Native-Controlling Hypertension And Risk through Technology (Native-CHART) is organized as an Administrative Core, a Methodology Core, a Consortium Core, and a Dissemination Core. The Administrative Core will be directed by Principal Investigator (PI) Dedra Buchwald, MD, who is a Professor at Washington State University and is nationally recognized for her research and leadership in areas relevant to this RFA. She will be joined by Co-PI Spero Manson, PhD, who directs the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health at the University of Colorado Denver. Both institutions excel in administration, methods, scholarship, and dissemination, and maintain efforts to understand and eliminate health disparities among traditionally underserved populations. Together they have formidable strengths in community-based participatory research, innovative community education and outreach efforts, multilevel interventions, and field work with American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NHPI) populations. This Core will direct and support the 3 Intervention Projects, the 3 other Cores, and the Satellite Centers that comprise Native-CHART. It will manage, coordinate, and supervise all activities; monitor progress; ensure that plans are implemented; and verify that Native-CHART research complies with applicable Federal regulations and policies.
Our Specific Aims are to: 1) support logistical and field operations, such as coordinating meetings and travel, across Projects, Cores, Satellite Centers, and academic and community partnerships; 2) oversee a management plan that stimulates, coordinates, integrates, and monitors activities and functions; 3) supervise implementation of key strategic decisions; 4) facilitate implementation of research regulatory processes, data sharing plans, and transfer of data; 5) collaborate on program planning, review, and evaluation; and 6) convene committees, such as the Native- CHART Executive Committee, Steering Committee, Working Group, Data Safety and Monitoring Board, and Community Action Board. Not all of these committees will be resourced or implemented by the Administrative Core, but their work will be coordinated and facilitated through this Core. The Executive Committee will include the PIs and Leaders of Cores and Intervention Projects. The Steering Committee will include the PIs, representatives from the Satellite Centers, 2 external members, and the NIMHD Program Officials and Scientist(s). The Community Action Board will offer guidance on local and national concerns, especially cultural issues. The Data Safety and Monitoring Board will monitor studies and review adverse events. These committees will ensure Native-CHART?s activities align with its mission, scientific aims, and pertinent regulatory and compliance mandates.
The elimination of health disparities related to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and stroke is a national priority. Few institutions have the expertise or infrastructure needed to address the challenges of such work in minority communities. Our team is well prepared to join these communities in conducting successful, culturally appropriate, research that will help in the battle against these common and serious conditions, as well as their risk factors and consequences.
