Research
Principal Investigator: Jamie Zoellner
Co-PIs: Kathleen Porter, Emma Mitchell
Goals of project: 1) Build and strengthen the research capacity among members of two Community Action Teams, focused on Cancer Prevention and Early Detection. 2) Identify actionable, cancer priorities based on existing local data and stakeholder/patient input. 3) Plan and mobilize resources for cancer control research projects in rural, southwest Virginia communities.
Funding Source: Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Funding Time Frame: 2018 – 2020
Contact person for project: Lindsay Hauser; LH7YN@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Roger Anderson
Co-PIs: Emma Mitchell, Jessica Malpass
Collaborators: Electra Paskett (Ohio State University), Mark Dignan (University of Kentucky), Stephenie Kennedy (West Virginia University)
Goals of project: 1) Test the effectiveness of an integrated cervical cancer prevention program consisting of three established intervention components, designed to address three causes of cervical cancer in a region with one of the highest cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates in the US; 2) Evaluate the impact of the cervical cancer prevention program including implementation and acceptability, with attention to both short- and long-term impact and sustainability at clinics.
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute
Funding Time Frame: 2019 – 2024
Contact person for project: Lindsay Hauser; LH7YN@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Jamie Zoellner
Co-PIs: Wendy Cohn, Kathleen Porter, Roger Anderson
Collaborators: James Werth and Tom Roatsey at Stone Mountain Health Systems
Goals of project: 1) Build research capacity among a multidisciplinary Cancer Control Leadership Team from SMHS and the UVA Cancer Center, aimed at increasing and sustaining CRC screening rates among rural residents in Southwest Virginia. 2) Assess and understand system-level and patient-level barriers and opportunities to CRC screening. 3) Plan for the feasibility testing of an evidence-based CRC screening program integrated into SMHS’ clinics.
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute
Funding Time Frame: 2018 – 2019
Contact person for project: Erin Kennedy; emk2fz@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Kathleen Porter
Co-PIs: Jamie Zoellner, Virginia LeBaron
Clinch Valley Medical Center: Sarah Ramey
CCWW SWVA Community Advisory Board members: Dianne Morris, Marilyn Maxwell, Deb Clarkston, Zilipah Cruz, Margie Tomann
Goals of project: This pilot project proposes community-based participatory approach to identify and evaluate the feasibility of an evidenced-based behavioral intervention that targets modifiable behaviors associated with cancer recurrence (e.g., nutrition, physical activity, tobacco use) in southwest Virginia.
Funding Source: UVA Cancer Center
Funding Time Frame: 2018 – 2019
Contact person for project: Kathleen Porter; kjp9c@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Pam Deguzmen
Co-PIs: Mark Jameson
Collaborators: Emily Couric Cancer Center (Debbie Lewandowski, Allen Cupp, Christi Sheffield), Uva Office of Telemedicine (Brian Dunn)
Goals of project: To determine feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a nurse-led telemedicine intervention delivered to head and neck cancer survivors approximately 6 weeks following treatment completion.
Funding Source: UVA Cancer Center
Funding Time Frame: 2018 – 2020
Contact person for project: Pam DeGuzman; deguzman@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Jamie Zoellner
Co-PIs: Kathleen Porter, Wen You, Phillip Chow, Lee Ritterband
Goals of Project: To determine the effectiveness of Kids SIPsmartER in improving sugar-sweetened beverages behaviors among 7th grade students. Secondary aims are to determine (1) changes in secondary student outcomes (e.g. quality of life, BMI z-score, theory-related variables, health and media literacy), (2) changes in caregiver SSB behaviors and home environment, (3) maintenance of outcomes at 19-months post-baseline, (4) assess the reach and representativeness of Kids SIPsmartER, among students and caregivers, and (5) implementation, adoption, and maintenance among teachers and schools.
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health, National Institutes for Minority Health and Health Disparities
Funding Time Frame: 2018 – 2023
Contact person for project: Annie Loyd; aml8ap@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Philip Chow
Co-PIs: Wendy Cohn, Shayna Showalter, Matt Gerber
Goals of project: 1) Examine the feasibility and acceptability of a smartphone based mental health intervention; 2) Examine the preliminary efficacy of the intervention in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety; 3) Examine the potential usefulness of smartphone-based sensor data in determining breast cancer patients’ mood, to reduce the burden of self-report.
