# Cardiovascular Disparities among Bereaved Latinos and Non-Latino Whites and Factors that Facilitate Resilience: A Biobehavioral Approach

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER · 2021 · $148,068

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 The proposed five-year plan for Dr. Luz Garcini's K01 Mentor Career Development Award will help launch
her independent research career in biobehavioral health disparities and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. In
the proposed project, Dr. Garcini aims at filling a gap in the literature by understanding how bereavement
increases CVD risk, including detecting relevant ethnic disparities and identifying protective factors during this
difficult life transition. The proposed training and mentoring plan will supplement Dr. Garcini's expertise in
health disparities and community-based research with a foundation in CVD and psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)
at premiere academic and medical institutions under the mentorship of renowned experts.
 The proposed research will use data from a longitudinal study among 96 recently (<2 months) bereaved
adults (50% Latino, 50% Non-Latino White) with CVD risk assessments (i.e., glucocorticoid (GC) resistance
and inflammation) done at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months post enrollment. Survey measures of relevant
mediators and moderators will take place at each time point, with a qualitative interview done after the last visit.
The proposed project will draw on Dr. Garcini's expertise, along with a mentoring team at the forefront of
biomedical science, to conduct the following aims using an interdisciplinary and culturally sensitive approach.
AIM 1. To assess ethnic differences (Latinos, non-Latino Whites) in the association between grief
symptoms and CVD risk (GC resistance and inflammation) among bereaved adults cross-sectionally
and longitudinally. Hypothesis 1. The strength of the association between grief symptoms and CVD risk
will be relatively stronger among Latinos compared to Non-Latino Whites.
AIM 2. To identify contextual and cultural factors that facilitate coping with bereavement among
Latinos and non-Latino Whites.
AIM 3. To supplement Dr. Garcini's expertise in community-based research and health disparities
with a foundation in CVD and psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) at premiere institutions and under the
mentorship of renowned experts with the goal of increasing faculty diversity in the biomedical
sciences. The proposed studies will offer an invaluable context to apply these concepts in a meaningful
way—integrating didactics and experience, with the mentorship of an advising team of experts.
 The proposed research will provide novel information about mechanisms and predictors that underlie CVD
risk in a vulnerable population about which little is known, while also identifying protective factors that foster
resilience. The longitudinal design will provide valuable information to identify critical time points for
intervention. The interdisciplinary training plan will equip Dr. Garcini with extensive knowledge of CVD and PNI
skills to devote her career to the study of biobehavioral health disparities, CVD risk, and social determinants of
health, which is needed to inform the development of interventions aime...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10122986
- **Project number:** 5K01HL150247-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Luz Maria Garcini
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $148,068
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-03-15 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10122986

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10122986, Cardiovascular Disparities among Bereaved Latinos and Non-Latino Whites and Factors that Facilitate Resilience: A Biobehavioral Approach (5K01HL150247-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10122986. Licensed CC0.

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