E&PH Researchers Approved for $4.2 Million in PCORI Research Funding for Study on Treating Obesity and Food Insecurity Among Latina women

July 27, 2021. A research team including members of the Stanford Department of Epidemiology & Population Health (E&PH) community and colleagues--PI Lisa Goldman Rosas (E&PH), Lan Xiao (E&PH), Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa (E&PH and OCE), Wei-ting Chen (OCE), and Christopher Gardner (DoM)--has been approved for a $4.2 million funding award by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to study "Vida Sana y Completa Trial: Treating obesity and food insecurity among Latina women."

There is currently extremely limited evidence to inform how primary care settings can best address food insecurity in the context of behavioral lifestyle interventions for obesity for Latina women. Therefore, the goal of this study is to compare two approaches to addressing obesity and food insecurity among Latina women in primary care to provide evidence for community health centers who serve this high-priority group. Key partners in this project are Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, RTI, and University of Pittsburgh.

“This study was selected for PCORI funding not only for its scientific merit and commitment to engaging patients and stakeholders in research, but also for its potential to fill an important evidence gap and give people information to help them better assess their care options,” said PCORI Executive Director Nakela L. Cook, MD, MPH. “We look forward to following the study’s progress and working with Stanford to share the results.”

This study was selected for PCORI funding through a highly competitive review process in which patients, clinicians and other stakeholders joined clinical scientists to evaluate the proposals. Applications were assessed for scientific merit, how well they will engage patients and other stakeholders and their methodological rigor among other criteria.

This funding award has been approved pending completion of a business and programmatic review by PCORI staff and issuance of a formal award contract.

PCORI is an independent, nonprofit organization authorized by Congress in 2010. Its mission is to fund research that will provide patients, their caregivers and clinicians with the evidence-based information needed to make better-informed healthcare decisions. For more information about PCORI’s funding, visit www.pcori.org.