Funding Source: UVA Center for Engineering in Medicine
Funding Time Frame: 2017 – 2019
Contact person for project: Phil Chow; pic2u@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Virginia LeBaron
Co-PIs: John Lach
Collaborators: UVA Cancer Center
Goals of project: 1) Test the ability of a smart health in-home sensing system called Behavioral and Environmental Sensing Intervention for Cancer (BESI-C) to detect and predict episodes of cancer pain; 2) Understand how cancer pain impacts both patients and their family caregivers; 3) Explore how to best share collected information with key stakeholders (patients, family caregivers, healthcare providers).
Funding Source: American Cancer Society
Funding Time Frame: 2019 – 2021
Contact person for project: Virginia LeBaron; vtl6k@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Philip Chow
Co-PIs: Wendy Cohn
Goals of project: Test the utility and feasibility of smartphone-based mobile distress screening, to be completed when and where cancer patients find most convenient. Understand how distress changes week-to-week and whether mobile distress screening can lead to better supportive care for patients.
Funding Source: UVA Cancer Center
Funding Time Frame: 2018 – 2019
Contact person for project: Phil Chow; pic2u@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Kelly Shaffer
Co-PIs: Wendy Cohn, Philip Chow, Shayna Showalter, Anita Clayton
Goals of project: For this study, we will ask breast cancer survivors and partners of breast cancer survivors about their thoughts on how we could make an Internet-based tool most helpful for ensuring that all breast cancer survivors and their partners get the treatments and information they need to address their sexual problems following breast cancer.
Funding Source: UVA Cancer Center
Funding Time Frame: 2019 – 2020
Contact person for project: Erin Kennedy; emk2fz@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Kelly Shaffer
Co-PIs: Lee Ritterband, Jamie Zoellner, Laura Barnes, Bethany Teachman, Tri Le, Matthew Reilley
Goals of project: The overarching purposes of these studies are to understand caregivers’ day-to-day emotions and behaviors, and how these experiences relate to their depressive symptoms. Studies will recruit caregivers at UVA Cancer Center and from cancer centers across Southwest Virginia to understand caregivers’ differing experiences across our region. Findings will help to inform the next generation of scalable technology-based psychosocial interventions for supporting caregivers.
Funding Source: American Cancer Society Institutional Resarch Grant; integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia (iTHRIV)
Funding Time Frame: 2019 – 2021
Contact person for project: Kelly Shaffer; kshaffer@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Philip Chow
Co-PIs: Wendy Cohn
Goals of project: Examine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel app-based intervention that uses psychology principles to improve mood, plus phone coaching.
Funding Source: American Cancer Society; Kincaid Charitable Trust
Funding Time Frame: 2017 – 2019
Contact person for project: Phil Chow; pic2u@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Raj Balkrishnan
Co-PIs: Roger Anderson, Thomas Guterbock
Collaborators: UVA Center for Survey Research
Goals of project: We will systematically collect and share detailed information about barriers to care, use of technology, attitudes towards genetic testing, and prevention and screening behaviors within the UVA Cancer Center’s “catchment area,” or the geographical area where over 80% of UVA patients reside. This study will produce data that is specific to our patient population that we can then use to help plan health or policy interventions to improve health outcomes or to improve services among this population.
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute
Funding Time Frame: 2018 – 2019
Contact person for project: George Batten; gbatten@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Raj Balkrishnan
Co-PIs: George Batten, Raj Desai, Zachary Daniels
Collaborators: Ballad Health
Goals of project: Find out access to cancer care services and barriers to receiving cancer care services for female cancer patients in Southwest Virginia Appalachia region.
Funding Source: TRRC
Funding Time Frame: 2017 – 2018
Contact person for project: George Batten; gbatten@virginia.edu
Principal Investigator: Emma Mitchell
Collaborators: UVA Mobile Breast Screenings, The Health Wagon
Goals of project: We want to explore the feasibility and acceptability of pairing mobile mammography with cervical cancer screening through HPV testing of self-collected samples.
Funding Source: TRRC
Funding Time Frame: 2018 – 2021
Contact person for project: Emma Mitchell; emm6z@virginia.edu