Short description or abstract of the project
To evaluate the potential efficacy of the 8-week videoconferencing acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for mental health in depressed individuals living with SCI/D within 5 years. To explore the participants’ experiences in the 8-week videoconferencing ACT through individual interviews at posttest. To test the feasibility of recruitment, retention of participants, and treatment fidelity.

PI
Areum Han, Ph.D.

Funding source and period
PVA 3/1/2023 – 2/28/2025

Short description or abstract of the project
The two largest traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) databases in the United States (U.S.) are the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Database and Veterans Health Administration Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders Registry. Each has significantly advanced the knowledge base of non-Veterans and Veterans with TSCI, but the two databases are isolated and independent. This project aims to matching and organizing the data from the two databases and demonstrating the use of the matched and organized dataset to answer two research questions. First, this study will project the demographic and health profile of people currently living with TSCI in the U.S. to help project needs and allocate resources for health care and social supports. Second, the study will estimate life expectancy and associated factors for people with TSCI in the U.S. to help clinicians target high-risk groups for treatment to improve life expectancy

PI
Dr. Huacong “Wendy” Wen

Funding source and period
Paralyzed Veterans of America's Research Foundation. 2 years award. Jan 2023 to Dec 2024

Short description or abstract of the project
There are limited exercise options available for wheelchair users to improve their health. The major goal of this study is to test the efficacy of a live, synchronous exercise program with real-time monitoring of vital sign data to improve cardiometabolic health outcomes in wheelchair users. The movement-to-music-cardio (M2M-C) intervention has the potential to improve the way exercise interventions are delivered to wheelchair users, subsequently leading to an increase in sustainable and scalable solutions to improving health outcomes in this population.

PI
Jereme Wilroy, Ph.D.

Funding source and period
NIH February 1, 2023 – January 31, 2028

Short description or abstract of the project
The requirement in this funding was to identify a UAB researcher doing research in a related area of health and wellness who has external funding, and to work collaboratively with this person to add an additional cohort of people with disabilities to this existing funding. The applied concept of Inclusion Science is not to reinvent the wheel, but rather, to adapt it using an evidence-informed process that supports systematic adaptation of health and wellness programs. The PI proposed to include a cohort of people with mobility limitations into a multimodal intervention (i.e., high protein diets and resistance training) with a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) design for adults with obesity.

PI
Yumi Kim, Ph.D.

Funding source and period
CEDHARS 3/1/2023 – 2/28/2024

Short description or abstract of the project
Most individuals living with SCI experience metabolic dysfunction such as insulin resistance, gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction such as impaired GI motility, and neurogenic bowel dysfunction. Accumulating evidence derived from our studies in individuals with SCI and past work from animal SCI research revealed a potential link between gut microbiome composition and metabolic, GI, and bowel function. Therefore, we propose to determine the changes in gut microbiome composition among individuals with traumatic SCI at baseline (the time of first stool sample after injury) and at months 1-12 after injury. In addition, we will examine the role of gut motility and microbiome composition on gut-derived metabolites, inflammatory state, metabolic function, and bowel function.

PI
Jereme Wilroy, Ph.D.

Funding source and period
NIDILRR 9/1/2022 – 8/31/2026

Short description or abstract of the project
Conduct a 12-week pilot of a two-stage SMART of a home-based telehealth-delivered exercise intervention for individuals with SCI to determine if the study meets predetermined feasibility objectives to facilitate a power analysis for a larger trial

PI
Jereme Wilroy, Ph.D.

Funding source and period
Craig Neilsen Foundation 4/30/2021 – 10/30/2023

Short description or abstract of the project
People with spinal cord injury (SCI) are vulnerable to respiratory infections and at risk for severe COVID-19 disease because of the weak strength of respiratory, diaphragmatic, and abdominal muscles. In addition, people with SCI are at higher risk of chronic complications, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, compared to people without SCI. Those complications are also known risk factors of negative outcomes after COVID-19, which may contribute to excess deaths among people with SCI. Small case series and studies from the Veterans Health Administration suggests that COVID-19 mortality rate was high in people with SCI, ranging from 10-19%. The COVID-19 positive rates and mortality rates were elevated in Veterans with SCI (6.35% and 12.0%), when compared with the general population (1.79% and 0.68%). Therefore, it is needed to examine the change in causes of death and mortality rate in people with SCI during COVID-19 pandemic in a large sample size of non-Veterans with SCI.

