# Understanding Pathways to Earlier Diagnosis for Ovarian Cancer in North Carolina

> **NIH ALLCDC U48** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2022 · $249,809

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Residents of North Carolina and the rural southeastern US experience some of the highest chronic disease
rates and greatest health disparities in the country, influenced significantly by social determinants of health
(SDH). The goals of this application are to: (1) with our community partners, build and maintain a strong Center
infrastructure to support applied prevention research, translate research findings, and disseminate evidence-
based products, and (2) determine the processes by which our proven lifestyle intervention (Med-South
Lifestyle Program - MSLP) can be efficiently translated into public health and clinical practice supported by
community-based resources to combat food insecurity. The MSLP, based on the Mediterranean diet but
tailored to the taste preferences and food availability of a southern low-resource population, has resulted in
positive health outcomes for hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Although the scientific rationale for
implementing lifestyle interventions is robust, evidence is limited on supporting the broad-scale implementation
of these interventions in clinical and public health settings. We propose an Implementation Core Research
Project with 3 phases informed by multiple implementation theories and the Knowledge into Action Framework.
Our research is designed to determine the processes by which the MSLP can be most efficiently and
effectively translated into public health (local health departments) and clinical (community health centers)
practice to positively impact chronic disease risk reduction among minority, rural, and medically underserved
populations. In Phase 1, we will identify facilitators and barriers to implementation and develop, pilot test, and
refine implementation strategies that will be used to take the MSLP to scale. In Phase 2, we will apply an
effectiveness-implementation hybrid design to compare two formats for scaling up MSLP on implementation
outcomes (primary aim) and confirm MSLP impact on behavioral and clinical outcomes (secondary aim). In
Phase 3, we will initiate MSLP's full-scale implementation in North Carolina in coordination with NC's current
transition to Medicaid Managed Care where state health department (HD) policies will “guide plans and
providers toward implementation of a whole-person centered, well-coordinated system of care, which
addresses both medical and non-medical drivers of health.” We are discussing integrating the MSLP in the
coverage plans of several health insurance companies applying to serve as Pre-paid Health Plans in the new
Medicaid Managed care system. We will use our nationally recognized Center for Training and Research
Translation to disseminate MSLP materials along with other evidence-based interventions produced by HPDP
and the PRC Network, highlighting those supporting the new CDC-funded programming. Finally, we will
continue working with the State HD to inform a robust Statewide Resource Platform - a database and call
center linking pub...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10686959
- **Project number:** 6U48DP006400-04M001
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** ALICE S AMMERMAN
- **Activity code:** U48 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $249,809
- **Award type:** 6
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2024-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10686959

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10686959, Understanding Pathways to Earlier Diagnosis for Ovarian Cancer in North Carolina (6U48DP006400-04M001). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10686959. Licensed CC0.

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