Center for Primary Care & Prevention
Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island
111Brewster Street, Pawtucket
Rhode Island, 02860
(401) 729-2894
Lee-Anne_Blakey@mhri.org

  




 

Active Grants
Grant #: 1 R21 HL087-879-01

Assessment of Nicotine Metabolism among Underserved Pregnant Women from NE SCRIPT
  Principal Investigator: Donna Parker, Sc.D
Funding Source: NIH/NHLBI
Duration of Grant: 04/10/2007-03/31/2008
    This project proposes a one-year pilot study to explore the use of a novel biomarker of nicotine metabolism, the ratio of trans-3’-hydroxycotinine to cotinine (3-HC:C), as an estimate of nicotine exposure from tobacco during pregnancy.
Grant #: K07 CA106780-01A2

Colorectal Cancer Decision Aids in Primary Care
  Principal Investigator: Joseph A.Diaz, MD
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Duration of Grant: 05/01/2006-04/30/2011
    The primary objective of the current proposal is to develop a survey instrument (in English and Spanish) to evaluate the effectiveness of colorectal cancer decision aids for patients considering screening. This objective will be achieved by: (1) identifying patients’ beliefs and potential misconceptions about colorectal cancer screening via focus groups; (2) developing an evidence-based instrument to measure patients’ knowledge, judgments and level of decisional conflict regarding screening; and (3) via a cross-sectional study of primary care patients, validating the instrument and simultaneously assessing patients’ baseline levels of knowledge, judgments, and decisional conflict about colorectal cancer screening.
Grant #: 1 K23 HD001472-05

Women in Prison:  Decreasing Unplanned Pregnancies & STD's
  Principal Investigator: Jennifer G. Clarke, MD, MPH
Funding Source: NIH/NICHD
Duration of Grant: 08/15/2001-12/31/2007
    A career development award with focus on obtaining an MPH, assessing the reproduction health needs of women in prison.
Grant #: 1 K23 MH078779-02

Routine HIV Testing in Primary Care Practices - Project SEARCH
  Principal Investigator: Emma M. Simmons, MD, MPH
Funding Source: NIH/NIMH
Duration of Grant: 07/11/2006-06/30/2011
    This proposal seeks to develop and pilot test an intervention that will promote routine HIV testing and evaluate its acceptance by primary care providers (PCPs), office staff and patients in community health centers that serve disadvantaged minority communities (Blacks and Latinos).
Grant #: 5 U65 PS124165-03

Routine HIV Testing in the Primary Care Setting.
  Principal Investigator: Emma M. Simmons, MD, MPH
Funding Source: CDC/OCOO/PGO
Duration of Grant: 07/1/2004-09/29/2007
    Minority HIV/AIDS Research Initiative – Project CHAT

The goal of this cooperative agreement is to gather data from underserved minorities in the primary care setting on attitudes towards routine HIV testing.
Grant #: 3 R01 HL070804-04S2

Translating ATP III Cholesterol Management Guidelines / Minority Supplement
  Principal Investigator: Charles B. Eaton, MD, MS
Funding Source: NIH/NHLBI
Duration of Grant: 09/1/2005-08/31/2006

This NIH supplement grant provides with the opportunity to be better equipped to conduct clinical research, contribute to the scientific community, and address the health care needs important to minorities and underserved populations, namely cardiovascular disease.
Grant #: 5 R34 MH075013-03

Intervention for Poor Pregnant Women with Partner Abuse
  Principal Investigator: Caron Zlotnick, Ph.D / Donna Parker, Sc.D
Funding Source: NIH/NIMH
Duration of Grant: 09/29/2005-06/30/2008

Overall, the aims of this treatment development grant are to: develop an intervention for pregnant women with Partner Abuse (PA) and conduct a randomized controlled study to evaluate the initial efficacy of the proposed intervention compared to an enhanced care-as-usual condition in a sample of 100 pregnant women on public assistance who report PA within the last year. The primary outcomes will be the presence of postpartum depression or PTSD as well as degree of effectiveness in accessing resources designed to establish safety.
Grant #: 1 R03 HG004158-01

Population Impact of Raising Perceptions of Heritable Risk
  Principal Investigator: Robert Gramling, MD
Funding Source: NIH/NHGRI
Duration of Grant: : 01/01/2007-12/31/2008

