Improving communication and medication adherence for Black patients with lupus
Official title: CO-LEADER: Intervention to Improve Patient-Provider Communication and Medication Adherence among Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Funded at Duke University · NIH-10934355 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is all about helping Black patients with lupus feel more comfortable talking to their doctors so they can stick to their medications better, by training healthcare providers in better communication and understanding the specific challenges these patients face.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | September 23, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $669,780 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MD018977-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10934355 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are Black patients diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus who struggle with medication adherence.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not Black or those without a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing communication between healthcare providers and Black patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to improve medication adherence. It aims to address the unique challenges faced by these patients, including mistrust in the medical system and poor communication quality during clinic visits. The intervention, called CO-LEADER, involves training clinicians in culturally appropriate communication techniques and utilizing pharmacy refill data alongside patient-reported barriers to adherence. By fostering better communication and understanding, the study seeks to reduce racial disparities in health outcomes for SLE patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved medication adherence and better health outcomes for Black patients with lupus.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that improving patient-provider communication can enhance medication adherence, suggesting that this approach may be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Kai — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Sun, Kai
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Better communication and medication support for people with lupus
This project trains clinicians and uses pharmacy refill records plus patient-reported barriers to help Black people with lupus take their medicines more reliably.
-
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Mechanistic clues about lupus from immune disorders
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This grant aims to understand how lupus-related cognitive problems affect adults, especially older adults, and tests a real-time method to track daily fluctuations in those symptoms.
-
Mitochondrial targets of antibodies in lupus (SLE)
A Johns Hopkins-led study will identify which mitochondrial membrane proteins are targeted by autoantibodies in lupus patients to understand how these immune attacks fuel the disease.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.