The School of Medicine, through the Center for Urban African-American Health, with funding
from the National Institutes of Health, has undertaken a comprehensive study to better understand health disparities in the African-American community.

"It’s not news that health disparities exist,” says John Flack, principal investigator in the study and professor, School of Medicine. “We’re trying to determine the factors — whether medical,
behavioral or otherwise — that create the disparities. Then, hopefully, we can begin the
vital work of eliminating the disparities altogether.”

In one phase of the study, breast cancer survivors are monitored to see how body size and weight loss affect physiological factors that may relate to recurrence. In a second phase, volunteers are monitored to see how the body responds to sodium intake, depending on one’s genetic makeup and body size. The third study is a psychobehavioral study of African-American patients who have heart problems and are enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation program. This study seeks ways to improve outcomes by determining the best way to deliver interventions to improve their overall and heart health.

“The immediate impact of these studies will be to provide the means to educate the African-American community on better ways to deal with environmental stress, disease and rehab,” Flack says.