This is a 5 year competitive renewal application of the Hawai'i EXPORT Center (NEC; P20 MD173) which seeks to establish a new Center for Native and Pacific Health Disparities Research. The proposed Center will serve as a regional focal point for research, research training and community engagement aimed at cardiometabolic health & health disparities among Native Hawaiians (NHs), Alaska Natives (ANs) & other Pacific Peoples (PPs) including Filipinos, Samoans, & Tongans, etc. Cardiometabolic risk encompasses the clustering of risk factors, such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, central adiposity & insulin resistance, which predisposes individuals to cardiovascular disease (CVD) & Type 2 diabetes (DM-2). Among NHs, ANs & PPs, cardiometabolic morbidity & mortality exceeds rates in the general U.S. population & recent studies suggest that racial/ethnic misclassification or aggregation may even be masking the magnitude of cardiometaboliclifornia. The Center's specific aims are to: 1) Refine the Center's administrative & fiscal infrastructure to synerqize research studies, research training and community partnerships focused on NHs, ANs & PPs cardiometabolic health and health disparities. 2) Conduct hypothesis-driven research on cardiometabolic disparities of high scientific merit & community priority to NHs, ANs & PPs. 3) Mentor investigators to conduct innovative research studies & embark on careers that will contribute to reducing cardiometabolic disparities in NHs, ANs & PPs. 4) Use CBPR approaches that foster co-learning processes for conducting scientific research on cardiometabolic health & health disparities in NHs, ANs & PPs. The Center will feature three 5-yr studies: 1) The HULA Study: is a randomized control trial comparing a hula intervention to usual care in patient's post-CABG surgery. 2) The Metabolic Syndrome (MS) study in Filipino, NH and Samoan Youth: is an epidemiological study that will charactern triglyceride & apo-B lipoprotin regulation using in vivo animal models. A robust program of Research Training and Mentorship will serve to 'incubate' new & emerging investigators pursuing careers in health disparities research. Community engagement projects in Hawai'i & California will assess optimal strategies for health information dissemination & participation among NH, AN & PP communities to improve cardiometabolic health & eliminate health disparities. In summary, the Center for Native and Pacific Health Disparities Research proposes to build on the success of the HEC & will improve and expand its partnerships with Alaska & California using CBPR approaches that combines both community wisdom & scientific rigor to advance the evidence-base on cardiometabolic health & health disparities among NHs, ANs & PPs. The public health impact of the Center's activities is the potential to add new insights into the growing epidemic of obesity, DM-2 and CVD risk. ? ? ? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Showing the most recent 10 out of 125 publications
