The Louisiana Community Engagement Alliance (LA-CEAL) is a National Institutes of Health-funded initiative awarded to the Tulane School of Medicine that aims to "...promote health, improve health outcomes, and strengthen community partnerships through community-engaged research to address differences in access to health care," (NIH CEAL, 2025). The LA-CEAL team is one of many CEAL regional teams across 21 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Current LA-CEAL 5.0 Initiatives:
Collaborative Obesity Intervention Engaging Communities Trial (CONNECT)
- In partnership with federally qualified health centers across Louisiana, CONNECT aims to test an evidence-based, multi-level obesity management program that combines individual support (health coaching by community health workers and remote monitoring), community-driven strategies (asset mapping and action projects), and system-level improvements (provider toolkits and lunch and learns tailored to obesity management strategies). This innovative approach aims to reduce obesity, improve quality of life, and build lasting capacity for health equity in Louisiana and beyond.
Community-Academic-Public Health-Clinical Practice (CAPP) Learning Academy
- CAPP Academy aims expand the basic clinical research training provided in LA-CEAL 4.0 and provide intermediate-to-advanced training opportunities to build the capacity of community members and organizations to engage in clinical research and secure grant support.
Rural Research and Resource Hubs (R3Hubs)
- The purpose of the R3Hubs are to increase inclusive participation of underserved communities in clinical research. R3Hubs have a pivotal role for increasing awareness, access, enrollment in, and community capacity for clinical trials and studies. Key leaders of our FQHC partners serve as champions promoting community-engaged research and coordinating hubs for data collection and dissemination of research opportunities and study findings.
This study focuses on testing the efficacy of the Supporting Tailored Adaptive Change and Reinforcement for Medication Adherence Program (STAR-MAP), a health coaching approach that aims to improve antihypertensive medication adherence, blood pressure control, and quality of life. Participants (n=402) >=50 years old with a diagnosis of hypertension, uncontrolled blood pressure, and low antihypertensive medication adherence will be recruited through a statewide health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, and randomized to receive either interactive health coaching sessions with medication reminder tools (intervention) or medication reminder tools only (control) over one year. Data will be collected from participants at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months using questionnaires, physical measurement (height, weight, blood pressure), a computer-based single-category implicit association test, and laboratory analysis of antihypertensive medication urinary metabolites.
Evaluating the Association Between Cardiometabolic Health Over the Lifespan and Vertebral Strength
Cardiometabolic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension, increase the risk for fractures, which is a substantial public health problem in older adults in the United States. This study funded by the National Institutes of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R01 AR080868) uses adds validated vertebral strength data assessed from biomechanical computed tomography (BCT) to the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study to further our understanding on how cardiometabolic disorders and hallmarks of cardiometabolic disease over the life span impact vertebral strength, a surrogate for vertebral fracture risk.
The study aims are to: 1) Evaluate the association between cardiometabolic disease patterns and vertebral health, 2) Determine the role of cardiometabolic biomarkers on vertebral health, and 3) Identify cardiometabolic health factors that predict 10-year changes in vertebral health.
Content coming soon.
