Tool showing how social conditions affect chronic diseases
RFA-DP-23-001, Simulation Model of Interventions Linking Evidence to SDOH (SMILES)
A computer model will show how changes in housing, food access, tobacco rules, healthcare connections, and social support could change rates of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s across U.S. counties and states.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Triangle Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Research Triangle Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11122162 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project builds a computer simulation that combines social determinants of health (like income, education, housing, food access, and social connections) with medical risk factors for multiple chronic diseases. The team will create synthetic county- and state-level populations based on race/ethnicity, age, income, education, and urban versus rural status and calibrate the model to national surveillance data. The model will include evidence-based programs, policies, and practices in five priority areas—built environment, community-clinical linkages, food and nutrition security, tobacco-free policy, and social connectedness—and simulate outcomes over 5 to 30 years. A multi-user, web-accessible tool will let public health leaders and community members explore how different policy choices could change disease rates and disparities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with heart disease, stroke, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cancer, or Alzheimer’s—and community members or local health leaders in counties facing social disadvantage—are most likely to benefit from the findings.
Not a fit: This project will not provide direct clinical care or immediate medical treatments for individual patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could help communities choose policies that lower chronic disease rates and reduce health disparities.
How similar studies have performed: Related simulation tools have informed policy for single diseases or limited regions, but this nationwide, multi-disease, SDOH-focused modeling effort is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Research Triangle Park, United States
- Research Triangle Institute — Research Triangle Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Allaire, Benjamin — Research Triangle Institute
- Study coordinator: Allaire, Benjamin
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.