Understanding the social factors that influence the translation of genetic information to improved human health is a major objective of genomics research (Grand Challenges II-5, II-6 and III-1). One current approach for applying genomics to public health is to raise social awareness of family history as an independent, major risk factor for common diseases of adulthood in order to motivate appropriate preventive actions. This research will evaluate whether such public health measures translate into long-term health benefits for individuals having strong genomic predisposition to coronary heart disease (CHD).
Grant #: NIH-NOI-WHI-3-2119

Vanguard Clinical Center for Clinical Trials and Observational Study of the Women's Health Initiative; Women's Health Initiative Satellite Center and Enhanced Recruitment
  Principal Investigator: Annlouise R. Assaf, Ph.D.
Co-Principal Investigator: Richard Carleton, M.D. (3/93 to 12/01), Charles B. Eaton M.D., M.S. & Michele Cyr, M.D. (12/01-present).
Funding Source: NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Duration of Grant: 3/15/93 - 9/14/2010
    Women's Health Initiative Clinical Center (WHI) at MHRI is the largest of the 40 NHLBI-funded WHI Clinical Centers. WHI, which is a fifteen-year landmark research study of postmenopausal women and their health, is designed to look at the effects of diet, hormone replacement therapy, and calcium and vitamin D on the prevention of major diseases such as heart disease, breast and colorectal cancer, and fractures from osteoporosis. In addition to the clinical trial component of the WHI, there is also a large observational study component in which postmenopausal women are followed from nine to twelve years to ascertain predictors of disease. The WHI at MHRI is a collaborative effort with a community coalition of over 200 agencies and investigators from all of the Brown University affiliated hospitals and the University of Rhode Island. Over 6,200 women were recruited to participate in the MHRI center and its satellite center at Charleton Memorial Hospital in Massachusetts. Average follow-up time is nine years.

Click here to learn more about WHI...
Grant #: NIH-NIAMS-02-03

Clinical Centers for the Osteoarthritis Initiative
Principal Investigator: Charles B. Eaton, M.D., M.S.
Co-Principal Investigators: Tim McAlindon M.D.; Faiza Estrup M.D., PhD
Funding Source: NIH, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Deseases
Duration of Grant: 7/02-6/09
    This study will implement a multi-center longitudinal prospective, population-based study of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in order to develop public domain research resources. This resource will help researchers discover and evaluate biomarkers for the onset and progressions of this disease.
Grant #: 1RO1HL78804

Translating ATP III Cholesterol Management Guidelines Into Primary Care Practice
Principal Investigator: Charles B. Eaton M.D., M.S.
Co-Principal Investigator: Donna Parker Sc. D.
Co-Investigators: Jeff Borkan M.D., Ph.D.; Roberta Goldman Ph.D.; Kim Gans Ph.D.
Funding Source: NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Duration of Grant: 7/02-12/07
    This project will demonstrate and evaluate the translation of the ATP III Cholesterol management guidelines into primary care practice. During phase 1, a needs assessment will evaluate barriers and facilitators to implementation of ATP III guidelines into clinical practice through focus groups of primary care patients and providers. During phase 2, a block, randomized designed cluster trial will be performed with one year of intervention within primary care practices (24 practices/48 providers) throughout the state of Rhode Island and Southeastern New England to test the effectiveness of the materials developed in phase I to improve physician performance around ATP III guideline implementation and to improve clinically relevant outcomes, the percentage of patients with LDL-cholesterol at their ATP III goal.
K08 Mentored Clinical Science Development Award
Psychological and Genetic Determinants of Smoking Cessation
  Principal Investigator: Sean David, M.D., S.M., D.Phil.
  Funding Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
  Duration of Grant: 9/27/02-8/31/07
  This study will evaluate the role of genetic factors in response to standard smoking cessation treatment; test whether bupropion interacts with the genotype to influence multiple behavioral mediating variables that place smokers at increased risk for relapse; test the hypotheses that bupropion diminshes the reinforcing properties of smoking and genetically predisposed smokers derive greater benefit from bupropion than genetically protected smokers; investigate the interaction between genotype and cue reactivity among genetically predisposed smokers and genetically protected smokers; and evaluate the impact of additional dopaminergic candidate gene polymorphisms on treatment response to bupropion.
   
