Research Activities
The Primary Care Research Institute is active in clinical and epidemiological research with a special emphasis in health equity research, mental health, cardiovascular disease and endocrine disorders, HIV/AIDS, and cancer prevention research.
The North Texas Healthy Heart Study
The North Texas Healthy Heart Study (NIH/NCMHD 1-P20-MD001633-010003; principal investigator: R Cardarelli, project co-principal investigator) assesses the relationship of various psychosocial factors and cardiovascular physiologic markers to better understand potential contributors to cardiovascular health disparities. Participants undergo an extensive interview, body measurements, blood testing, and multi-slice computed tomography of the heart to obtain calcium scores. Investigators have already presented data at three conferences (23rd Annual Frontiers of Cardiology symposium, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Practice-Based Research Networks Annual Meeting, and the American Medical Association Medical Student Conference).
The Relationship of Visceral Fat to Lipid and Inflammatory Cardiovascular Risk Factors
This sub-study of the North Texas Healthy Heart Study (UNTHSC EXPORT Center Intramural grant; principal investigator: J Carroll) assesses racial/ethnic differences in central fat distribution and the relationship to lipid and inflammatory cardiovascular risk factors.
Communities, Communication, and Health Study
This study (UNTHSC Intradepartmental grant; principal investigator: R Cardarelli) assesses the impact of interpersonal processes of care and psychosocial factors on adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens. The study is a collaborative project with the Tarrant County Public Health Department. It recruited 105 participants in only 20 weeks.
Ethnic Disparity in a Co-Occurring Disorders Population
This study (UNTHSC EXPORT Center Intramural grant; principal investigator: V Nejtek) is designed to determine the prevalence of co-occurring psychiatric and substance abuse disorders among a community sample of Whites, African Americans, and Hispanics/Latinos and to compare the treatment outcomes within these populations. Enrollment recently commenced and the goal is to recruit 120 participants.
NorTex Needs Assessment
NorTex has secured funding from Pfizer Pharmaceuticals to conduct a needs assessment among its clinics to establish the health care needs of its population. Each clinician will be asked toreview 5 random charts to assess practice patterns in cardiovascular care, immunizations, and cancer screening. The goals is to recruit 250 clinicians to participate in the study. Each clinician will be reimbursed for their time and effort.
North Texas Participant Registry Project (NRP)
This project will aim to involve all NorTex clinics to enroll patients into the NRP. This voluntary project will have front desk personnel hand out 3x5 cards to all patients checking in for their appointments. This card will have detailed information about the project on one side of the card and collect demographic and medical histories on the other side. Patients will then give the cards back to the front desk personnel if they decide to participate. This informaiton will provide NorTex researchers the ability to contact potentially eligible participants for future projects. We hopt to grow this database to 10,000 in the first several years.
Cancer Screening Initiative Project
This project is funded by the Moncrief Cancer Foundation and in collaboration with UT Southwestern Moncrief Cancer Resources to conduct a clustered randomized control trial assessing the impact of an education DVD on cancer screening practices by primary care clincians. This pilot project will help with future projects aimed in clincian education.
The Mental Health Screening and Treatment Initiative (MHSTI)
The Mental Health Screening and Treatment Initiative (MHSTI) is a special project created by investigators at The Primary Care Research Institute at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (PCRI-UNTHSC) working in collaboration with administrators at the Tarrant County Treatment Alternatives to Incarceration Program (TC-TAIP). The goal of The MHSTI project is to provide routine mental health screenings and treatment for TC-TAIP probationers with untreated mental illnesses and co-occurring disorders.
Hospital Influences on Breast Feeding Practices: Results from a WIC Program Survey
Tarrant County Public Health and the Primary Care Research Institute are collaborating to identify barriers to breastfeeding among WIC mothers in Tarrant County. The goals of the project are to not only identify barriers to breastfeeding, but also to identify variations in breastfeeding practices among new mothers based on the hospital of birth in Tarrant County. Results from this project will provide valuable information for Tarrant County hospitals to revisit breastfeeding policies.