The University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center (USC PRC) has been awarded nearly $5 million in funding to continue its vital work in addressing health disparities among underserved communities. This substantial grant, the largest in the center’s history, will support its seventh consecutive funding cycle and fuel innovative research projects aimed at improving public health outcomes.
Led by director and exercise science professor Sara Wilcox, the USC PRC will focus its core project on studying the implementation of the Walk Your Heart to Health program in African Methodist Episcopal (AME) churches. This evidence-based walking intervention targets African American adults aged 50 and older, a demographic disproportionately affected by chronic diseases.
“The Prevention Research Center conducts applied public health research that is unique and important because it advances science and improves the health of communities most impacted by chronic disease,” Wilcox explained. The center’s approach involves working closely with church leaders and community organizations to develop culturally relevant methods for scaling up the program while addressing social determinants of health.
In addition to the core project, the funding will support two special interest projects. Associate professor Christine Pellegrini will lead a Collaborating Center within the Arthritis Management and Wellbeing Research Network, while professor Swann Adams will continue administering the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network.
The USC PRC, established in 1993, has become one of the longest-funded Prevention Research Centers in the United States. This new funding cycle marks the beginning of its 31st year of continuous support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, underscoring its significant contributions to public health research and community well-being.
See “Prevention Research Center receives five more years of funding to conduct applied public health research” (September 27, 2024)