Research Studies

SCF Research has numerous ongoing research studies that answer important questions about the health and wellness of the Native Community. These studies rely on the participation from Alaska Native and American Indian people to answer these questions. If interested in participating, please contact SCF Research.

Contact Us

Research and Data
Services Department
Nuka Learning and Wellness Building
4085 Tudor Centre Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508

Phone
(907) 729-8623

Email
SCFResearchOffice@scf.cc

Recruiting Participants

Study Name

Caring Texts: A Strength-based, Suicide Prevention Trial

Goal

To culturally tailor and test an evidence-based suicide prevention texting intervention for use with Alaska Native communities.

SCF Lead

Jennifer Shaw, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington and Washington State University

Study Name

An exploration of palliative care experiences, preferences, and needs among Alaska Native/American Indian people in a home-based medical care program

Goal

To describe the palliative care experiences, needs, and preferences adults receiving home based medical care.

SCF Lead

Jennifer Shaw, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Colorado Denver, University of Utah

Study Name

Diet and the CPT1A Arctic Variant: Impact on the Health of Alaska Native Children

Goal

To study how diet and differences in genes affect the health of Alaska Native children.

SCF Lead

Denise A. Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

Oregon Health Sciences University

Study Name

Exploring Palliative Care Communication with Alaska Native and American Indian People in Two Primary Care Settings

Goal

To culturally-tailor and test an intervention to increase advance care planning among Alaska Native and American Indian people with serious illnesses.

SCF Lead

Jennifer Shaw, PhD

SCF Partners

University of New Mexico, University of Colorado, University of Washington, and Washington State University

Study Name

Genes and Aspirin Response in Alaska Native People

Goal

To explore how differences in genes affect how people respond to aspirin, a medication used to reduce risk of heart attacks.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington

Study Name

Online Alcohol Support Preferences

Goal

To identify stakeholder needs and preferences regarding use of an online learning community to support self-management and peer-support for alcohol misuse.

SCF Lead

Jaedon Avey, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington School of Medicine

Study Name

Pediatric Studies with Alaska Native Communities

Goal

To establish partnerships to study health priorities of Alaska Native children.

SCF Lead

Jennifer Shaw, PhD

SCF Partners

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

Study Name

Native – Controlling Hypertension and Risks through Technology

Goal

To establish partnerships to study high blood pressure. One study will test whether home blood pressure monitors reduce blood pressure.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Colorado Denver and Washington State University

Study Name

Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Intervention for Self-Management of High Blood Pressure Among Alaska Native People

Goal

To evaluate BP-ICAN’s impact on within-person change in systolic blood pressure (BP) and secondary outcomes.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

Washington State University

Study Name

Dementia Screening

Goal

To determine whether a screen instrument with 8 questions can detect early changes in memory in Alaska Native elders .

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Colorado Denver, Washington State University,

Study Name

Feasibility and Acceptability of Community-Based Screening for Hepatitis C in an Urban Alaska Native and American Indian Population
(CURE)

Goal

To pilot and assess an HCV point-of-contact screening process in community-based clinical settings.

SCF Lead

Jennifer Shaw, PhD

SCF Partners

ANTHC, Montana State University

Study Name

Diet and Genes Modifying Antiplatelet Drug Response in ANAI People

Goal

The purpose of this study is to test whether or not ANAI individuals with a diet that provides different levels of omega-3s have different platelet activation and aggregation.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, Ph.D.

SCF Partners

University of Washington

Study Name

Piloting a Cultural Resilience scale for Alaska Native peoples

Goal

To create and test a strengths-based survey to see how much engaging with our Indigenous cultures might lead to improved mental health outcomes.

SCF Lead

Kyle Wark

SCF Partners

Washington State University

Study Name

Engaging Stakeholders to Implement Predictive Algorithms for Suicide in an Alaska Native Health System

Goal

To explore community perspectives on approaches to implementing a suicide risk prediction tool in primary care.

SCF Lead

Jennifer Shaw PhD
Jaedon Avey, PhD

SCF Partners

Kaiser Permanente Health Research Institute of Washington, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research

Study Name

American Indian and Alaska Native Health Disparities

Goal

To respond to increasing rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease among American Indian and Alaska Native people.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Colorado Denver, Washington State University

Data Being Analyzed

Study Name

Perceptions of Alcohol Misuse and Sobriety in an Alaska Native Health System

Goal

To identify preferred treatment and prevention options for alcohol- and sobriety related care  among SCF customer-owners, providers, and leaders,

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington School of Medicine and Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute

Related Publications

Study Name

Adapting a Relationship Awareness Intervention for Committed Couples

Goal

To culturally adapt and pilot test a relationship awareness intervention for committed Alaska Native and American Indian couples.

