02WD – Harvest for Health among Older Cancer Survivors: Debriefings

Status: Filled – Intern: Abigail Morgan
Intern: Abigail Morgan
Faculty Name: wendy-demark-wahnefried
UAB Department: Nutrition Sciences
UAB School: Health Professions
Campus Address: 650 Webb
Telephone Number: (205) 975-4022
Email: demark@uab.edu or Click to Send E-Mail
For how many summers have you served as a preceptor: 3 or more
CCC Research Area: Cancer Control and Population Science
Number of hours per week that the preceptor will personally supervise or work with the intern: 40
Other faculty, staff, or graduate students who may help to supervise the intern:
1. Walker Cole
2. Teri Hoenemeyer
Title of Project: 02WD – Harvest for Health among Older Cancer Survivors: Debriefings
Project Description:

Harvest for Health is an NCI-funded randomized controlled trial that is aimed at determining whether a vegetable gardening intervention can improve diet and physical activity behaviors among older cancer survivors and ultimately result in improved physical functioning, quality of life, and overall health. This study will recruit 426 cancer survivors across Alabama who will receive the gardening intervention (either a raised bed or 4 earthboxes, soil, fertilizer, gardening tools, plants and seeds, as well as twice monthly contact with a master gardener from their local Cooperative Extension) during the first or the second year of study. Home visits that include survey administration, physical function testing, anthropometric assessment and blood draws will be performed to assess the impact of the intervention

Project Status: Already up and running
Location of Project: Birmingham, AL (UAB)
Proposed Start Date: May 4, 2020
Proposed End Date: August 28, 2020
Expected work schedule for intern: Not very flexible, intern MUST be at work on certain days of the week and at certain times of the day (as may be necessary to interview patients, attend lab meetings, process samples, etc.) and should contribute full-time effort.
Category of Project: Community-Based or Field Research
Cancer topic: Diet and Nutrition, Rehabilitation, Survivorship, Multiple Cancer Sites
Does this project involve human subjects: Yes
Does this project involve animal subjects: No
Duty:
1.

To assist with home and community-based assessments by assisting with physical performance and balance testing, anthropometric measures, and biospecimen collection.

2.

Conducting surveys among study participants.

3.

Interact directly with study participants while assisting with program delivery and fidelity.

Preceptor will provide intern with access to the following:
Office or desk space, Computer and printer, Supplies needed to complete project, Equipment needed to complete project
Likelihood that intern will be included as an author on one or more publications
related to this summer research project:
Possible
Areas in which the ideal candidates will have experience:
Behavioral Science/Psychiatry, Clinical Oncology, Clinical Trials, Interview Skills, Manuscript Preparation for Submission to a Journal, Nutrition Sciences, Patient Care, Rehabilitation, Survivorship

01WD – Harvest for Health among Older Cancer Survivors: Community-based Assessments

Status: Filled – Intern: Autumn Matthews
Intern: Autumn Matthews
Faculty Name: wendy-demark-wahnefried-2
UAB Department: Nutrition Sciences
UAB School: Health Professions
Campus Address: 650 Webb
Telephone Number: (205) 975-4022
Email: demark@uab.edu or Click to Send E-Mail
For how many summers have you served as a preceptor: 3 or more
CCC Research Area: Cancer Control and Population Science
Number of hours per week that the preceptor will personally supervise or work with the intern: 40
Other faculty, staff, or graduate students who may help to supervise the intern:
1. Daniel Edwards
2. Teri Hoenemeyer
Title of Project: 01WD – Harvest for Health among Older Cancer Survivors: Community-based Assessments
Project Description:

Harvest for Health is an NCI-funded randomized clinical trial (RCT) that will
recruit 426 older (≥60 years) cancer survivors across Alabama. Participants
will be randomized to 1-of-2 study arms: 1) one that receives a 1-year
mentored vegetable gardening intervention that pairs a cancer survivor with a
certified Master Gardener; or 2) a wait-list control arm that receives the
intervention after a 1-year delay. This RCT aims to: 1) determine the
efficacy of the vegetable gardening intervention on fruit and vegetable
intake, physical activity, AND physical function; 2) assess effects of the
intervention on secondary endpoints, (e.g., quality of life, biomarkers of
successful aging (interleukin-6); 3) evaluate the durability
and repeatability of the intervention; 4) explore participant factors related
with program efficacy (e.g., gender, co-morbidity, age); and 5) perform an
economic analysis to assess the value of health improvements relative to
intervention costs.

Project Status: Already up and running
Location of Project: Birmingham, AL (UAB)
Proposed Start Date: May 4, 2020
Proposed End Date: August 28, 2020
Expected work schedule for intern: Not very flexible, intern MUST be at work on certain days of the week and at certain times of the day (as may be necessary to interview patients, attend lab meetings, process samples, etc.) and should contribute full-time effort.
Category of Project: Community-Based or Field Research
Cancer topic: Bladder, Breast, Cervix, Colon and rectum, Diet and Nutrition, Esophagus, Head and Neck, Kidney, Leukemia, Lymphoma, Oral Cavity, Ovary, Prostate, Rehabilitation, Survivorship, Thyroid, Uterus, Multiple Cancer Sites
Does this project involve human subjects: Yes
Does this project involve animal subjects: No
Duty:
1.

To evaluate participant satisfaction and identify
barriers/facilitators to gardening, conduct structured telephone interviews
with Harvest for Health participants who have completed the gardening
intervention.

2.

Using data analysis software (i.e., NVivo, SPSS), analyze data
collected via telephone interviews interviews

3.

Assist research team with other research tasks related to participant
recruitment, intervention delivery, and data acquisition.

Preceptor will provide intern with access to the following:
Office or desk space, Computer and printer, Supplies needed to complete project, Equipment needed to complete project
Likelihood that intern will be included as an author on one or more publications
related to this summer research project:
Possible
Areas in which the ideal candidates will have experience:
Behavioral Science/Psychiatry, Clinical Oncology, Clinical Trials, Interview Skills, Manuscript Preparation for Submission to a Journal, Nutrition Sciences, Patient Care, Rehabilitation, Scientific Writing Skills, Survivorship