# Mobile Technology for Primary Care to Address Food Insecurity and Improve Cardiovascular Health

> **NIH NIH K23** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2021 · $152,581

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Food insecurity, the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active and healthy life, is an important
social determinant of health that affects over 40 million Americans. Food insecurity is associated with an
increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Because of the prevalence and potential
for poor health outcomes, national and state organizations recommend that health systems address food
insecurity in order to improve patient care and reduce health disparities. Few clinicians assess patient’s food
security in practice, though, and the pathways by which food insecurity leads to disparities in cardiovascular
disease remain unclear. The research goals of this study are to advance our knowledge of the relationship
between food insecurity and cardiovascular disease and test an innovative tablet-based application for primary
care practices to address food insecurity in order to improve cardiovascular health. To accomplish these goals,
the principal investigator (PI) proposes a career development program that blends rigorous methodical training
with an innovative research agenda. Aim 1 will use national survey data to determine the pathways through
which food insecurity is associated with cardiovascular disease using structural equation modeling. Aim 2 will
engage patients, clinicians, clinic staff, and key community leaders in a highly iterative process of user-
centered design to modify and tailor a tablet-based application for primary care practices to address the
pathways identified in Aim 1. Aim 3 will determine the feasibility and potential impact of the tablet-based app in
a pilot, pragmatic trial in one primary care practice. To successfully accomplish these Specific Aims, the PI will
capitalize on the outstanding research environment at Wake Forest School of Medicine and an engaged
interdisciplinary mentorship team (Drs. Rosenthal, Bertoni, Ip, Miller and Vitolins) of exceptionally qualified
senior scientists. With guidance from his expert mentor team and through didactic coursework and hands-on
experience, the PI will obtain the necessary training in structural equation modeling, cardiovascular
epidemiology, clinical informatics, and pragmatic clinical trials to become an independent investigator and
leader in reducing disparities in cardiovascular disease by addressing the social determinants of health. This
proposed K23 award complements National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes’ strategic focus on investigating
factors that account for differences in health among populations and optimizing clinical and implementation
research to improve health and reduce disease. This Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career
Development Award will advance our understanding of the chronic health effects of food insecurity and will be
a timely catalyst for the PI in achieving his long-term goal of becoming an independent investigator focused
on improving the health of low-income and vulnerable p...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10070647
- **Project number:** 5K23HL146902-02
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Deepak Palakshappa
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $152,581
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-12-15 → 2024-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10070647

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10070647, Mobile Technology for Primary Care to Address Food Insecurity and Improve Cardiovascular Health (5K23HL146902-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-14 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10070647. Licensed CC0.

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