# Rural Intervention for Caregivers' Heart Health (RICHH)

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2020 · $526,606

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 In the patient-family caregiver dyad, emphasis traditionally has been on the patient or on helping the
caregiver take care of the patient. This approach ignores the health of the caregiver. Family caregivers of
patients with chronic disease are at uniquely high risk for development of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Because of the environment they share with the patient, lack of time for personal care due to caregiving
demands, and persistent psychological distress, caregivers of patients with chronic illness have substantially
higher risk for CVD than non-caregivers. To reduce this risk, cardiovascular health interventions aimed at (1)
CVD risk reduction (2) improving adherence to self-management of CVD risk reducing behaviors, and (3)
preventing and managing depressive symptoms are required. Rural caregivers are particularly at risk for poor
health. Most rural areas are characterized by marked health disparities, including elevated CVD risk, persistent
poverty, and lack of social and healthcare resources. As such, innovative intervention programs are needed to
improve cardiovascular health among rural caregivers while overcoming personal and environmental barriers
to achieving this goal.
 The Rural Intervention for Caregivers’ Heart Health (RICHH) program proposed in this study will
address the important components of CVD risk reduction for rural caregivers of patients with chronic illness –
most notably improved self-management of CVD risk reduction efforts, including prevention and management
of depressive symptoms. We propose an innovative delivery modality designed to overcome environmental
barriers in socioeconomically austere rural areas. The purpose of the proposed 2-group (RICHH vs control)
randomized clinical trial is to examine short- and long-term effects of the RICHH intervention on CVD risk (i.e.,
lipid profile, body mass index, and blood pressure), self-care behaviors (i.e., diet quality, physical activity level,
self-reported adherence to health behaviors), and depressive symptoms, compared to usual care control in
rural caregivers of persons with chronic disease. A total of 280 caregivers of patients with chronic illness will be
enrolled. Rural caregivers will be randomly assigned to either the RICHH intervention group or a usual care
control group. We will stratify caregivers by gender in order to examine the moderating effect of gender on
intervention outcomes, given the many differences between male and female caregivers. The RICHH
intervention (6 interactive modules) will be delivered for 12 weekly sessions (30- to 45 minutes per session). In
order to enhance maintenance of behaviors, we will also deliver 8 biweekly (every other week) booster
sessions (20-30 minutes per sessions) for 2 months and then 6 monthly sessions. All sessions are delivered
individually using a video-conferencing program on a multimedia digital device (i.e., mini iPad). Data on
outcomes will be collected at baseline, 4 months and 12 months.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9960605
- **Project number:** 5R01NR016824-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** Misook Lee Chung
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $526,606
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-26 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9960605

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9960605, Rural Intervention for Caregivers' Heart Health (RICHH) (5R01NR016824-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-26 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/9960605. Licensed CC0.

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