   
PAST PROJECTS
 
The Pawtucket Heart Health Program (PHHP)
Co-Principal Investigator: Annlouise R. Assaf, Ph.D.
Funding Source: NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
    PHHP was one of the three large NHLBI-funded community-level CVD primary prevention studies. PHHP, through partnerships with over 500 local organizations, facilitated extensive programming in dietary change, cholesterol control, blood pressure control, smoking cessation, weight control and physical activity. Over 40,000 individual adults participated in PHHP educational programs and over 15,000 participated in random sample household surveys in Pawtucket and our comparison city as part of the evaluation of PHHP. PHHP used extensive formative and process evaluation procedures to develop and evaluate many different types of behavior change programs. Both serial cross-sectional and cohort household surveys were performed as was morbidity and mortality surveillance.
Grant #: TS 262-13/14

Psychosocial Issues in Cancer Prevention for Hispanics
Principal Investigator: Roberta Goldman, Ph.D.
Funding Source: Center for Disease Control Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine
Duration of Grant: 10/01/97-9/30/01
    Focuses on psychosocial issues of cancer among Hispanics in order to identify barriers to cancer screening and prevention methods.
Grant #:HL47624

Minimal Contact Education for Cholesterol Change
Principal Investigator: Thomas M. Lasater, Ph.D.
Co-Principal Investigator: Annlouise R. Assaf Ph.D.
Funding Source: NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Duration of Grant: 1992-1997
Grant #:HL48250

Worksites, Occupational Nurses and Cholesterol Change
Principal Investigator: Thomas M. Lasater, Ph.D. 
Co-Investigator: Annlouise R. Assaf, Ph.D.
Funding Source: NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Duration of Grant: 1992-1995
Reach Out: Physicians' Initiative to Expand Care to Underserved Americans
Principal Investigator & Program Director: H. Denman Scott, M.D., M.P.H.
Funding Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Duration of Grant: 3/93-7/99
Grant #:ACHPR290-98-0027

A Computerized Decision Support System for Evidence-Based Medicine: HealthMetric
Principal Investigator: David Ahern, Ph.D.
Co-Principal Investigators: Charles B. Eaton, M.D., M.S.; Roy Poses M.D.; H. Denman Scott M.D., M.P.H.
Funding Source: Agency of Healthcare Policy and Research
Duration of Grant: 9/1998-4/1999
    Members of the project team have worked together to create a prototype of the web-based decision support tool for CHF, HeartMetric during a phase I SBIR grant No. 290-98-0027 funded by Agency of Healthcare Policy and Research. The process that members of the project team went through to develop this tool consisted of having a modified Delphi consensus panel of investigators and consultant opinion leaders to better understand the issues and problems inherent in developing a decision support tool that would support evidence-based medicine using CHF as a model. This information informed our development of the decision support tool. Four steps were required to develop the CHF decision support tool. These included: 
  1. reverse engineering the evidence-based CHF guidelines to produce Messages to be delivered to physicians regarding diagnosis and management;
  2. linking these messages to appropriate patients by defining appropriate clinical variables and developing programmed decision rules;
  3. developing a prototype graphical user interface for data collection and to serve a template for an electronic medical record;
  4. incorporating a feedback mechanism for continuous quality improvement of the decision support tool.
Rhode Island Atherosclerosis Surveillance System
Principal Investigator: Charles B. Eaton, M.D., M.S.
Funding Source: Merck & Co.
    Secondary Cardiovascular Disease Project. Interventions consisted of the following:
  1. changing the in-hospital critical pathway to include holding admission blood for lipid profile measurements, standardized order for fasting lipids to be performed;
  2. Lipid disorders management pocket guidelines based upon ATP II guidelines and physical activity guidelines were sent to each office practice;
  3. periodic reminder phone calls and letters were sent to patients, primary care physicians and consulting cardiologists over 1 year of follow-up.
Faculty Development in General Internal Medicine
Principal Investigator: Anne W. Moulton, M.D.
Investigator: Roy Poses, M.D.
Funding Source: HRSA
Duration of Grant: 1995-1999
Residency Training in Primary Care Medicine
Principal Investigator: Michele Cyr, M.D.
Investigator: Roy Poses, M.D.
Funding Source: HRSA
Duration of Grant: 1996-1999
An Evaluation of Practice Patterns: Lipid Lowering Agents for Coronary Heart Disease and ACE Inhibitors for Congestive Heart Failure
Principal Investigator: Roy Poses, M.D.
Funding Source: Merck & Co. Human Health Division
Duration of Grant: 1997-1999
Grant #:AG-11624

