Improving heart health and life expectancy in West Garfield Park
VITAL: Vital Investments To Advance Life expectancy
['FUNDING_U01'] · RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11252317
This project will see if a new community wellness village in West Garfield Park helps improve heart health and life expectancy for Black neighborhood residents.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_U01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CHICAGO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11252317 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
I'm a West Garfield Park resident and this project follows how the Sankofa Wellness Village — a new clinic, YMCA, grocery, business and arts centers — changes the neighborhood. Researchers will collect blood pressure, weight/BMI, surveys about diet, activity, and stress, and review medical records over time. They will compare health trends before and after the investment and with nearby areas that do not receive the same investment. The team wants to show whether better local services lead to healthier hearts and longer lives for Black residents.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are Black adults who live in West Garfield Park or nearby neighborhoods and are willing to share health information, attend health checks, and complete surveys.
Not a fit: People who live far from the investment area, are not local neighborhood residents, or cannot take part in follow-up health visits may not see direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show that targeted neighborhood investments improve blood pressure, BMI, and other heart-health measures and help reduce the Black–White life expectancy gap.
How similar studies have performed: Some smaller community programs have improved access to healthy food and activity, but few large-scale capital investments like this have been tracked long-term for effects on cardiovascular health and life expectancy.
Where this research is happening
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES
- RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER — CHICAGO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: LYNCH, ELIZABETH B — RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: LYNCH, ELIZABETH B
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 below.