April 28, 2010

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Faculty, staff and students from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa were presented Charles Barkley Health Disparities Investigator Awards for best oral and poster presentations at the 2010 UAB Health Disparities Research Symposium, sponsored by the UAB Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center (MHRC).

Award recipients each received $200 for first place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place. The cash awards were provided by the MHRC Barkley Health Disparities Fund, donated to the UAB MHRC by NBA great Barkley and designed to encourage research in health disparities.

Oral Presentations

First Place: Dori  Pekmezi, Ph.D., assistant professor, UAB School of Public Health, for "Developing and Testing a Culturally and Linguistically Adapted Physical Activity Intervention for Latinas"

Second Place: Shadi Martin, Ph.D., assistant professor, University of Alabama School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, for "Patients' Right Not to Know: Exploring the Attitudes of Older Iranian Immigrants about Medical Disclosure of Terminal Illness"

Third Place: Virginia Howard, Ph.D., associate professor, UAB School of Public Health, for "The Contribution of Disparities in Stroke Incidence to the Disparities in Stroke Mortality: The Reasons for Geographic and Regional Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study"

Poster Presentations

First Place: Krista Casazza, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, UAB School of Health Professions, "A Dietary Intervention to Decrease Adiposity In Overweight Peri-Pubertal African-American Girls: Does Macronutrient Profile Matter?"

Second Place: Chelsea Marion, student assistant/intern, UAB College of Arts & Sciences, "WALKFIT: Efficacy of Moderate Intensity Exercise in Promotion of Weight Loss and Prevention of Weight Gain in Young African American Women"

Third Place: Peter Merrill, B.S., UAB School of Public Health, "Racial Disparities in Awareness and Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation: The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study"

The event, held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Birmingham April 21, was attended by nearly 160 faculty members, students and staff of Tuskegee University, the University of Alabama and UAB. The symposium included a poster competition and oral breakout sessions, with presentations by faculty, post-doctoral fellows or residents, and graduate and undergraduate students.

A plenary session featured invited presentations by distinguished UAB and former UAB faculty.

Faculty Presentations

"Health Care Disparities in Musculoskeletal Diseases: Further Opportunities to Improve Quality," Kenneth G. Saag, M.D., M.Sc., Jane Knight Lowe Professor of Medicine, UAB Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology; professor of epidemiology, UAB School of Public Health; director, UAB Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics of Musculoskeletal Disorders and UAB Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research and Education.

"The Impact of Minority Participation in Clinical Trials: A True Basis for Health Reform," Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., F.A.C.S., Jay Phillips Professor and chairman, Department of Surgery; associate director, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota.

"Lifestyle Interventions in Cancer Survivors: Who Signs Up? Who Sticks with It? And When Is the Best Time to Intervene?" Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Ph.D., R.D., professor and Webb Endowed Chair, UAB School of Health Professions Department of Nutrition Sciences; associate director, cancer prevention and control, UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center.

"Intersecting Epidemics in Populations with Health Disparities: Sorting Out the Tangled Web of Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease, and HIV/AIDS," Linda D. Moneyham, D.N.S., R.N., F.A.A.N., professor and Rachel Z. Booth Endowed Chair, UAB School of Nursing Department of Community Health, Outcomes and Systems.

"Racial Disparities in Mobility and Function: Implications for Older Adults," Richard M. Allman, M.D., Parrish Endowed Professor of Medicine and director, UAB School of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care; director, UAB Center for Aging.

The UAB Health Disparities Research Symposium is an annual event and highlights the work of investigators in basic science, clinical, behavioral, and community-based research related to health disparities.

About UAB

The UAB Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center (MHRC) is a comprehensive educational, research and community outreach center focused on eliminating the health disparities of racial/ethnic minorities and under-served populations.