Call for proposals. Pilots and feasibilities studies (pdf document)
Deadline: March 15, 2004

Current Pilot Projects

Pilot 1: Body Image in African American Breast Cancer Survivors
     Principal Investigator: Chanita Hughes, PhD, University of Pennsylvania

About 56% to 75% of breast cancer patients gain weight following treatment and African American breast cancer survivors are at significantly greater risk for experiencing this treatment-related side effect. The aim of this formative pilot study is to evaluate the sensitivity and acceptability of existing body image assessment tools (i.e., figure rating scales) among African American breast cancer survivors. We predict that existing figure rating scales will have less sensitivity and acceptability among African American breast cancer survivors who have received surgical breast cancer treatment compared to survivors who received non-surgical treatment. Subjects eligible (n=20) to participate in the study include African American breast cancer survivors who were at least 21 years of age at diagnosis and who have completed all breast cancer treatment. Four focus groups with five African American breast cancer survivors per group will be conducted to understand African American breast cancer survivors' body image perceptions and responses (i.e., acceptability) to existing figure rating scales. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data analyses will be conducted to characterize the study population, and to describe body image perceptions and attributions about changes in body size and image.

Pilot 2: Improved Statistical Analysis of Diverse Populations (Shults).
    Principal Investigator: Justine Shults, PhD, University of Pennsylvania

Community based interventions can reduce the risk and overall mortality and morbidity of diseases such as coronary heart disease (CHD) and cancer. They are especially important for African Americans, who are at increased risk for a wide range of negative health conditions, including obesity and obesity related diseases. This pilot study will develop more efficient methods for analysis of longitudinal studies using generalized estimating equation methodology. It will strengthen our foundation for a full research program to improve understanding from longitudinal studies in diverse populations, through improved analytic techniques. Our primary aims are to: (1) develop more efficient, and informative methods for analysis in longitudinal studies and community-based interventions, by developing guidelines for selecting the most appropriate correlation structure when implementing generalized estimating equations (GEE) and GEE based methodology; (2) apply our methods in analyses of several studies in African-American Populations at the University of Pennsylvania, to further refine and tailor their development to the characteristics of data for diverse populations and to answer new questions that our methods make possible; and (3) compare and contrast our approaches with methods based on random effects models, via simulations and data analyses.

Pilot 3: Neighborhood Context and Social Disparities in Weight Outcomes
    Principal Investigator: Virginia W. Chang, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania

Pilot 4: Healthy Choices for Urban Youth: Nutrition Education Through Self-designed Video Games
    Principal Investigator: Barry G. Silverman, PhD, University of Pennsylvania
    Co-Investigator: Jahanagir Pourdehnad, PhD, University of Pennsylvania

Pilot 5: Neighborhood GIS for Environmental Health
    Principal Investigator: Marilyn Murphy, MA, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
    Co-Investigators: Dennis Culhane, PhD, University of Pennsylvania

Current Feasibility Studies

Feasibility of Long-term Examination of Health, Wellness, and Related Behaviors Among Students Enrolled at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
    Principal Investigator: Greg Smith, EdD, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
    Co-Investigator: Kimberly Baldwin, MS, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

(c) 2003 center for clinical epidemiology and biostatistics · export-study@cceb.med.upenn.edu