Sleep and heart health in the rural South
Sleep Health in the Rural South and Its Relationships with Cardiometabolic Health Disparities
Looking at how different aspects of sleep relate to heart and metabolic health in adults living in rural Southern U.S. communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11126621 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would wear a small device (an accelerometer) and provide basic health information so researchers can measure sleep duration, timing, regularity, and efficiency with minimal burden. The project links those sleep measurements to blood pressure and other markers of heart and metabolic health. It focuses on adults living in rural Southern areas such as Appalachia and the Mississippi Delta and combines sleep data with social and environmental information. The goal is to better understand why these communities have higher rates of heart disease and diabetes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older who live in rural Southern communities (for example, Appalachia or the Mississippi Delta), especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, or other cardiometabolic risk factors.
Not a fit: People under 21, those living outside the targeted rural Southern regions, or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this observational research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify sleep-related targets to help prevent or reduce heart disease and diabetes in rural communities.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked sleep apnea, insomnia, and irregular sleep to cardiometabolic disease, but applying wearable sleep measures in rural Southern populations is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gottlieb, Daniel J — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Gottlieb, Daniel J
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.