Research Projects & Grants

Federal

• Urinary cortisol assessment for biosychosocial religion and health study, Role: Principal Investigator, United States Department of Agriculture, (06/2011 - 05/2012) Status: Closed
• Assays to assess allostatic load in the Biological Manifestations of Religion Study, Role: Principal Investigator, United States Department of Agriculture, (01/2011 - 05/2012) Status: Closed
• Biological and Psychosocial Manifestations of Religion, Role: Principal Investigator, National Institute on Aging/NIH/DHHS, (09/2005 - 07/2011) Status: Closed
• Development and pilot testing of the filial values index, Role: Co-Investigator, National Institutes of Health/DHHS, (09/2005 - 08/2006) Status: Closed

Internal

• “Barriers Impacting Breast Cancer Screening During COVID-19 among Hispanic Women in New Jersey”, Role: Investigator, LLU Dept. of Nutrition, (11/2023 - 06/2024) Status: Completed
• THE MODERATING EFFECTS OF APOSTOLIC CHURCH RELIGIOUS PRACTICE ON CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT IN ZIMBABWE, Role: PI, LLU Center for Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyles, and Disease Prevention, (12/2020 - 08/2021) Status: Completed
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation education and intention to perform resuscitation among upper elementary students, Role: PI, LLU Center for Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyles, and Disease Prevention, (03/2019) Status: Approved
• Social support and cultural specific stressors that predict postpartum depression in Karachi, Pakistan, Role: Investigator, LLU Dept. of Nursing - Graduate, (11/2017 - 11/2018) Status: Completed
• Parental perceptions of their child's weight status and pediatric obesity, Role: Investigator, LLU Center for Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyles, and Disease Prevention, (06/2016) Status: Completed
• Environmental stability, intimate partner violence and associated disparities in child maltreatment, Role: Investigator, LLU Dept. of Health Promotion and Education, (02/2015 - 02/2016) Status: Completed
• Water-pipe smoking: It's role in initiation of cigarette smoking in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Role: PI, LLU Center for Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyles, and Disease Prevention, (01/2015) Status: Completed
• The Association Between Adverse Life Events and Biological Aging, Role: Co-Investigator, LLU - GRASP, (01/2015 - 06/2018) Status: Closed
• Accessing Medicare Data for AHS-2 Participants, Role: Co-PD/PI, LLU School of Public Health, (10/2013 - 01/2015) Status: Closed
• Correlates of soy food consumption in Adventist health study - 2, Role: Investigator, LLU School of Public Health, (04/2011 - 04/2012) Status: Completed
• The relation of fitness assessment feedback to intrinsic motivation and physical activity among college students, Role: PI, LLU School of Public Health, (02/2011 - 02/2012) Status: Completed
• Predicting mammogram screening and breast self-examination among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White women in Orange County, California, Role: Investigator, LLU Dept. of Health Promotion and Education, (01/2011) Status: Completed
• Chewing betel nut and smoking behaviors among Yapese adults, Role: Investigator, LLU Dept. of Health Promotion and Education, (01/2011) Status: Completed
• Revising the theory of planned behavior to predict exercise behaviors among children, Role: PI, LLU Dept. of Health Promotion and Education, (11/2010 - 11/2011) Status: Completed
• Impact of online support system on health related quality of life among men who had completed prostate cancer treatment and on their partners, Role: PI, LLU Dept. of Health Promotion and Education, (09/2010 - 09/2011) Status: Completed
• Development of a filial values index, Role: Investigator, LLU School of Nursing, (07/2010 - 07/2011) Status: Completed
• The effects of a composite psychoneuroimmunology-based (PNI) lifestyle intervention in modifying the progression of moderate unipolar depression in clinically depressed adults, Role: Investigator, LLU School of Allied Health Professionals, (09/2009 - 09/2010) Status: Completed
• Attitudes and beliefs that predict Taiwanese older adults' intentions to attend strength and balance training programs, Role: PI, LLU School of Public Health, (09/2008 - 09/2009) Status: Completed
• The prevalence and determinant of health risk behaviors among high school students in Mexico, Role: Investigator, LLU School of Public Health, (05/2008 - 05/2009) Status: Completed
• The influence of familism on descriptive and injuctive norms in predicting the intention to eat a vegetarian diet among Chinese Seventh-day Adventists, Role: Investigator, LLU School of Public Health, (11/2007) Status: Completed
• A spiritually-based intervention for patients with life-threatening illness or chronic pain, Role: PI, LLU School of Public Health, (09/2007 - 09/2008) Status: Completed
• The association of a mother's intention to breastfeed, a mother's characteristics, skin-to-skin mother/infant contact during the first 3 hours following birth, and breastfeeding during the maternity hospital stay, Role: PI, LLU School of Public Health, (07/2007) Status: Completed
• Transforming Tragedy into Triumph through a Biblical Spiritual Intervention, Role: Principal Investigator, LLU Center for Health Research, (05/2007 - 05/2008) Status: Closed
• Application of the asset mapping model of church based HIV/AIDS prevention and control in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria, Role: Investigator, LLU Dept. of Health Promotion and Education, (04/2007 - 04/2008) Status: Completed
• An evaluation of burden, perceived health status and resourcefulness among caregivers enrolled in community based care management programs., Role: PI, LLU School of Public Health, (11/2006 - 11/2007) Status: Completed
• Determinants of long-term care service utilization by Mexican-American family caregivers, Role: PI, LLU School of Public Health, (05/2006 - 05/2007) Status: Completed
• Factors influencing the intention to quit drinking alcohol among African American/Black pregnant women, Role: Investigator, LLU School of Public Health, (06/2005 - 06/2006) Status: Completed
• Screening for diabetes: Does it work the same way between hispanics and vietnamese?, Role: Investigator, LLU School of Public Health, (10/2004 - 10/2005) Status: Completed
• Social welfare systems and their effects on adolescent violence, injecting drug use, and negative health behaviors, Role: Investigator, LLU School of Public Health, (09/2004) Status: Completed
• Newborn readmission project, Role: PI, LLU School of Public Health, (11/2003) Status: Completed
• Does persistent asthma predict type 2 diabetes?, Role: PI, LLU School of Public Health, (05/2003) Status: Completed
• Sociocultural stressors and genetic factors on alcohol consuption among males in the Olancho district of Honduras, Role: Investigator, LLU Center for Health Research, (09/1999 - 08/2000) Status: Completed
• Four skills cultural engagement inventory, Role: Investigator, LLU Graduate School, (07/1999) Status: Completed
• Predictors of female and male condom use among Central American immigrant women in Los Angeles, California, Role: PI, LLU Graduate School, (10/1997) Status: Completed
• Predicting healthy eating and regular exercise among Hispanic and Caucasian adolescents using the Theory of Planned Behavior, Role: Investigator, LLU School of Allied Health Professionals, (04/1997) Status: Completed
• The relation of weight loss and improved fitness to survival in healthy males, Role: PI, LLU School of Public Health, (04/1996) Status: Completed
• Could clinically elevated antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor explain the high incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in cigarette smokers, Role: PI, LLU School of Public Health, Status: Completed
• Focus project evaluation, Role: Investigator, LLU School of Public Health, Status: Completed

