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Our Study

Our Study

Goals and Objectives

  • Recruit 2000 adults (ages 30-75y) across the whole island of Puerto Rico and follow them up 2-years later
  • Identify trends and longitudinal associations of psychosocial, food-related, and cardiometabolic risk factors
  • Guide public health priorities and future research needs aimed at reducing cardiovascular-related disparities in Puerto Rico
  • We use a multi-stage sampling strategy that combines household enumeration and community-wide approaches.  
  • Examinations are done at one of more than 55 partner clinics located across the island. 
  • Trained research assistants conduct an in-person comprehensive interview to probe for sociodemographic and medical information, implement validated questionnaires, take body measurements, and obtain hair, urine, and fasting blood and saliva samples for laboratory analyses.
  1. Baseline and 2y prevalence of psychosocial, diet and food-related environment, and biological CVD risk factors.
  2. Longitudinal associations between 2y changes in psychosocial factors and biological CVD risk factors.
  3. Longitudinal associations between 2y changes in diet and food-related factors, and biological CVD risk factors, and
  4. Differences in prevalence and 2y changes in risk factors by urban vs. rural area, and pre- vs. post-Hurricane Maria.
  • Research productivity (including synergy with existing Latino studies)
  • Research infrastructure (biorepository, ancillary studies, and clinical research network)
  • Capacity-building, education, and training
  • Community outreach, dissemination, and policy

Ancillary Studies

Estimate cognition and compare the associations of protective factors with cognition between Puerto Ricans living PR and the States (PI: Dr. Mayra Estrella, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois)

Quantifying exposure to acute stressors, negative emotions, dysfunctional eating behaviors and T2D risk: a pilot ecological momentary assessment study among adults in Puerto Rico (PI: Dr. Andrea Lopez-Cepero, Emory University)

Social Stressors, Epigenetics and Health Status in Underrepresented minorities (PI: Dr. Jose Ordovas, Tufts University)

Mixed methods research to adapt a gender scale and examine associations with health behaviors and health service (PI: Dr. Sigrid Mendoza, FDI Clinical Research, Puerto Rico)

  • Mixed-methods study on food and water access, social support, and stress responses after natural disasters
  • Seroprevalence of vector-borne diseases in partnership with the PR branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Mixed-methods project to assess food insecurity, access to food and healthcare, and glycemic control during the COVID-19 pandemic in participants with diabetes
  • Pilot program to improve access to healthy foods, food security, and cardiometabolic health by providing foods from local farmers to participants with food insecurity

Preliminary Data

Please contact the Post-doctoral Research Analyst, Dr. Martha Tamez for preliminary results: m.tamez@mail.harvard.edu

Sponsors and Partners

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