SCF Lead

Jaedon Avey, PhD

Study Name

Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Diabetes Translational Research

Goal

To establish partnerships and support research in diabetes.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Colorado Denver

Study Name

Identifying risk factors of suicide death among Alaska Native /American Indians

Goal

Conduct a descriptive secondary analysis of administrative and clinical data to construct a list of suicide risk factors among the case cohort.

SCF Lead

Jaedon Avey, PhD

SCF Partners

BSD Support Services

Study Name

Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing among Alaska Native People: Perspectives, Utilization, and Impact

Goal

To explore perspectives, utilization, and potential impacts related to direct-to-consumer genetic testing among Alaska Native people.

SCF Lead

R. Brian Woodbury

SCF Partners

University of Washington

Study Name

Provider and Patient Factors Associated with Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

Goal

To identify provider and customer-owner factors that contribute to timely diagnosis of ADRD.

SCF Lead

Jaedon Avey, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington

Study Name

Exploring Palliative Care Communication with Alaska Native and American Indian People in Two Primary Care Settings

Goal

To culturally-tailor and test an intervention to increase advance care planning among Alaska Native and American Indian people with serious illnesses.

SCF Lead

Jennifer Shaw, PhD

SCF Partners

University of New Mexico, University of Colorado, University of Washington, and Washington State University

Study Name

Induction of Labor Experiences and Preferences

Goal

To explore induction of labor preparation and prioritization of concerns of Alaska Native and American Indian women through key informant interviews.

SCF Lead

Krista Schaefer, MPH

SCF Partners

University of Washington and SCF OBGYN

Publication in Progress

Study Name

Northwest-Alaska Pharmacogenetic Research Network Partnership Core

Goal

To support the Northwest-Alaska Pharmacogenetic Research Network

SCF Lead

Vanessa Hiratsuka, PhD, MPH

SCF Partners

University of Washington

Study Name

Depression Management

Goal

To develop and test an iPad-based tool which gives SCF customer-owners information about different ways to manage depression.

SCF Lead

Jaedon Avey, PhD

SCF Partners

Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute

Study Name

Knowledge and Preferred Utilization of Suicide Prevention Resources Among Alaska Native/American Indian People in Southcentral Alaska

Goal

To describe resilience and protective factors among Alaska Native and American Indian people with a history of suicidal thoughts or actions.

SCF Lead

Jennifer Shaw, PhD

SCF Partners

Southcentral Foundation Behavioral Health Division

Study Name

Contingency Management for Alcohol Misuse with Alaska Native People

Goal

To culturally-tailor and test an intervention to increase alcohol abstinence among Alaska Native and American Indian people.

SCF Lead

Jennifer Shaw, PhD

SCF Partners

Washington State University

Study Name

NARCH Faculty Development Core

Goal

To provide opportunities for bi-directional and multi-level learning between University of Washington and SCF and to develop a cadre of Alaska Native and American Indian scientists and health research professions through fulfillment of four aims.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington

Study Name

Pathways to recovery among urban Alaska Native and American Indian people with long-term abstinence from alcohol

Goal

Describe how diverse Alaska Native and American Indian adults with a history of alcohol use disorder have attained long-term (≥3 years) alcohol abstinence in an urban setting.

SCF Lead

Kate Lillie, PhD
Jennifer Shaw, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington

Study Name

Medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder in a Tribal health system

Goal

To evaluate the effects of medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder using electronic health record data.

SCF Lead

Kate Lillie, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington

Study Name

Predictive Algorithm for Reducing Risk of Suicide in an Alaska Native Health System

Goal

To validate a predictive algorithm for suicide risk using routinely collected electronic health record data.

SCF Lead

Jennifer Shaw, PhD

SCF Partners

Kaiser Permanente Research Institute of Washington

Study Name

Alaska Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH)

Goal

To study how diet, physical activity, and other lifestyle and cultural factors affect chronic disease.

