Research Impact, 2021-2024: Cardiovascular Equity Research

The Cardiovascular Equity Research Program at Krannert Cardiovascular Research Center at Indiana University School of Medicine performs critical research that advances equity in cardiovascular care delivery through clinical trials, implementation science, mixed methods research, observational studies and community-based participatory research. This research program was founded by Khadijah Breathett, MD, and commissioned by the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Krannert Cardiovascular Research Center two and half years ago. The program is committed to patients, community and team growth and has accomplished several major goals since February 2022, including:

• Initiated and led NHLBI R01, R56, K01-funded efforts that surpassed $4.4 million to make access to advanced heart disease therapies such as transplants and ventricular assist devices more equitable for women and minoritized racial and ethnic groups;

• Led the NHLBI-funded 14-site randomized controlled trial among leading heart transplant and ventricular assist device programs in the United States, to understand how to improve access to heart transplants and ventricular assist devices through the Seeking Objectivity in Allocation of Advanced Heart Failure Therapies Trial;

• Spearheaded the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute and IU-funded national survey and mixed-methods TRAJECTORY Study: Changing generational trajectory of cardiovascular disease with the adult children and grandchildren of the Women’s Health Initiative study, to understand and address how social determinants of health contribute to generational cardiovascular disease; and

• Led the Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Cardiovascular Equity to Address Segregation Study (CEASe) 1.0, to understand how structural racism contributes to inpatient cardiovascular care delivery and how to address it.

Dr. Breathett has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed manuscripts that address equity in cardiovascular care, patient disease management and has conducted research to improve patient care that led to publications in top medical and science journals, including most recently, the Journal of American Medical Association, Nature Medicine and Circulation, with the paper, Differences in Donor Heart Acceptance By Race and Gender of Patients on the Transplant Waiting List.

She also provided the article, "Why diversity is needed at every level of clinical trials, from participants to leaders," for Nature Medicine upon invitation, and led a scientific statement on implementation science regarding equity in heart failure for Circulation, entitled, "Implementation Science to Achieve Equity in Heart Failure Care: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association."

Additionally, Dr. Breathett has been invited to more than 120 national and international engagements as a guest or plenary speaker for grand rounds, national and international conferences and as chair for moderated events. She also has provided mentorship to high students through mid-career faculty members, who have been successful in publishing their work, earning placement into top universities, medical schools, residencies and fellowships in the country, developing national reputations, and attaining tenure in academia. This work would not be possible without a dedicated team of experts, including lead biostatistician, Shannon Knapp, PhD; research coordinator, Dalancee Trabue, MS; research assistant, Ryan Yee, MS; qualitative analysts, Natalie Pool, PhD, RN and Megan Hebdon, PhD, DNP, RN, NP-C; and our national community and stakeholder advisory board co-led by Wanda Moore and Professor Ekow Yankah, Esq.