# Mobile Health for Enhanced Hypertension Self-Management in Underserved Urban Residents

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 2024 · $172,625

## Abstract

Hypertension (HTN) is a highly prevalent, chronic condition which disproportionately affects socioeconomically
disadvantaged individuals and their communities. Individual- and neighborhood-level social risk factors
influence the self-management and access to care essential for HTN control. Mobile health (mHealth)
strategies may contribute to behavioral changes but are largely understudied in disadvantaged communities.
Further, the engagement of the residents of such communities is critical for the successful development and
implementation of contemporary mHealth interventions. This Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career
Development (K23) Award will investigate and develop a participant-informed, mHealth behavioral approach
to individuals living in disadvantaged communities at high risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Specific
aims: (1) Use qualitative assessments to determine how neighborhood deprivation affects HTN control; (2)
Adapt a mHealth intervention to incorporate lifestyle modifications and self-management for individuals living
in adverse community settings using a validated, human-centered design (HCD) approach to adapt the
intervention until we reach participant consensus; (3) Assess the adapted mHealth intervention for feasibility,
as defined by acceptance, usability, and practicality in a randomized-controlled pilot study. The investigations
build on and leverage the core infrastructure of an active, funded health services research program; the
resources of a large, regional health care system; and expert mentorship in qualitative methods, community
engagement, systems science, and clinical trials. Training goals: (1) Integrate the candidate’s prior training
with new methodological tools to examine neighborhood-level social determinants of cardiovascular health; (2)
Cultivate skills in community-informed cohort development; (3) Develop the methodological skills to conduct
rigorous research in chronic disease behavior change; (4) Enhance grant writing, presentation, team science,
and leadership skills to support the candidate’s transition to an independent investigator. As such, the career
development agenda will include synergistic efforts between the candidate’s strengths and future goals. The
proposal advances key objectives of the NHLBI Strategic Vision to address health equity in disadvantaged
communities and the career development of an underrepresented physician-scientist. Expected results: The
project will: (1) Develop and test an innovative, practical, and scalable mHealth intervention program grounded
in behavioral theory and tailored for underserved communities; (2) Develop and refine a model to improve
engagement and satisfaction for mHealth intervention programs using an iterative process; and (3) Collect
preliminary data to inform the design of an R01 application to expand a behavioral intervention tailored for
individuals residing in disadvantaged communities. The research and career development activities outl...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10897035
- **Project number:** 5K23HL165110-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Amber Elaine Johnson
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $172,625
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-01 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10897035

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10897035, Mobile Health for Enhanced Hypertension Self-Management in Underserved Urban Residents (5K23HL165110-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10897035. Licensed CC0.

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