SCF Lead

Vanessa Hiratsuka, PhD, MPH

SCF Partners

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

Study Name

Community Engaged Research Towards Precision Medicine with AIAN People

Goal

To investigate potential approaches to support Precision Medicine research (PMR) with AIAN people through dialogue with community members, health care providers, and tribal health leaders in Alaska and Montana

SCF Lead

Vanessa Hiratsuka, MPH, PhD

SCF Partners

Oregon Health and Science University, University of Montana, University of Washington

Study Name

Center for the Ethics of Indigenous Genomic Research

Goal

Facilitate the conversation within the tribal community on the ethical, legal and social implications of genomic research.

SCF Lead

Vanessa Hiratsuka, PhD, MPH

SCF Partners

University of Oklahoma, Chickasaw Nation, and Missouri Breaks Industries Research Inc.

Related Publications

Study Name

Genes and Nicotine Metabolism

Goal

To explore how differences in genes affect how people metabolize medications used in tobacco cessation treatment.

SCF Lead

Jaedon, Avey, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington School of Pharmacy

Capacity Building

Study Name

American Indian-Alaska Native Clinical and Translational Research Center

Goal

To build partnerships in Alaska and Montana to address health priorities among Alaska Native and American Indian people through training and mentoring of researchers.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

Montana State University, University of Montana, Blackfeet Tribal College, University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

Study Name

NARCH IX Faculty Development Core

Goal

Evaluate and enhance SCF Research Department staff’s clinical and translational research skills, scientific writing skills and dissemination efforts to the community.

SCF Lead

Vanessa Hiratsuka, PhD, MPH

SCF Partners

University of Washington

Study Name

University of Washington Patient Centered Outcome Research and SCF Research Partnership

Goal

To develop a program of training in advanced methods of Comparative Effectiveness Research/Patient Centered Outcomes Research.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington School of Pharmacy

Just Awarded

Study Name

URBAn Native Elder (URBANE): Risk and Protective Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias

Goal

To establish the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia in an urban Alaska Native sample.

SCF Lead

Jaedon Avey, PhD

SCF Partners

Washington State University

Project Completed

Study Name

Genes and Tamoxifen Response

Goal

To explore how differences in genes affect how people respond to Tamoxifen, a medication used to reduce risk of breast cancer.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington School of Pharmacy


Study Name

Colorectal Cancer Screening

Goal

To determine whether text messages increase the number of SCF customer-owners over the age of 40 who get screened for colorectal cancer.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington School of Native Health

Study Name

Online Trauma Support

Goal

Develop and evaluate the acceptability and usability of 3 web-based modules (patient, clinician, & clinical monitoring) that address the consequences of trauma.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Colorado Denver

Study Name

Trauma Screening

Goal

To develop and test feasibility and acceptability of a screening, brief intervention, and referral process for trauma.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Colorado Denver Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Health

Study Name

Community Outreach and Engagement

Goal

To work with the Alaska Native and American Indian community to address trauma.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Colorado Denver

Study Name

Southcentral Foundation Student Development Core for Alaska Native Research

Goal

To increase students and entry-level employees’ awareness of an interest in health research and other science related careers through fulfillment of 3 specific aims.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University  of Washington

Study Name

Genes and Warfarin Response

Goal

To determine whether differences in genes affect dose of warfarin needed to get to a therapeutic level and prevent bleeding events.

SCF Lead

Jaedon Avey, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington Department of Pharmaceutics

Study Name

Alaska Native Family Health History

Goal

To explore whether Alaska Native people may be willing to have biological specimens and associated family health history information stored for use in future research about cancer.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

Related Publications

Study Name

Nurse Home Visiting

Goal

To determine the impact of an adapted Nurse Family SCF Research Partnership (NFP) program on major maternal and child health.

SCF Lead

Vanessa Hiratsuka, PhD, MPH

SCF Partners

University of Colorado Denver Prevention Research Center for Family and Child Health

Study Name

Southcentral Foundation Administrative Core for Alaska Native Research

Goal

Manage administrative functions, coordinate research activities, direct ongoing evaluation, and lead strategic planning.

SCF Lead

Denise Dillard, PhD

SCF Partners

University of Washington, Kaiser Permanente, University of Minnesota, University of Colorado Denver, Alaska Pacific University, and Indian Health Service

Study Name

Teen Tobacco Screening

Goal

To identify improvements in teen tobacco and electronic cigarette use screening.

SCF Lead

Vanessa Hiratsuka, PhD, MPH

SCF Partners

University of Washington Partnerships for Native Health