Dr. Chuang is a General Internist with the long-term career goal of being an independent investigator in the study of reproductive health for women with chronic medical conditions. With General Internal Medicine fellowship training and a Masters of Science in Epidemiology, she has developed the necessary groundwork to pursue the work described in this application. Her immediate goal during the proposed grant period is to conduct research on risk factors of unintended pregnancy in women with prevalent chronic conditions, specifically diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. To achieve this goal, she will work closely with mentors with expertise in reproductive health research, survey research, demography, social psychology, and longitudinal data analysis. She has developed a training program consisting of formal coursework and other activities that will allow her to develop her research skills to become an independent investigator in this area.
The aims of the research project are to compare 1) the future childbearing intentions, 2) contraceptive use, and 3) unintended pregnancy occurrence in women with and without chronic medical conditions.
These aims will be achieved through cross-sectional analysis of the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and longitudinal analysis of the Central Pennsylvania Women's Health Study, a unique ongoing prospective cohort study of pre-conceptional health. This quantitative work will be complemented by a focus group study to explore the meaning of childbearing intentions, risk perception of adverse pregnancy outcomes, and contraceptive use in women with chronic medical conditions. This research will begin to define how women with chronic medical conditions experience intended and unintended pregnancy. Since women with medical conditions are at increased risk for pregnancy-related morbidity and adverse pregnancy outcomes, avoidance of unintended pregnancy is critically important. The work proposed by the candidate is congruent with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development mission to ensure healthy and wanted pregnancies, and is a necessary first step toward reducing unintended pregnancies and promoting healthy pregnancy in this high-risk group of women.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
5K23HD051634-05
Application #
7902082
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHD1-DSR-W (AD))
Program Officer
Newcomer, Susan
Project Start
2006-09-11
Project End
2012-08-31
Budget Start
2010-09-01
Budget End
2012-08-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$119,070
Indirect Cost
Name
Pennsylvania State University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
129348186
City
Hershey
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
17033
Chuang, Cynthia H; Stengel, Michael R; Hwang, Sandra W et al. (2014) Behaviours of overweight and obese women during pregnancy who achieve and exceed recommended gestational weight gain. Obes Res Clin Pract 8:e577-83
McCall-Hosenfeld, Jennifer S; Weisman, Carol S; Perry, Amanda N et al. (2014) ""I Just Keep My Antennae Out"": How Rural Primary Care Physicians Respond to Intimate Partner Violence. J Interpers Violence 29:2670-2694
Tinloy, Jennifer; Chuang, Cynthia H; Zhu, Junjia et al. (2014) Exercise during pregnancy and risk of late preterm birth, cesarean delivery, and hospitalizations. Womens Health Issues 24:e99-e104
Kraschnewski, Jennifer L; Chuang, Cynthia H; Downs, Danielle Symons et al. (2013) Association of prenatal physical activity and gestational weight gain: results from the first baby study. Womens Health Issues 23:e233-8
Rosenwasser, Lara A; McCall-Hosenfeld, Jennifer S; Weisman, Carol S et al. (2013) Barriers to colorectal cancer screening among women in rural central Pennsylvania: primary care physicians' perspective. Rural Remote Health 13:2504
Abbasi, Shahed; Chuang, Cynthia H; Dagher, Rada et al. (2013) Unintended pregnancy and postpartum depression among first-time mothers. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 22:412-6
Chuang, Cynthia H; Hwang, Sandra W; McCall-Hosenfeld, Jennifer S et al. (2012) Primary care physicians' perceptions of barriers to preventive reproductive health care in rural communities. Perspect Sex Reprod Health 44:78-83
McCall-Hosenfeld, Jennifer S; Weisman, Carol S; Camacho, Fabian et al. (2012) Multilevel analysis of the determinants of receipt of clinical preventive services among reproductive-age women. Womens Health Issues 22:e243-51
Parisi, Sara M; Zikovich, Shannon; Chuang, Cynthia H et al. (2012) Primary care physicians' perceptions of rates of unintended pregnancy. Contraception 86:48-54
Stengel, Michael R; Kraschnewski, Jennifer L; Hwang, Sandra W et al. (2012) ""What my doctor didn't tell me"": examining health care provider advice to overweight and obese pregnant women on gestational weight gain and physical activity. Womens Health Issues 22:e535-40

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