# Addressing Racial Disparities in Chronic Lung Disease for Preterm Infants Through Parent Engagement

> **NIH NIH K23** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $196,441

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Every year, 50,000 preterm infants are diagnosed with chronic lung disease (CLD). CLD is associated with
reduced lung function and morbidity that persists into adulthood, with glaring racial disparities. Black preterm
infants with CLD have higher rates of respiratory symptoms, medication use, emergency department visits, and
readmissions in the first year of life, although White preterm infants are more likely to be diagnosed with CLD
at birth. Few studies with Black preterm infants have focused on this critical period of the lifecourse after
hospital discharge. Patient and family engagement interventions can promote equity and improve health
outcomes by centering on patients' lived experiences. This may be especially true for Black preterm infants
with CLD whose engagement in care is impacted by complex medical needs, social determinants, and parental
mental health and wellbeing. Guided by an inclusive and multidisciplinary advisory board co-led by Black
parents, this proposal will provide novel insights into the hospital to home transition for Black preterm infants
with CLD. It will also address a critical need for health equity interventions in pediatrics. Aim 1 is to
characterize profiles of preterm infants with CLD by medical needs and social determinants and identify
profiles associated with the highest risk of respiratory morbidity. Aim 2 is to describe the lived experience of
parents of Black preterm infants with CLD in the first year of life. Aim 3 is to develop and evaluate the feasibility
and acceptability of a pediatric-adapted collaborative goal setting (P-CGS) tool piloted with parents of Black
preterm infants with CLD during a primary care visit and explore preliminary child and parent outcomes. This
K23 proposal addresses two critically important NHLBI priority areas: 1) pediatric lung health disparities, and 2)
the transition from hospital to home for preterm infants with CLD. It will also provide the applicant, Dr. Brandon
Smith, MD, MPH, the opportunity to become an independent clinician investigator with expertise in parent
engagement interventions in primary care to advance health equity. The proposed research and career
development plan will support Dr. Smith's four training objectives: 1) acquire skills in advanced statistical
methods; 2) gain expertise in designing and leading qualitative research; 3) attain skills in the development and
testing of interventions in pediatric primary care; and 4) obtain in-depth understanding of patient engagement
theory and practice to promote health equity with emphasis on local expertise. Dr. Smith will take advantage of
a committed and multidisciplinary mentorship team and strong training environment at the Johns Hopkins
Medical Institutions to launch his independent career. The results of this study will provide preliminary data for
a future R01 application to test the efficacy of the P-CGS tool in reducing lung health disparities for Black
preterm infants with...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10948795
- **Project number:** 1K23HL175236-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Brandon Smith
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $196,441
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-15 → 2029-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10948795

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10948795, Addressing Racial Disparities in Chronic Lung Disease for Preterm Infants Through Parent Engagement (1K23HL175236-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10948795. Licensed CC0.

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