DISABILITY PREVENTION FOR MOBILITY IMPAIRED OLDER ADULTS

描述(由申请者提供)：本次指导式公共卫生研究科学家发展奖的候选人是一名初级研究员，他计划建立一个独立的研究生涯，研究物理环境对老年残疾人士的影响。拟议的职业发展计划建立在候选人现有的临床和研究优势的基础上，以发展公共卫生研究方法、健康成果和衰老生物学方面的专业知识。该培训计划旨在促进在一个高生产率和科学丰富的学术环境中提高独立性。为满足候选人的学习需求和研究兴趣而量身定做的教学课程将获得公共卫生硕士学位。在指导和咨询委员会的指导下，PI将进行一项研究研究，旨在为多点临床试验提供初步数据。这一辅导性培训的目标是从这个项目中脱颖而出，成为一名独立的调查员，拥有既定的出版物记录和完全资助的研究项目。该培训计划的研究部分是为了应对老龄化成年人的激增而开发的，这些人寿命更长，但患有更多慢性病。有希望的初步研究表明，环境支持可以预防与衰老相关的残疾，并可能导致改善健康结果。这项拟议的研究将检验家庭改造的临床干预的有效性。这项研究的目的是：1)客观评估研究人群的体力活动水平；2)确定环境调整干预措施是否可以改善研究人群的功能表现；3)确定必要的环境调整的类型和剂量，以优化研究人群的活动绩效；以及4)确定将研究结果转化为国家计划的可行性。将进行一项随机对照试验，以考察环境支持如何影响90名患有行动障碍的慢性病老年人的功能表现、与健康相关的生活质量和体力活动水平。这些发现将被用于设计一项多点随机对照试验(R01)，并将被转化为公共卫生从业者的干预战略，以改善家庭的可及性，并减少患有行动障碍的慢性病老年人的残疾。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The candidate for this Mentored Public Health Research Scientist Development Award is a junior investigator who plans to establish an independent research career studying the influence of the physical environment on older adults with disabilities. The proposed career development plan builds on the candidate's existing clinical and research strengths to develop expertise in public health research methods, health outcomes, and the biology of aging. The training program is designed to promote increasing independence in a highly productive and scientifically enriched academic environment. Didactic coursework, tailored to meet the learning needs and research interests of the candidate, will result in a M.S. in Public Health. Under the direction of a mentoring and advisory committee, the PI will conduct a research study designed to provide preliminary data for a multi site clinical trial. The goal of this mentored training period is to emerge from this program as an independent investigator with an established record of publications and a fully funded program of research. The research component of this training program was developed in response to the surge of aging adults who are living longer, but with more chronic conditions. Promising preliminary research suggest that environmental support can prevent aging-related disability and potentially lead to improved health outcomes. The proposed study will examine the efficacy of a clinical intervention of home modifications. The aims of this study are to 1) objectively assess physical activity levels in the study population; 2) determine if an environmental modification intervention can improve functional performance in the study population; 3) determine the type and dose of the environmental modification necessary to optimize activity performance for the study population; and 4) determine feasibility of translating findings into a national program. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted to examine how environmental support influences functional performance, health related quality of life and physical activity levels of 90 chronically diseased older adults with mobility impairments. The findings will be used to design a multi site randomized controlled trial (R01)and will be translated into intervention strategies for public health practitioners to improve accessibility in homes and lead to decreased disability among chronically diseased older adults with mobility impairments.