Family Research

This study will provide evidence for the utility of using a community-engaged research approach to implement a tailored, family-oriented adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program that will have positive effects on risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes morbidity and mortality among Black families in a Southwest Georgia community.

The goal of this study is to address a key health inequity - lack of community access to evidence-based programs to prevent chronic health conditions (e.g., Type 2 Diabetes) - by tailoring and delivering a family-based lifestyle and stress management intervention, Health Without Barriers/Salud Sin Barreras, for adolescents and their families living in rural Southwest Colorado. The intervention is a lifestyle program that addresses healthy lifestyle habits within the family context to support adolescent mental health (mindfulness intervention) and healthy weight (physical activity, nutrition, and parent education).

Advances in information communication technologies (ICT) allow for ICT-assisted health promotion to become more common. Integrating ICT in health promotion has been suggested to offer many advantages compared to traditional approaches to promote family well-being. Research has also shown the positive effects of game-based approaches in enhancing health promotion interventions, especially with children. We will develop and conduct an online survey to assess the use of games and gamification for health promotion, as well as a family-based randomized controlled trial to promote healthy living.