Cardiovascular Disease Research Training Program in Haiti

摘要 心血管疾病(CVD)是最常见的非传染性疾病，也是引起心血管疾病的主要原因 这是海地发病率和死亡率的最高水平。在过去的十年里，它已经超过了传染病。高血压 (HTN)是海地成年人中最常见的心血管疾病危险因素，其发病时间比 在美国的美国黑人中。HTN在海地的潜在驱动因素包括社会决定因素，如 极端贫困、粮食不安全、高盐饮食、心理压力，以及环境污染，如 与高铅暴露一样。与此同时，海地的艾滋病毒流行率仍然是该区域最高的，有超过 35%的HIV感染者患有HTN。为了遏制这一令人震惊的心血管疾病流行病，海地迫切需要心血管疾病。 对青年调查员和研究人员进行研究培训，以提高其开展研究的能力 跨学科、有影响力的心血管疾病研究。 这项建议建立在该小组在海地进行的NIH研究和Fogarty培训的大约40年历史的基础上 传染病机会主义者(GHESKIO)及其美国合作伙伴威尔·康奈尔 医学。康奈尔-GHESKIO的伙伴关系始于对艾滋病毒的关注，自2015年以来已扩大到 解决海地的心血管疾病疫情。我们已经建立了一个强大的基础，有8个活跃的NIH和基金会赠款 在心血管疾病研究和创建GHESKIO非传染性疾病临床和研究单位。我们现在需要培训一名 专业心血管疾病研究人员的熟练劳动力，他们可以扩大海地的研究组合并转变为 将研究成果转化为实践。 这一培训计划的目标是加强研究，最终改善与心血管疾病相关的 海地和世界的健康结果。我们的三个培训目标包括：1)提供长期的指导 在奎斯奎亚大学通过公共卫生硕士课程对8名海地临床医生科学家进行心血管疾病研究培训 指导海地的心血管疾病研究；2)在心血管疾病知识和技术方面培训24名中期研究人员 通过由海地和国际教员教授的为期一年的新的CVD核心研究课程掌握研究技能； 3)建立由6家CVD诊所组成的CVD实施网络，以增加对CVD的吸收、优化和 海地高影响力心血管疾病干预措施的评价。网络诊所的工作人员将有机会 短期培训，包括每月参加CVD大赛和参加为期一周的培训 CVD核心研究课程中的讲习班。此外，我们还将赞助一年一度的全国CVD 研究会议，重点是学员领导力和职业发展。拟议的计划是 海地第一个CVD研究培训计划，带来了CVD课程的创新，新的研究 导师和教职员工，以及一个在全球范围内建设心血管干预实施能力的平台 国家。我们致力于在海地培训下一代心血管疾病研究人员。

ABSTRACT Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common non-communicable disease and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Haiti. It has surpassed infectious diseases over the past decade. Hypertension (HTN) is the single most common CVD risk factor in Haitian adults and its onset is 10-20 years earlier than among Black Americans in the US. Potential drivers of HTN in Haiti include social determinants such as extreme poverty, food insecurity, a high salt diet, psychological stress, and also environmental pollutants such as high lead exposure. Concurrently, Haiti continues to have the highest HIV prevalence in the region with over 35% of persons living with HIV having HTN. To curb this alarming CVD epidemic, Haiti urgently needs CVD research training for both young investigators and research staff in order to increase its capacity to conduct interdisciplinary, impactful CVD research. This proposal builds on a ~40-year history in Haiti of NIH research and Fogarty training by the Groupe d’Etude du Sarcome et des Infections Opportunistes (GHESKIO) and its US collaborating partner, Weill Cornell Medicine. The Cornell-GHESKIO partnership began with a focus on HIV and since 2015 has expanded to address the CVD epidemic in Haiti. We have built a strong foundation with 8 active NIH and foundation grants in CVD research and the creation of the GHESKIO NCD Clinical and Research Unit. We now need to train a skilled workforce of specialized CVD researchers who can expand Haiti’s research portfolio and transform research findings into practice. The goal of this training program is to strengthen research that will ultimately improve CVD-related health outcomes in Haiti and the world. Our three training objectives include: 1) to provide long-term mentored CVD research training to 8 Haitian clinician scientists through MPH coursework at Quisqueya University with mentored CVD research in Haiti; 2) to train 24 medium-term research staff in CVD knowledge and technical research skills through a new 1-year CVD Core Research Course taught by Haitian and international faculty; and 3) to establish a CVD Implementation Network of 6 CVD clinics to increase the uptake, optimization, and evaluation of high-impact CVD interventions in Haiti. Staff at the Network clinics will have opportunities for short-term training including participation in monthly CVD Grand Rounds and participation in 1-week workshops within the CVD Core Research Course. In addition, we will sponsor an annual national CVD Research Conference with a focus on trainee leadership and career development. The proposed program is the first CVD research training program in Haiti and brings innovation in CVD coursework, new research mentors and faculty, and a platform for building implementation capacity for CVD interventions across the country. We are committed to training the next generation of CVD researchers in Haiti.