Special Interest Projects (SIPs)

The Prevention Research Center at UMass Chan Medical School promoted confidence and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among youth and families in Worcester, Massachusetts. There are three components to this approach 1) COVID-19 Vaccine Ambassadors Public Health Media Campaign, 2) COVID-19 Vaccine Family Ambassador Model, and 3) Preparing Clinicians for Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations.

PRC Investigator: Stephenie C. Lemon, PhD
Funder: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Dates: 2020-2022

Toolkits and resources to promote COVID-19 vaccines.

This project is relevant to public health because it has the potential to provide a sustainable and transferable model of epilepsy care that could be utilized at: epilepsy centers across the country, community neurology practices, and primary care practices in rural and underserved areas. Such unique models may offer epilepsy patients better disease management, improved quality of life, and a greater ability to reduce upstream health determinants, thereby improving overall health and well-being.

PRC Investigator: Stephenie C. Lemon, PhD (PI of record)
Funder: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (PI: Chu)
Dates: 2021-2022

This grant re-established the UMass Chan Prevention Research Center as a member of the Physical Activity and Policy Research Network Plus. Our team lead research related to municipal officials’ involvement in local built environment policy processes.

PRC Investigator: Stephenie Lemon, PhD
Funder: Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Dates: 2014-2019

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the availability of unsupervised tanning in urban and rural areas of two different regions in the US (Northeast and Southeast), proximity to schools, the characteristics of users, and patterns and reasons for use. 

PRC Investigator: Sherry Pagoto, PhD
Partner: Worcester Division of Public Health
Funder: CDC SIP
Dates: 2012-2014

This study tested the implementation of a community health worker outreach model among low-income Latinos with hypertension and diabetes who are disengaged from safety-net institutions.

PRC Investigator: Milagros C. Rosal, PhD
Partners: Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Central Massachusetts Area Health Education Center
Funder: CDC PRC project
Dates: 2009-2014

This grant established the UMass Chan Prevention Research Center as a collaborator in a network of academic institutions dedicated to developing and evaluating methods for successfully implementing local and state policies that promote physical activity. 

PRC Investigator: Stephenie Lemon, PhD
Partners: CDC Consortium, WDPH
Funder: CDC SIP
Dates: 2009-2014