Pam Stewart Fahs, RN, DSN (pictured center) of the Women's Health Care Partnership (WHCP) of Binghamton University received an Academic Research Enhancement Award (1R15NR009218-01A1) of $150,000 to be paid out over three years from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) with dual assignment to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Dr. Fahs is an Associate Professor and Director of the O'Connor Office of Rural Health Studies and the principal investigator on the grant along with co-investigators and Decker School colleagues, Theresa N. Grabo, PhD (pictured left), and Gary D. James, PhD (pictured right).

"This grant is important to the Decker School of Nursing," said Dr. Gale Spencer, director of the Kresge Center for Nursing Research. "A research grant received from the National Institute for Nursing Research (NINR) by a faculty member in the Decker School of Nursing opens the door for the School to be recognized by NINR. It serves as a stepping stone to larger grants in the future. It also is important because it gives many of the DSON faculty an opportunity to participate in intervention research," she said.

Several members of the research team are joined by Decker School colleagues and DSON Dean Joyce Ferrario (front center) in celebration of the grant.

Other research teammembers include Nikki Austin, MS, RA, PhD student at the DSON; Gerri Britton, PhD; Alison Dura, MS; Ann Fronczek, MS; Yvonne Johnston, MS; Donna Morgan, PhD; Mary Ann Nemcek, PhD; Carolyn Pierce, DSN; Gale Spencer, PhD; and Fran Srnka-Debnar, MS. In addition, a Virginia Site Coordinator from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville will be a member of the grant team. The WHCP is an interdisciplinary team that includes faculty from the Decker School of Nursing, the Kresge Center for Nursing Research , the Institute for Primary and Preventative Health Care (IPPH) , and the O'Connor Office of Rural Health Studies .

The researchers will study the effect of a stage matched nursing intervention plus community education program on heart healthy behaviors in the areas of dietary intake, physical activity, and smoking cessation among a population of rural women. The study will be conducted in rural communities of upstate New York and Virginia. The WHCP has conducted descriptive studies in both rural VA and DE counties over the past few years documenting the cardiovascular risks of women living in rural areas.

"This funding will give the group an opportunity to build and implement theoretically sound interventions that have the potential to make a big difference in the life and health of an often vulnerable population,” said Dr. Fahs.

Women in the study will be between the ages of 45 and 65, a time when cardiovascular risks begin to translate into cardiovascular damage and disease. The program includes a combination of nurse guided individual and community interventions that will focus on moving women in the experimental arm of the study into higher levels of readiness to change lifestyle behaviors.

“If a woman has been thinking about giving up cigarettes, our interventions would be aimed at helping her address the pros and cons, hopefully tipping that decisional balance in her mind that will allow her to actually prepare and then move into action—quit smoking!” said Dr. Fahs.

Preparation might include having a client choose a stop date and also plan activities such as walking or meditation, distractions that work when the urge to smoke hits. As a woman makes the decision to stop smoking, a nurse will be available to visit with her at home and will be contacting her via phone on a regular basis to offer support and help with problem solving as needed. In addition, group meetings will be held over the intervention time to allow peer support and exposure to new ideas and strategies from content experts in the areas of nutrition, physical activity and smoking cessation.