Center of Excellence to Build the Science of Self-Management: A Systems Approach

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The proposed center of excellence, Self-Management Advancement through Research and Translation (SMART), is supported by a strong interprofessional group of researchers with programs of research and expertise in self-management science across several levels of system: individual, family, organization, and community. The aims of the SMART Center are: (1) Expand knowledge related to self-management through coordinated, interdisciplinary investigations of self-management in the context of the individual, family, organization, and community; (2) Serve as a national leader in research and dissemination of research findings to the scientific community to expand knowledge related to self-management and provide new directions for research; (3) Diffuse knowledge into clinical practice and policy to enhance the use of self-management strategies to improve the health, function and quality of life of individuals. The SMART Center will prepare a critical mass of researchers to extend and disseminate this knowledge, contribute to the development of emerging biobehavioral research methods, focus on critical issues related to health disparities, and incorporate economic considerations as part of their research. The SMART Center is founded on an initial research base of 16 faculty from 7 disciplines (8 nursing faculty) who have well-established programs of research that address self-management, encompassing all system levels. Additionally, 4 pilot studies of researchers new to self-management research are described, with plans to complete at least 2 more pilot studies during the project period. We also have identified 10 recently or soon-to-be-completed studies related to self-management interventions that will form the base for our initial dissemination and translation activities. A unique set of infrastructure support services offered by the SMART Center are organized in four Cores: (1) Administrative, (2) Scholarship & Mentoring, (3) Methods & Statistics, and (4) Dissemination & Translation. In addition to the interdisciplinary set of researchers and research base, strategic collaborations have been formed with several university and community Centers of Excellence to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and sharing of research expertise and knowledge related to self-management. A major goal of this application was not to replicate, but rather to expand, the research infrastructure support by offering new services to researchers in the SMART Center and the collaborating university centers. Examples of these services are expertise in item response theory (IRT) and its applications to support the national NIH PROMIS initiative, increased access of researchers to health economists, and a systematic research mentor training program. We also have an established Center for Evidence-based Practice that will provide expertise to the SMART Center investigators for knowledge synthesis and dissemination and translation into practice. A thorough evaluation of process and outcomes will assist us to measure our success and promote sustainability of the SMART Center.