Understanding Heart Health Differences in South Asian Immigrants
Understanding health disparities in Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Asian Indian immigrants: the role of socio-cultural context, acculturation and resilience resources
This project aims to learn more about heart health differences among Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Asian Indian immigrants in the United States.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11373719 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our team is expanding an existing long-term project called MASALA, which has already shown that South Asian populations in the U.S. have poorer heart health compared to other groups. We want to include more Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants to better understand their specific heart health profiles, as previous work focused mostly on Asian Indians. We believe that factors like where people come from, their experiences adjusting to a new country, and how they cope with stress all play a role in heart health differences. By gathering more information, we hope to identify ways to improve heart health for these communities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants aged 21 and older living in the United States.
Not a fit: Patients who are not of Pakistani, Bangladeshi, or Asian Indian immigrant descent may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a better understanding of heart disease risk factors in South Asian immigrant communities, potentially guiding future prevention and treatment strategies.
How similar studies have performed: The existing MASALA project has already shown significant cardiovascular health disparities in the aggregated South Asian population, providing a strong foundation for this expanded effort.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kanaya, Alka M. — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Kanaya, Alka M.
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.