KATRINA ELLIS
Ongoing Projects
Family-Centered Approaches to Promoting Cascade Screening for Hereditary Cancer Syndromes among African Americans (K01CA255137; Ellis, PI)
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This research is supported by the National Cancer Institute / National Institutes of Health. This career development award provides Dr. Ellis the opportunity to develop and test a family-tailored intervention to increase cancer cascade testing among African Americans. This award focuses on strengthening the investigator’s skills in intervention research and cancer genetics. The goal of the intervention research is to support African American family communication about cancer genetic testing and cancer risk reduction and associated behaviors.
Similarities and Differences in Health Behaviors and Quality of Life among African American Caregivers and Non-caregivers (Ellis, PI-Pilot)
Katrina Ellis has been named an inaugural Rogel Scholar in Cancer Health Equity. The award recognizes exceptional faculty dedicated to achieving impact on cancer prevention, patient outcomes and quality of life. The Rogel Cancer Center has a long-standing commitment to reducing the burden of cancer in Michigan and more broadly in society, with particular attention to historically underserved/excluded populations. A key component of our strategy is to support leading scholars in cancer health equity who are addressing cancer health equity across the basic, translational/clinical and cancer control/population science research continuum.
https://www.rogelcancercenter.org/about/rogel-gift
https://ssw.umich.edu/news/articles/2022/05/03/63819-katrina-ellis-named-inaugural-rogel-scholar-in-cancer-health-equity
The Cancer and Aging Initiative at the UM Rogel Cancer Center (Ellis, Co-I)
The primary objective of this P30 supplement (Kobayashi, Supplement-PI) is to establish a transdisciplinary Cancer and Aging Initiative at the Rogel Cancer Center. Specific aims include 1) the development of a transdisciplinary research agenda and collaborative network to address and in cancer prevention and control and 2) provide resources and infrastructure to support new, sustainable cancer aging research
Similarities and Differences in Health Behaviors and Quality of Life among African American Caregivers and Non-caregivers (Ellis, PI-Pilot)
This research conducted with the OHD PRIDE Program is supported by a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (MPIs Beech and Norris).
The current study examines relationships between obesity, a critical public health concern, and the mental, physical, and behavioral health outcomes of African American adults, with a particular focus on the role of caregiver status and sex in observed associations.
Dr. Ellis received the 2020 Paul Archibald Mentee Award from OHD PRIDE.
Investigating concurrent care provision among cancer caregivers (Ellis, PI)
This research is supported by the Rogel Cancer Center: Health Behavior and Outcomes (HBO) Quick-Start Fund.
Using a national dataset, Dr. Ellis and her research team will investigate concurrent care provision among cancer caregivers in two different studies. One study will explore multicaregiving among cancer caregivers. Multicaregiving refers to providing care for more than one individual with a chronic health condition. The other study will look at complex caregiving, or providing care to an individual with comorbid health conditions, and its effect on perceived social support of cancer caregivers.
Re-imagining the Senior Center: Advancing Equity among Older Adults in Detroit (Ellis & Javenic, multi-PI)
This research is supported by Ginsberg Community Engagement Grant.
The purpose of this study is to implement the evaluation of a new community social services initiative, the Virtual Senior Center project. It is a collaborative effort of Dr. Ellis from the School of Social Work, Dr. Mary Janevic from the School of Public Health, Dr. Robin Brewer from the School of Information, and the Methodist Children's Home Society. Led by Dr. Ellis and Dr. Javenic, this study will implement the evaluation of a new community social services initiative, the Silver Center, which is a virtual senior center that offers resources to older adults.
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Read more here about how this program is helping isolated older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Understanding and Supporting the Health of African American Cancer Survivors and Their Family Caregivers (Ellis, PI-pilot)
This study is supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, P30 AG015281, the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research, and the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research.
This study examines associations between comorbidities, symptom distress and quality of life among African American cancer survivors and caregivers and reviews interventions that have addressed weight loss, physical activity and dietary quality in this population.
Understanding and. Supporting Health-Promoting Behaviors of African American Cancer Survivors (Ellis, PI-Pilot)
This study is supported by a grant from the Rogel Cancer Center: CCPS: Outreach & Health Disparities.
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This study will identify individual, social and contextual barriers and facilitators to physical activity, healthy eating, and mutual support for healthy behavior engagement and strategies for a dyadic intervention for African American early-stage cancer survivors and family/friend peer supporters.