# Understanding and Supporting Reproductive Decisions among Women with Developmental Disabilities that Affect Cognition: Diversity Supplement

> **NIH NIH R01** · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $46,491

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This proposed supplement responds to the NIH goal of enhancing the diversity of the research workforce. The
supplement will provide support for Ms. Adjoa Manu, who will soon begin her third year as a PhD student in the
joint Oregon Health & Science University – Portland State University School of Public Health. Ms. Manu is an
African American woman who has experience as a research assistant on reproductive health projects in
Ghana. As a public health doctoral student, Ms. Manu now seeks to expand her research experience and
develop further expertise to prepare her for leading research projects of her own. Dr. Horner-Johnson,
Principal Investigator for the ongoing NICHD-funded project Understanding and Supporting Reproductive
Decisions Among Women with Developmental Disabilities that Affect Cognition (R01HD105655), will guide,
support, and mentor Ms. Manu in working toward her goal of becoming an independent researcher. Ms. Manu
will be co-mentored by Dr. Eden (co-investigator on R01HD105655) and by Dr. Cirila Estela Vazquez Guzman,
an experienced qualitative researcher focused on health of marginalized populations. To effectively support
and train Ms. Manu, Dr. Horner-Johnson and co-mentors have designed a two-year mentoring and career
development plan that includes structured training, active participation in the parent project, and execution of a
complementary research project to support and enhance the work of the parent project. Ms. Manu will build
quantitative and qualitative research skills by analyzing existing national survey data on feelings about
pregnancy and factors associated with those feelings among women with cognitive disabilities; exploring the
perspectives of developmental disabilities (DD) services providers regarding barriers and facilitators to
supporting women with DD-C in pregnancy planning; and obtaining feedback from DD services providers on a
prototype of an interactive decision aid to support pregnancy planning among women with DD-C. These aims
supplement the work of the parent project, which is designing a decision aid to promote active engagement in
informed reproductive decision-making among women with DD-C. We anticipate that working closely with DD
services systems will be a key strategy for future implementation of the decision aid. Findings from the
proposed aims will inform development and dissemination of the aid and help obtain buy-in from DD services
providers, who play an essential role in facilitating access to information and resources for many people with
DD-C.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10930284
- **Project number:** 3R01HD105655-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Willi HORNER-JOHNSON
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $46,491
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2024-02-10 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10930284

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10930284, Understanding and Supporting Reproductive Decisions among Women with Developmental Disabilities that Affect Cognition: Diversity Supplement (3R01HD105655-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10930284. Licensed CC0.

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