Do Good Nursing Homes Achieve Good Outcomes?
Principal Investigator: Vincent Mor, Ph.D.
Site Principal Investigator: Roy Poses, M.D.
Funding Source: NIH, National Institute on Aging
Duration of Grant: 2000-2001
Biochemical Validation of Smoking Status Assessed with the Nicotine Metabolite Test Strip
Principal Investigator: Donna Parker, Sc.D.
Funding Source: Rhode Island Foundation
Duration of Grant: 1998
Project to Evaluate Practice Patterns: Antibiotic Prescribing
Principal Investigator: Roy Poses, M.D.
Funding Source: Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Duration of Grant: 2000-2002

R13 Primary Care Genetics Cancer Prevention Conference.

  Principal Investigator: Sean David, M.D., S.M
  Funding Source: National Cancer Institute and National
Human Genome Research Institute
  Duration of Grant: 04/10/03 (one time)
 

This grant funded a Transatlantic videoconference with the Department of Primary Health Care at the University of Oxford to promote and translate evidence-based genetic medicine in primary care.
Volunteers in Healthcare
Principal Investigator: H. Denman Scott M.D., MPH
Funding Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Duration of Grant: 7/97-5/04
    Program's goal is to increase the capacity of private physicians and other medical volunteers to provide medical care to indigent populations. The program offers technical and consultative resources to assist volunteers developing programs to provide medical care to the uninsured and underserved in their communities.

http://www.volunteersinhealthcare.org/
Grant #: NIH-HL-97-011

Nutrition Academic Award - Linking Resources for Brown Medical Nutrition Education
Principal Investigator: Charles B. Eaton, M.D., M.S.
Co-Principal Investigator: Kim Gans, Ph.D.
Funding Source: NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Bloods Institute
Duration of Grant: 9/30/98-9/29/03
    This 5-year NHLBI award focuses on improving medical student, resident and practicing primary care physicianís knowledge and skills regarding nutritional assessment and counseling with particular emphasis on the prevention and treatment cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. Tools developed include WAVE pocket card, Rapid Eating and Activity for Patients, ATP III guideline cards, CD-ROM.

http://www.brown.edu/nutrition/
Grant #: 5D12HP 00121-02

Academic Administrative Units in Primary Care
Principal Investigator: Charles B. Eaton M.D., M.S.
Co-Investigator: Roberta Goldman Ph.D.
Funding Source: HRSA, Bureau of Health Professions
Duration of Grant: 2001-2004
    This grant is focused on restructuring the research division in the Department of Family Medicine to align itself with the Center for Primary Care and Prevention and develop a critical mass of primary care researchers. The grant focuses developing a Best Practices Technology Test Center working in conjunction with Abacus Technologies and the Family Medicine teaching practice linking electronic medical records to decision support tools and developing a practice based research network in conjunction with the Rhode Island Academy of Family Physicans.
Generalist Physician Faculty Scholars Program
Enhancing the State of the Art of Smoking Cessation in Primary Care through Pharmacogenetics
Principal Investigator: Sean David, M.D., S.M.
Mentors: Charles B. Eaton, M.D., M.S.; Raymond Niaura, Ph.D.; Kay Dickersin, Ph.D.; Kathleen Merikangas, Ph.D.
Funding Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Duration of Grant: 7/01/02-6/30/06
    This program will involve genotyping approximately 2000 patients enrolled in tobacco use studies at Brown University and Oxford University. This research will explore the translational question of how specific genetic factors influence lifetime smoking behavior and how genes, treatment with the nicotine patch and behavioral variables interact to affect smoking cessation.
AAFP Advanced Research Training Award
Principal Investigator: Sean David M.D., S.M.
Mentors: Charles B. Eaton, M.D., M.S.; Larry Green, M.D.
Funding Source: American Adademy of Family Physicians
Duration of Grant: 12/01-11/03
    Dr. David is a recipient of a competitive academic training award from the American Academy of Family Physicians to support research exploring the genetic basis for smoking cessation and to further develop a translational, transdisciplinary tobacco use genetics research infrastructure that harnesses existing resources at Brown University and forges a collaborative primary care genetics partnership with the University of Oxford.
Ya No Fumo!: An Innovative Smoking Cessation Intervention for Latino/Hispanic Patients in Pawtucket and Central Falls, Rhode Island
Principal Investigator: Sean David, M.D., S.M.
Co-Principal Investigator: Marcia Smith, Ph.D.
Funding Source: Rhode Island Department of Health
Duration of Grant: 2/01/02-6/30/03
    A one-year, renewable grant from the Rhode Island Department of Health for "Ya no Fumo!", a public-private partnership that addresses major health disparities in smoking among the Latino/Hispanic population in Pawtucket and Central Falls, Rhode Island.
Cancer Research UK Laboratory Consumables Grant
Principal Investigator: Sean David, M.D., S.M.
Funding Source: Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics
Duration of Grant: 01/02-1/31/04
    This grant funds laboratory consumables for cancer prevention research examining genetic determinants of tobacco use to carry out genotyping in the Cancer Research UK Genotyping Centre at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics.
Grant #: NIH 5-PO1-CA75308-01A2

