# Rochester Prevention Research Center

> **NIH ALLCDC U48** · UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER · 2021 · $750,000

## Abstract

Deaf sign language users and people with hearing loss comprise health disparity populations overlooked by
most public health research, surveillance and programs. The mission of the Rochester Prevention Research
Center (RPRC) is to promote health and prevent disease with populations of Deaf American Sign Language
(ASL) users and people with hearing loss through community-based participatory research (CBPR). A RPRC
goal is to eliminate health disparities experienced by populations of Deaf ASL users and people with hearing
loss. RPRC will work to achieve the mission and goal through five aims: Aim 1 -- To administer and maintain
RPRC to carry out CBPR with its partner communities; Aim 2 -- To build RPRC capacity for community-
engaged public health research and programs, and to scale those programs to reach all who would benefit;
Aim 3 -- To build public health and healthcare infrastructure through training programs that increase the
nation's capacity to: 1) conduct health promotion programs designed to reach deaf people and people with
hearing loss, and 2) include deaf people and people with hearing loss in the public health workforce; Aim 4 --
To disseminate RPRC products and services to key audiences; Aim 5 -- To conduct an applied public health
prevention research project to further the implementation, dissemination, and translation into practice of Deaf
Weight Wise (DWW), an evidence-based intervention to promote healthy physical activity, diet and weight with
Deaf ASL users. The overall goal of this RPRC implementation research project is to study with diverse
partners the approaches and strategies that lead to successful implementation of DWW. This research is
responsive to the Deaf community in that it focuses on: 1) obesity, a health disparity that the Deaf community
selected as a research priority, 2) implementation and the request that RPRC translate DWW from research
into a health program that is available to those who would benefit, and 3) scalability and the request that the
benefits of RPRC research be extended to reach Deaf communities outside of Rochester NY. RPRC
accomplishments at the end of this funding period will include: enhanced capacity for CBPR with communities
of Deaf sign language users and people with hearing loss; data to inform implementation strategies and scale
to connect Deaf Weight Wise programs with deaf communities; expanded RPRC reach, with stronger and new
partnerships with deaf communities and implementation partners within and outside of Rochester NY;
communications and products, in English and American Sign Language, to inform communities, researchers,
and other stakeholders of RPRC methods, results, programs, and services. RPRC activities support the
Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) goal to promote the health and well-being of people with disabilities. RPRC
research aligns with CDC Chronic Disease Prevention Domains, CDC HI-5 interventions, and other HP2020
goals.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10236252
- **Project number:** 5U48DP006394-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** STEVEN L BARNETT
- **Activity code:** U48 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $750,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2024-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10236252

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10236252, Rochester Prevention Research Center (5U48DP006394-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10236252. Licensed CC0.

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