Research and Mentoring in the Clinical Epidemiology and Health Disparities of Cardiovascular Diseases and Hypertension

PROJECT SUMMARY Cardiovascular disease affects nearly half of all American adults. Achieving cardiovascular health is associated with lower mortality and morbidity, but modifying and adhering to health behaviors such as diet and other healthy lifestyle factors remain challenges to achieving it. Additionally, there are historically marginalized communities of individuals who suffer the greatest burdens of cardiovascular disease and are in urgent need of effective, pragmatic, and culturally appropriate interventions. To address these issues, we must train the next generation of patient-oriented investigators who are rigorously mentored in cardiovascular disease epidemiology, health equity, health disparities, and translational research methods; and who are committed to doing the work with cultural humility and a global perspective. This proposal focuses on necessary steps for developing a novel comprehensive and structured mentorship and research program that will support mentees. This K24 award will provide protected time for Dr. Cheryl Anderson, a mid-career clinical investigator who has her own independent peer- reviewed research support to recruit and mentor a diverse group of trainees in clinical cardiovascular epidemiology and health equity. Dr. Anderson proposes to facilitate a training environment that is rigorous, supportive, creative, and collaborative where mentees develop their research in a manner that capitalizes on her expertise and preserves their independent lines of research. The research program she proposes will build on her current grants and support her ability to pursue developing new skills in health equity and global policy and strategy. More specifically, the award will support the building of two new areas of research: 1) integration of the science of global policy and strategy into multilevel interventions to improve cardiovascular health, and 2) development of skills to train others to be effective change agents to disrupt health inequities via the creation of an “Advocacy Laboratory.” The environment for this K24 is the University of California San Diego, a world-class institution with extensive resources to support research that is patient-oriented and integrated with research in health equity and global policy and strategy.