Cancer Control in Multiethnic, Working Class Populations
Principal Investigator: G. Sorensen
Co-Investigator (Sub-contract): Roberta Goldman Ph.D.
Funding Source: NIH
Duration of Grant: 5/01/99-1/31/03
    This program project tests a cancer prevention intervention for multiethnic, working-class populations through small businesses and health centers. A cancer prevention policy model will be developed.
Grant #: NCI 1 R25 CA82320-01

Communication Skills for Male Cancer Screening
Principal Investigator: Catherine Dube Ed.D.
Co-Investigator: Roberta Goldman, Ph.D.
Funding Source: NIH, National Cancer Institute
Duration of Grant: 7/01/99-6/30/04
    The purpose of this grant is to design, develop, implement, evaluate and disseminate a medical school curriculum focusing on communication skills key to effective cancer prevention and early detection of prostate, testicular and colorectal cancer among male patients. The curriculum will be fully implemented at two pilot sites, and 8 additional medical schools. A version of the completed curriculum for nurse practitioner and physician assistant training will be provided via the world-wide-web.
Grant #:1D16HP00066

Predoctoral Education in Family Medicine
Principal Investigator: Julie Taylor M.D., M.S.
Co-Principal Investigator: Charles B. Eaton M.D., M.S.
Funding Source: HRSA, Bureau of Health Professions
Duration of Grant: 7/01/01-6/30/04
    To develop, implement and evaluate three teaching modules focusing on health disparities in cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes mellitus and 3 modules on cross-cultural medicine in medical school clerkship in family medicine.
Grant #: NCIC CTG MAP.2.

A Randomized Study of the Effect of Exemestane (Aromasin ®) vs Placebo on Breast Density in Postmenopausal Women at Increased Risk for Development of Breast Cancer - Sponsored by Clinical Trials Group - National Cancer Institute of Canada
Principal Investigator (Sub Contract): Annlouise R. Assaf Ph.D.
Funding Source: Pharmacia Corporation
Duration of Grant: 2002-2005
    This trial will determine whether post-menopausal women at increased risk of breast cancer by the nature of their breast density will decrease breast density on the experimental drug.
Grant #:2R01 CA 77290-03

Benign Breast Disease Add-On Study to the Women's Health Initiative
Principal Investigator (Sub-Contract): Annlouise R. Assaf , Ph.D.
Funding Source: NIH
Duration of Grant: 2001-present
    The purpose of this study is to determine if the adoption of a low-fat dietary pattern, supplementation with calcium/vitamin D, and whether using hormone replacement therapy will change the risk of benign breast disease.
AAFP Advanced Research Training Award
Principal Investigator: Sean David M.D., S.M.
Mentors: Charles B. Eaton, M.D., M.S.; Larry Green, M.D.
Funding Source: American Adademy of Family Physicians
Duration of Grant: 12/01-11/03
    Dr. David is a recipient of a competitive academic training award from the American Academy of Family Physicians to support research exploring the genetic basis for smoking cessation and to further develop a translational, transdisciplinary tobacco use genetics research infrastructure that harnesses existing resources at Brown University and forges a collaborative primary care genetics partnership with the University of Oxford.