Kentucky BIRCWH Program: Training the Next Generation of Women's Health Scholars

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ABSTRACT Over the past 20 years, the BIRCWH Program at the University of Kentucky (UK) has been extremely successful in creating a research environment to prepare early career scientists to develop the necessary skills to become independent NIH-supported researchers dedicated to improving women’s health. This administrative supplement will add a 5th BIRCWH scholar. Dr. JungHee Kang is currently a Post Doctoral Scholar at UK in our College of Nursing and mentored by Dr. Debra Moser. Under the direction of Dr. Moser, Dr. Kang focuses her research on reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among women caregivers. Relative to men, women are disproportionately represented in informal caregiver roles and handle the most challenging and stressful caregiving tasks. A focus on the health of caregivers is strategically important for both the patient and caregiver’s physical and mental health. Women caregivers are at increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to the stress of caring for their loved ones or friends and limited time for their own self-care such as eating a healthy diet, getting exercise, and stress management. Depression is a major risk factor for CVD; because caregiver responsibilities can increase stress, the risk of depression and anxiety is high in caregivers. Caregivers have substantially higher risk of developing depression than non- caregivers. Here we hypothesize that persistent psychological stress in caregivers can result in a monotonous diet, decreased diet quality, and depression, thereby increasing CVD risk or progression. To date, there has been no investigation of the mediating role of diet quality and depressive symptoms between caregiver stress and CVD risk in female or male caregivers. Data from a completed, 12-month, prospective, randomized controlled trial of female and male caregivers (n=311) will be used to test the following aims during the BIRCWH Post-Doctoral training. The purpose of the completed trial was to test an intervention (Rural Intervention for Caregivers Heart Health [RICHH]) designed to improve self-care of CVD risk factors among caregivers and decrease CVD risk. For this BIRCWH Post Doctoral Scholar, 2 specific aims are posed. Dr. Kang’s research has direct relevance for NIDA, UK BIRCWH’s funder, and her research addresses both sex differences and women’s health. Aim 1. Determine whether diet quality (including substance use) and depressive symptoms mediate the association between caregiver stress and CVD risk factors among female and male informal caregivers. Aim 2. Evaluate the longitudinal effect of RICHH on caregiver stress, diet quality, alcohol consumption, depressive symptoms, and CVD risk by sex among informal caregivers. Expected Impact: This mediational research will inform future development of dietary interventions to reduce CVD risk and to improve quality of life in caregivers by identifying the mechanisms of actions needed for effective intervention development. Training: his Administrative Supplement will provide training for Dr. Kang through the existing UK BIRCWH career development and mentorship program.