Health Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Risk – RURAL Cohort Study
Mahasin Mujahid, Professor
Public Health
Applications for Fall 2025 are closed for this project.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a major public health concern. Despite overall declines in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality over the past several decades, CVD remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., and significant health disparities remain, especially in rural communities. For example, rural populations experience higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality and related risk factors compared to people in urban areas. Additionally, when compared to white individuals, African American and other racial/ethnic minoritized individuals have a higher incidence and prevalence of CVD and CVD mortality, and these differences have persisted over time. Because CVD is a multi-factorial disease, a true understanding of its etiology requires investigations of interactions among many genetic and environmental factors. This study explores how both genetic and environmental factors (i.e., living in a socioeconomically disinvested neighborhood or living in a neighborhood with poor physical and social environments) can affect CVD risk factors, outcomes, and mortality in a multi-ethnic population. Our overall goal is to advance our understanding of how multi-level factors synergistically affect CVD and health disparities in CVD risk. We are investigating:
1) associations between neighborhood environments and other factors (social, psychological, biological) with CVD risk,
2) neighborhood characteristics in relation to CVD risk,
3) racial/ethnic differences in CVD risk, and
4) the extent to which neighborhood and other factors, and their interactions, account for health disparities in CVD risk and resilience.
The student will become familiar with the following project: The RURAL Cohort Study
Risk Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal Study (RURAL): Rural populations, which account for 15-20% of the United States, have rates of CVD mortality that are higher than their urban counterparts, and have experienced slower declines in CVD mortality relative to the rest of the US. Rural populations are also disproportionately impacted by CVD risk factors (e.g., obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity) compared to urban-dwelling populations. This higher burden of CVD in rural populations is particularly pronounced among African-Americans, and in the southeastern region of the country.
Role: The student will have the chance to think broadly about how chronic diseases can be analyzed on multiple levels. This is a great opportunity for someone interested in chronic disease and cardiovascular health issues.
We are looking for a student who is interested in meaningfully engaging in this research. Potential tasks include:
• Conducting background research on cardiovascular health disparities
• Synthesizing the relevant literature
• Supporting statistical work
• Attending weekly research group meetings with doctoral students, research staff, and the PI
Qualifications: • Familiarity with medical and/or public health search engines (i.e., PubMed) • Excellent writing skills • Sensitivity to diversity • Organized, timely, and adaptable • Motivation and willingness to learn • An interest in public health research at the intersection of social, biological, and built environment factors
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Clarissa Aquino and Juan Cabrera, Staff Researcher
Hours: 6-8 hrs
Off-Campus Research Site: 2121 Berkeley Way West
Biological & Health Sciences Social Sciences