The proposed Aim #1 of evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on cause of death will identify the causes of death that had increase during the pandemic as well as at-risk groups for each cause of death. The Aim #2 of assessing the impact of COVID-19 on mortality will determine whether excess death caused by COVID-19 infection occurred in people with SCI and which causes of death had increased mortality rate during the pandemic, when comparing with the general population. New knowledge gained from this study can inform the work of practitioners and policy makers to prevent death for persons with SCI and other disabilities in the future public health crisis.

PI
Dr. Huacong “Wendy” Wen

Funding source and period

UAB center for Engagement in Disability Health and Rehabilitation Science. This is one-year award. Received award notice on June 30, 2023. Starting date is undetermined.

Short description or abstract of the project
The importance of return to driving after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the risks involved warrant effective and timely assessment of driving skills, given the potential impact on community reintegration and health and function. This study has two primary objectives: (1) to validate a driving simulator assessment using data from on-road driving evaluations and a neuropsychological test battery and (2) to predict driving outcomes at one-year post-injury, based on earlier assessment and evaluation. The driving simulator chosen for the project is a compact and economical option for most rehabilitation centers to implement into clinical practice. Persons 18 years of age and older with complicated mild, moderate, or severe TBI who are three months post-injury and able to understand and provide consent are eligible to participate. All individuals must have had a driver’s license pre-injury and at least two years of experience driving. Upon giving informed consent, participants complete a questionnaire about driving habits, a brief neuropsychological test battery, and the driving simulator assessment. Participants return to Spain Rehabilitation Center at six months post-injury to complete the same assessments plus an on-road driving evaluation. The final data collection timepoint is at 12 months post-injury and involves completion of the driving questionnaire (by phone or in-person). Additional goals of the project include: (1) development of guidelines for clinicians to help people with TBI safely return to driving, and (2) development and piloting of a driving intervention using the driving simulator.

PI
Director: Robert Brunner, M.D.; Co-Directors: Thomas Novack, Ph.D., Jennifer Marwitz, MA, and Sean Hollis, Ph.D.

Funding source and period
NIDILRR-funded UAB TBI Model System’s site-specific project, September 1, 2022 – August 31, 2027

Short description or abstract of the project

Fitness is a major independence/functional status determinant in individuals with spinal cord injury (iSCI). Fitness thus impacts quality of life (QOL), as QOL after spinal cord injury is more dependent on participation, mobility, and personal care independence than impairment/injury level. What remains unknown are the fitness levels that confer desired levels of self-care, mobility, and transfer independence and what fitness gains might confer a meaningful gain in these domains. Parallel to this, clinicians (and consumers) lack an easy to use method to determine if an iSCI's fitness level is suboptimal and few interventions have been evaluated for their effectiveness at improving self-care, mobility, and transfer independence. Our long-term objective is to fill these gaps.

The overall objectives of the CDMRP funded grant are to 1) identify meaningful changes in self-care, mobility, and/or transfer independence as defined by individuals with SCI (iSCI) that can be measured with existing tools and are likely to respond to changes in fitness, 2) preliminary assess if the model developed in the initial award to predict if fitness is below the amount required to complete independent bed transfers demonstrates adequate external validity and clinical utility, and 3) Plan a clinical trial to test if improved fitness can achieve meaningful changes in self-care, mobility, and transfer independence. To achieve objectives 1 and 2, four independent research studies/projects will be conducted. Objective 3 will be achieved by way of an end of award meeting.

PI
Rachel Cowan, Ph.D.

Funding source and period
Department of Defense-funded W81XWH-21-0813 (3 Year Grant 2021-2024)