highlands.
| Pollard, Suzanne L; Williams, Kendra N; O'Brien, Carolyn J et al. (2018) An evaluation of the Fondo de Inclusión Social Energético program to promote access to liquefied petroleum gas in Peru. Energy Sustain Dev 46:82-93 |
