JOHNSON CITY (April 12, 2021) – East Tennessee State University’s College of Public Health has launched a new research center that aims to reduce cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors in Central Appalachia, while addressing the health disparities and health care inequities experienced by residents of the region.
The Center for Cardiovascular Risks Research (CCRR) is a cross-disciplinary, interprofessional research center led by Dr. Hadii Mamudu, professor in the Department of Health Services Management and Policy. The center’s co-director is Dr. Timir Paul, cardiologist and associate professor at ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine.
Drs. Krishna Singh (Quillen College of Medicine), David Stewart (Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy), Florence Weierbach (College of Nursing), Rebecca Fletcher (College of Arts and Sciences), Manik Ahuja (College of Public Health), and Ghaith Husari (College of Business and Technology) as associate directors.
CCRR will be dedicated to research in cardiovascular health and related risk factors and social determinants, mentoring of students/residents/fellows, developing programs to improve cardiovascular health and reduce risks, and engage community-based and other stakeholders in research and programming. The Center will focus particularly on patient-centered care, patient-centered outcomes research and comparative effectiveness research.
“As this region is disproportionately burdened with cardiovascular disease and its associated health behaviors and conditions, it is vitally important to establish the infrastructure to support the research to discover the underlying causes that make nationally effective policies and programs less effective in this area,” said Mamudu, director of the CCRR. “In addition to examining ways to reduce cardiovascular disease, we also will study cultural, geographic and socio-economic barriers and obstacles that are unique to this region.”
According to the United Health Foundation’s “American Health Rankings,” 11% of Tennessee adults, 12.1% of Kentucky adults, and 14.8% of West Virginia adults are told by a health professional that they have cardiovascular disease, compared to 8.4% nationwide.
Health care professionals, students, community-based groups and patients suffering from or at risk for cardiovascular diseases will benefit from the research and training opportunities at the CCRR.
While the CCRR is housed at ETSU’s College of Public Health, investigators from all ETSU colleges and departments will be welcomed to become members and engage in research that supports the mission of CCRR.
“ETSU’s College of Public Health is committed to building partnerships and conducting research to identify causes of and practical solutions to the most important health challenges facing people living in rural Appalachia and other underserved regions,” said Dr. Randy Wykoff, dean of the College of Public Health. “From addiction to rural health and women’s health, our existing research centers are on the forefront of this important work. I am pleased that the new Center for Cardiovascular Risks Research will join our efforts to tackle the critical public health issues facing our region.”