The program has supported the training of underrepresented pre-docs, post-docs and assistant professors at the University of Kentucky committed to health equity research.
SPARK, which was launched last year by UK’s Center for Health Equity Transformation (CHET) and Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), is a year-long community-engaged program for undergraduates focused on research related to health equity.
The National Institutes of Health/National Heart Lung and Blood Institute recently awarded a five-year $3.8 million grant to the University of Kentucky to begin a new study aimed at improving diet and activity among rural Appalachian Kentuckians.
Carrie Oser, PhD Associate Director of Education and Mentoring, SUPRA
“The significance of addressing health and other inequities has never been greater,” said Nancy Schoenberg, CHET director. “While we received numerous rigorous proposals, these projects stood out for their capacity to employ stellar research approaches to make impactful change."
The research led by Shyanika Rose examined local policies across the nation that restricted flavored tobacco products to see how they reached at-risk populations including youth, people of color, LGBTQ and low-income groups.
People in Kentucky experience some of the highest rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, substance use, diabetes and obesity in the nation. CHET seeks to improve the health of the most vulnerable residents of Kentucky and beyond.
