In the first two weeks of July, the Center for Transdisciplinary Research in Women’s Health learned it will receive four grants. The awards are funded by the National Institutes of Health, Girls on the Run International, and the American Cancer Society.

The grants that have been funded:

• An R21 funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to explore effective ways to engage oral health providers in early prevention of HPV-related cancers. The project also considers ways to increase HPV-related health literacy among OHPs (including both dentists and dental hygienists). Dr. Daley is the principal investigator with co-investigators Dr. DeBate, Dr. Vamos and Dr. John Petrila, chair of the department of health policy and management.
• A longitudinal evaluation study funded by the Reemprise Foundation to assess the effectiveness of GOTR, a Positive Youth Development program that aims to empower adolescent girls to optimize physical, social, and psychological development in a nationally and internationally recognized program. Dr. DeBate serves as principal investigator and will conduct a rigorous evaluation of the efficacy of this PYD-based program with Dr. Maureen Weiss, a faculty member at the University of Minnesota.
• A second grant funded by the NIDCR will determine the feasibility of using an eHealth intervention to facilitate inter-professional collaborations between prenatal and oral health providers with regard to the national oral health guidelines during pregnancy. The award is an especially significant accomplishment, as it establishes an innovative academic and private partnership with a small technology firm. Dr. Vamos is the principal investigator, and Drs. Daley and DeBate are co-investigators on the project.
• The ACS Institutional Research Grant funds a study that aims to examine factors influencing access and uptake of the HPV vaccine among migrant farmworkers’ children and families. This community-based participatory research fills a gap in current prevention practices that prioritize secondary over primary prevention efforts among medically underserved racial and ethnic minorities. As part of the study, the team will collaborate with community partners to examine the current state of HPV vaccination efforts for Hispanic migrant populations in Florida and conduct a needs and assets assessment to help identify potential policy or behavioral interventions that are community driven and culturally appropriate, with the ultimate goal of decreasing HPV-related cancer disparities. Dr. Vamos is the principal investigator.

Read more: http://hscweb3.hsc.usf.edu/health/publichealth/news/four-awards-two-weeks-womens-health/