Racial/ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes and its associated complications. Research shows that racial/ethnic minorities present with more advance disease, are less likely to achieve glycemic control, and are more likely to experience adverse outcomes such as amputation and nephropathy. Findings from prevention and intervention studies demonstrate the effectiveness of early intervention methods, including lifestyle modifications and medication, in delaying or preventing at-risk individuals from progressing to overt disease. The early identification of at-risk individuals is therefore essential to reduce diabetes burden in racial/ethnic and other populations. Few methods currently exist for the early identification of individuals at increased risk for the development of diabetes. The proposed study aims to identify novel methods of identification through the integration of genetic and behavioral markers of diabetes risk in the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network Cohort, an existing community-dwelling cohort in Region II. The development and testing of novel identification methods, using integrated data, advances efforts to apply precision medicine to improve population health and reduce racial/ethnic disparities.
| Wang, K H; Thompson, T A; Galusha, D et al. (2018) Non-communicable chronic diseases and timely breast cancer screening among women of the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) Cohort Study. Cancer Causes Control 29:315-324 |
| Oladele, Carol; Thompson, Terri-Ann; Zhang, Elizabeth R et al. (2017) Population-Based Surveillance for Cardiovascular Disease in the Caribbean: Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Approaches. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep 11: |
