# The SMART-CV Study: Systems Modeling Approaches to Reducing Disparities in Cardiovascular Diseases

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2021 · $134,100

## Abstract

ABSTRACT Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent the leading cause of death in the US and are costly to
the nation. Despite ongoing prevention efforts, socially and economically disadvantaged populations continue
to bear the highest burden of CVDs. There is growing evidence that social determinants of health can play a
role in producing such disparities in CVD. Yet current interventions designed to reduce disparities in CVD
seldom focus on the social determinants of cardiovascular health across multiple domains and levels of
influence but tend to focus on individual-level factors. Furthermore, when designing interventions, policymakers
have to consider the trade-offs between interventions that maximize health in the general population and those
that minimize health disparities and failure to reach a balance between these can result in increased health
disparities and suboptimal population health. Therefore, to efficiently reduce disparities in CVD—coronary
heart diseases and stroke, there is a pressing need for assisting policy decision-making in the design of
sustainable and affordable targeted health interventions that integrate social factors across domains and levels
of influence and which targets the socially and economically disadvantaged populations. This K01 proposal will
apply several analytic approaches including key informant interviews, the synthetic control method and
simulation modeling and systems science (SMSS) methods to evaluate the impact and costs of intervention
strategies that have the potential to efficiently reduce CVD health disparities. To carry out this proposal, Dr.
Nianogo will (1) identify interventions and policies that are implemented in California which focused on the
social determinants of cardiovascular health across multiple domains and levels of influence, (2) investigate
the impact of three societal policy interventions on CVD incidence; (3) develop a computer simulation model to
project the long-term impact and cost-effectiveness of interventions and policies targeting disadvantaged
subpopulations, high-risk subpopulations. Findings from this study help identify targeted health interventions
that have the potential to reduce health disparities in CVD and inform policy decision-making.
 This K01 proposal builds on the candidate’s previous research that developed a computer simulation
model (Virtual Los Angeles Cohort—ViLA) to study the prevalence and incidence of obesity and type 2
diabetes among a representative sample of U.S. persons born in Los Angeles and followed from birth to age
65. The proposal will be pursued within the context of a strong mentorship that has adequate extensive
experience and expertise on intervention research, CVDs, health disparities and simulation modeling that is
necessary for the success of this project. UCLA provides an adequate environment to conduct such innovative
research. Throughout this proposal, the candidate will gain skills in SMSS and CVD disparities research; these
...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10146479
- **Project number:** 5K01MD014163-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Roch Nianogo
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $134,100
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-16 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10146479

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10146479, The SMART-CV Study: Systems Modeling Approaches to Reducing Disparities in Cardiovascular Diseases (5K01MD014163-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10146479. Licensed CC0.

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