Stephanie Wheeler, PhD, assistant professor of health policy and management at Gillings School of Global Public Health, will receive $727,000 over five years through an American Cancer Society Mentored Research Scholar Grant.
Wheeler’s research will focus upon understanding and improving use of guideline-recommended endocrine therapy among racially diverse breast cancer patients. The study’s aim is to shed light on the reasons for disparities in outcomes among women with hormone-receptor-positive disease and to develop a culturally competent behavioral intervention to support endocrine therapy use in that patient population.
The grant will use prospective cohort data from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study Phase III (CBCS-III) and insurance claims data from the Integrated Cancer Information and Surveillance System (ICISS), as well as information gathered from patient and provider interviews.
Wheeler is a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and fellow at UNC’s Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. The training portion of the mentored award will enable her to gain expertise in developing and implementing behavioral interventions to improve compliance with orally administered medications used in breast cancer treatment regimens.
Her co-mentors include Lisa Carey, MD, distinguished professor of medicine in the UNC School of Medicine; Carol Golin, PhD, associate professor of health behavior at the Gillings School; Michael Pignone, MD, professor of medicine and adjunct professor of health behavior; and Bryan Weiner, PhD, professor of health policy and management at the Gillings School.
Date: July 15, 2013