Non-Profit Organization

• Can Religion/Spirituality and Lifestyle Buffer the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Health?, Role: PD/PI, Ardmore Institute of Health, (09/2019 - 08/2020) Status: Closed
• Blue Region resiliency among Adventist seniors, Role: Investigator, Ardmore Foundation, (08/2019 - 08/2023) Status: Completed
• Adventist Health Study: The Next Generation in Transformational Health Knowledge, Role: Behavioral Specialist, Ardmore Institute of Health, (01/2019 - 01/2024) Status: Closed
• Diabetes self management program promoting independent living for seniors, Association of University Programs in Health Administration, (06/2001 - 05/2002) Status: Closed
• Lifestyle survey of General Conference 2000 Attendees, Role: Investigator, General Conference, (06/2000) Status: Completed
• Alternatives to domestic violence program evaluation, Role: PI, Alternatives to Domestic Violence, (12/1999) Status: Completed
• Peer nutrition education: a model for nutrition education among Spanish-speaking WIC participants, Role: Investigator, California Wellness Foundation, (12/1998 - 12/1999) Status: Completed
• SECC health of the schools project, Role: PI, Southeastern California Conference of SDA, (11/1998 - 11/1999) Status: Completed
• Alternatives to domestic violence program evaluation, Role: PI, Alternatives to Domestic Violence, Status: Completed
• Capacity building research project for smoking cessation among pregnant African-American women, Role: PI, American Legacy Foundation, Status: Completed