# Inflammatory Markers, Hazardous Air Pollutants, and Psychosocial Factors

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2020 · $148,271

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
American Indian women experience particularly high mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular disease
(CVD). Reducing this burden requires addressing preventable factors in the physical and psychosocial
environment that are known to be important for the inflammatory responses involved in CVD. However, there is
little evidence about the roles of environmental pollutant exposures and psychosocial factors in shaping
immunologic function in American Indian women. This Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career
Development (K23) Award, entitled Inflammatory Markers, Hazardous Air Pollutants, and Psychosocial Factors
proposes to address inflammation as a potential biological pathway linking environmental pollutant exposure
and psychosocial factors to CVD in American Indian women. The working hypothesis is that American Indian
women with positive psychosocial states are less susceptible to the inflammatory effects of environmental
pollutants. The study will examine a sample of American Indian women (N = 150) drawn from southeastern
North Carolina. A variety of assessment methods will be used, including survey methods, exposure
assessment, and serum biomarker. Three Specific aims are to: 1) examine the association between
environmental pollutants and inflammation in American Indian women; 2) examine the association between
psychosocial states and inflammation in American Indian women; and 3) determine whether psychosocial
states moderate the association between environmental pollutants and inflammation in American Indian
women. With a background in nursing and epidemiology I am focusing my research on using community-based
approaches to investigate relationships among environmental pollutants, psychosocial states, biological
outcomes, and health disparities, particularly among American Indian women. The proposed training
activities will include formal didactics and hands-on instruction in measurement and interpretation of
environmental data, positive psychosocial states, and serum bioscience methods; community-engagement
methods; responsible conduct in research; and attendance at national conferences. I have assembled an
interdisciplinary mentoring team of internationally recognized experts who will provide me guidance in
building new skills in environmental epidemiological measurement, psychosocial research, and serum
biomarker measurement and analysis. The K23 award will move me to independence as a researcher, support
my steps in securing funding as an independent investigator, and help me to become a nurse leader in
environmental health disparities.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9986753
- **Project number:** 5K23ES027026-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Jada L Brooks
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $148,271
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9986753

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9986753, Inflammatory Markers, Hazardous Air Pollutants, and Psychosocial Factors (5K23ES027026-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9986753. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*