Understanding Social Networks and Obesity-risk Behaviors Among Black Women

应聘者描述(由申请人提供)：应聘者南秀贤博士是一名助理教授和国家认证的成人护士从业人员，在患者自我管理、健康差距以及针对患有慢性病的不同种族/民族的成年人的社区研究方面拥有良好的基础。该应用程序的长期目标包括：(A)通过为不同种族/民族的成年人开发、实施、测试和评估自我管理和行为改变干预措施，改善肥胖相关疾病(如2型糖尿病)患者的预后；(B)开发针对肥胖症和2型糖尿病的有效社会网络干预措施；以及(C)向不同种族/民族的高危成年人传播可持续的社会网络干预措施，并在社区进行翻译。 鉴于黑人女性肥胖率很高，以及在当前社会环境下改善肥胖危险行为面临许多挑战，开发有效的肥胖干预措施应该是公共卫生的首要任务，并需要得到影响个人日常生活方式的社会网络的信息。这项建议的培训目标是：(1)培养社会网络理论、测量和社会网络研究设计方面的专门知识，并招募难以接触到的高危人群(卡尔·拉特金博士)；(2)培养以下方面的技能 (3)增加对黑人女性肥胖危险行为的理解(Robin Whittemore博士和Nancy Redeker博士)；以及(4)获得高级定性分析和混合方法方面的知识和经验(Holly Kennedy和Robin Whittemore博士)。研究建议包括三个与培训目标直接相关的具体目标：(1)研究青年或中年黑人女性的社会网络特征、肥胖危险行为(身体不活动、不健康饮食、睡眠不足)和肥胖(BMI：15-42 kg/m2)之间的关系；(2)研究黑人女性肥胖危险行为与其网络成员肥胖危险行为之间的关系，包括社会人口、临床、心理社会和环境因素；以及(3)探索黑人女性对社交网络如何影响她们的肥胖风险行为的看法，她们的社交网络的沟通渠道，以及如何利用社交网络来改善肥胖风险行为。这项建议建立在候选人之前为不同种族/民族的2型糖尿病成年人进行的自我管理和生活方式改变研究的基础上，但增加了更多关于肥胖危险行为背景下的社会网络研究方法的高级统计技能和知识，并引入了高级定性和混合方法研究。研究和培训计划、在社交网络研究、健康行为改变干预和与黑人人口合作方面拥有专业知识的导师团队，以及与社区领袖合作的机会，将为南秀贤博士提供专注的、跨学科的专业知识，并最大限度地发挥她作为独立研究员的能力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The candidate, Dr. Soohyun Nam, is an assistant professor and nationally certified adult nurse practitioner who has an excellent foundation in patient self-management, health disparities, and community-based research for adults of diverse race/ethnicity with chronic diseases. The long-term goals of this application include the following: (a) to improve outcomes for people with an obesity-related condition, such as type 2 diabetes by developing, implementing, testing, and evaluating self-management and behavioral change interventions for adults of diverse race/ethnicity; (b) to develop effective social network interventions targeting obesity and type 2 diabetes; and, (c) to disseminate sustainable social network interventions to high-risk adults of diverse race/ethnicity and translate in the community. Given the high prevalence of obesity among Black women and the many challenges in improving obesity-risk behaviors in the current social environment, developing effective obesity interventions should be a top public health priority and needs to be informed by the social networks which influence the individuals' daily lifestyle. The training goals of this proposal are to: (1) develop expertise in social network theory, measurement and social network study design and recruitment of hard-to-reach at risk population (Dr. Carl Latkin); (2) develop skills in social network analysis (Dr. Trace Kershaw); (3) increase understanding of physical activity, diet and sleep as obesity-risk behaviors among Black women (Drs. Robin Whittemore and Nancy Redeker); and (4) gain knowledge and experience in advanced qualitative analysis and mixed methods (Drs. Holly Kennedy and Robin Whittemore). The research proposal includes three specific aims relating directly to the training goals: (1) to examine the relationships among characteristics of social networks, obesity-risk behaviors (physical inactivity, unhealthy eating, sleep deprivation), and obesity (BMI, body fat, waist/hip circumferences) among young or middle-aged Black women (BMI:15-42 kg/m2); (2) to examine the relationships between obesity-risk behaviors of Black women and their network members' obesity- risk behaviors, accounting for sociodemographic, clinical, psychosocial, and environmental factors; and (3) to explore Black women's perceptions of how social networks influence their obesity-risk behaviors, the communication channels of their social networks, and how social networks could be utilized to improve obesity- risk behaviors. This proposal builds on the candidate's previous work on self-management and lifestyle change research for adults of diverse race/ethnicity with type 2 diabetes, but adds more advanced statistical skills and knowledge of social network research methodologies in the context of obesity-risk behaviors, and an introduction to advanced qualitative and mixed methods research. The research and training plan, the team of mentors who have expertise in social network research, health behavior change interventions, and working with the Black population as well as the opportunity to work with community leaders will provide Dr. Soohyun Nam with focused, interdisciplinary expertise and maximize her capacity as an independent investigator.