Puerto Rico COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Study (PR-COVACUPS)
Research Areas
- Behavioral, psychosocial, and resilience factors shaping cardiometabolic health
- Biological pathways linking psychosocial stress to cardiometabolic outcomes
- Social determinants of health and disparities in cardiometabolic outcomes
- Cancer-associated viral infections (HCV and HPV) and related health outcomes
Scientific Achievements
- Co-led the largest epidemiologic study in Puerto Rico, documenting psychosocial, behavioral, and biological determinants of cardiovascular health among young adults.
- Advanced public health knowledge through population- based research on the epidemiology of viral hepatitis, cardiometabolic health conditions, and HPV.
- Authored more than 140 peer-reviewed publications spanning population science, chronic disease, and infectious disease research.
Funding
RCMI Funding:
- NIH/NIMHD U54MD007600
Other funding obtained with RCMI support:
- NIH/NHLBI R01 HL149119-01, MPI: Puerto Rico Young Adults' Stress, Contextual, Behavioral & Cardiometabolic Risk Study
- NIH/NHLBI Sub-OTA 6922-03-COVID-S026, MPI: Puerto Rico Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 in Disproportionately Affected Communities
- NIH-NIGMS U54GM133807, Professional Development Core Co-Leader, Hispanic Alliance for Clinical and Translational Research
- NIH-NIDCR R21-DE027226, MPI: Cross-sectional associations of oral microbiota with oral HPV infection among high-risk Hispanic adults
- NIH-NIDCR R01-DE020111, MPI: Periodontitis and glucose homeostasis among overweight and obese Puerto Ricans
Scientific Advance
Age-Related Differences in Anxiety and Depression Diagnosis among Adults in Puerto Rico during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 20, 2023, PMID: PMC10252619.
Published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 20, 2023, PMID: PMC10252619.
This study surveyed over 3,000 Puerto Rican adults during the COVID-19 pandemic to find out how anxiety and depression diagnoses varied by age. They found that younger adults reported higher rates of being diagnosed with anxiety and depression compared to older adults. The largest jumps in diagnosis were seen among people aged 18–29, while older age groups (60+) had the lowest increases. The authors suggest that younger people might have been more affected due to social isolation, disruptions to work or schooling, and possibly more openness to seek mental health diagnosis. These findings indicate that mental health support during and after crises like pandemics might need to especially target younger populations.
U54 MD007600/NIMHD NIH HHS/United States, K12 HD085850/NICHD NIH HHS/United States
