Stephanie Cook
Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
11 active projects
Trajectories of Cardiovascular Risk Among Sexual and Gender Minorities v2
Scientific Questions Being Studied
Sexual and Gender Minorities (SGM), SGM of color in particular, have heightened rates of cardiovascular disease. However, it is not clear how cardiovascular disease risk changes over time. This is vitally important information due to the importance of timing prevention interventions to be optimally impactful. Further, it is important to understand the factors that may mitigate the negative effects of cardiovascular disease. In this analysis we will examine trajectories of cardiovascular risk in the All of Us longitudinal research cohort. In addition, we will examine differences in the trajectories by race, gender, sexual orientation and their intersection on trajectories of cardiovascular risk. Further, we will examine if features of social life like social support and residence mitigate the negative effects of cardiovascular disease. We anticipate clarifying how cardiovascular risk changes over time between multiple different ethic/racial, sexual orientation and gender groups.
Project Purpose(s)
- Disease Focused Research (cardiovascular disease)
- Population Health
- Social / Behavioral
Scientific Approaches
We will utilize the survey and biological datasets for this analysis, including the social determinants of health data. We will operationalize cardiovascular risk using a composite of cardiovascular risk factors including c-reactive protein, body mass index, etc. In addition, we will stratify our sample by biological sex due to the ways in which cardiovascular risk operate differentially between biological women and men. We will utilize generalized linear modeling to test our study hypothesis. Further, we will utilize the survey data in All of Us to determine how place of residence (e.g. urban vs. rural) and social support from friends or family may operate to lower cardiovascular risk overtime.
Anticipated Findings
This study will characterize how cardiovascular risk functions over time among sexual and gender minorities and specifically among sexual and gender minorities of color. This will allow us to more precisely establish when prevention interventions may be most effectively across time. In addition, examining potential "buffers" will allow us to explore new avenues where we may be able to create effective prevention interventions to protect SGM from cardiovascular disease.
Demographic Categories of Interest
- Race / Ethnicity
- Age
- Gender Identity
- Sexual Orientation
- Geography
Data Set Used
Registered TierResearch Team
Owner:
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
- Erica Wood - Graduate Trainee, New York University
Collaborators:
- Yuhan Cui - Graduate Trainee, New York University
- Sandy Carrillo-Argueta - Project Personnel, New York University
- Antoneta Karaj - Graduate Trainee, New York University
Housing Insecurity and Mental Wellbeing
Scientific Questions Being Studied
We will examine the difference in prevalence and/or change in diagnoses between participants reporting housing insecurity prior to the pandemic versus those that did not.
Project Purpose(s)
- Disease Focused Research (Depression and Anxiety)
- Population Health
- Methods Development
Scientific Approaches
Datasets: the survey / COPE / EHR domains of the up-to-date All of Us dataset.
Statistical methods: logistic regression / longitudinal analysis / linear regression
Anticipated Findings
Anticipated findings: A significant correlation between lower housing security levels and higher anxiety/depression scores.
Contribution: Suggestions on policy and intervention regarding housing security, and mental healthcare.
Demographic Categories of Interest
- Race / Ethnicity
- Income Level
Data Set Used
Controlled TierResearch Team
Owner:
- Catherine Xin - Graduate Trainee, New York University
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
Collaborators:
- Binyu Cui - Graduate Trainee, New York University
- Chenziheng Weng - Graduate Trainee, New York University
PTSD and CVD Risk
Scientific Questions Being Studied
Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among men and women over the age of 65 in the United States, men account for more than half of the deaths due to CVD. Moreover, evidence suggests that cardiovascular disparities exist among men, such that those who identify as sexual minorities are more likely to experience poor cardiovascular health as compared to heterosexuals. The objective of this proposal is to examine physiological and behavioral mechanisms linking self-reported PTSD to cardiovascular disease risk. We also would like to understand the moderating effect of race/ethnicity. The long-term objective of this research is to inform the creation of culturally relevant interventions to reduce the risk of CVD among YSMM.
Project Purpose(s)
- Disease Focused Research (arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease)
- Social / Behavioral
Scientific Approaches
We will explore datasets that provide self-report information on the constructs discussed above as well as CVD measurements such as c-reactive protein.
1. Descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics for all variables will be calculated. Distributional properties will be examined using summary statistics (e.g., mean, median, SD) and graphs (e.g., histograms and box plots). I will confirm psychometric properties (e.g., internal consistency) of all scales. All management, basic analyses, and assumption testing will be done in R
2. Multivariate linear regression (MLR) will be used to asses if PTSD predicts mean CVD risk.
3. MLR will be used to assess if race/ethnicity moderated the association between PTSD and CVD risk.
Anticipated Findings
The mechanisms linking PTSD and intermediate cardiovascular factors among racially diverse individuals remain under-explored. Conducting this research is vitally important considering the heightened rates of both stress from discrimination and CVD disease. Secondly, understanding what the potential "buffers" are that mitigate the negative effects of PTSD on cardiovascular risk factors is critically important if we are going to create tailored interventions to reduce CVD.
Demographic Categories of Interest
- Race / Ethnicity
Data Set Used
Controlled TierResearch Team
Owner:
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
- Chenziheng Weng - Graduate Trainee, New York University
Collaborators:
- zhilin Wang - Project Personnel, New York University
- Erica Wood - Graduate Trainee, New York University
COVID, Discrimination, and Resilience
Scientific Questions Being Studied
Researcher have shown that there was an increase in discrimination some points of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many researchers have suggested a myriad of reasons why this may be. However, it remains unclear what the correlates and distribution of discrimination experiences were for different groups of people. In addition, it is unknown how these experiences increased or decreased during high points in the pandemic. Lastly, it is unclear how social isolation and the disruption in human connection (e.g. with family, friends, etc.) may have been associated with the mental health effects of discrimination during the pandemic. This is of considerable public health significance because we must not only address the mental health needs of those in need, but understand the specific correlates of mental health, such as discrimination, to prevent such an uptick in mental health distress due to discrimination during the next pandemic.
Project Purpose(s)
- Social / Behavioral
Scientific Approaches
I plan on using the COPE data source from May 2020-February 2021 to examine changes in experiences of discrimination, social isolation, human connection, and mental health. I will utilize hierarchical linear models to asses random and fixed effects, as well as potential mediators and moderators. The COPE has questions related to discrimination experiences in each wave, family connections, social isolation, and mental health. I will also utilize the main survey to access basic sociodemographic information (e.g. race/ethnicity, age, socio economic status, etc.) to utilize as covariates in my analyses.
Anticipated Findings
Based on the extant research literature, I believe that we will find that there is a general uptick in perceived discrimination during COVID. In addition, we hypothesize that as discrimination experiences increase, so does poor mental health. We also hypothesize that social isolation will mediate the longitudinal relationship between perceived discrimination and perceive social isolation and perceived mental health. Lastly, we hypothesize a mediated-moderated model whereby those with perceived positive human connections who experience greater discrimination will report less social isolation and thus less poor mental health compared to those with perceived negative human connections who experience greater discrimination.
Demographic Categories of Interest
- Race / Ethnicity
- Sex at Birth
- Gender Identity
- Sexual Orientation
- Education Level
- Income Level
Data Set Used
Controlled TierResearch Team
Owner:
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
- Chenziheng Weng - Graduate Trainee, New York University
Collaborators:
- Catherine Xin - Graduate Trainee, New York University
- zhilin Wang - Project Personnel, New York University
Trajectories of Cardiovascular Risk Among Sexual and Gender Minorities
Scientific Questions Being Studied
Sexual and Gender Minorities (SGM), SGM of color in particular, have heightened rates of cardiovascular disease. However, it is not clear how cardiovascular disease risk changes over time. This is vitally important information due to the importance of timing prevention interventions to be optimally impactful. Further, it is important to understand the factors that may mitigate the negative effects of cardiovascular disease. In this analysis we will examine trajectories of cardiovascular risk in the All of Us longitudinal research cohort. In addition, we will examine differences in the trajectories by race, gender, sexual orientation and their intersection on trajectories of cardiovascular risk. Further, we will examine if features of social life like social support and residence mitigate the negative effects of cardiovascular disease. We anticipate clarifying how cardiovascular risk changes over time between multiple different ethic/racial, sexual orientation and gender groups.
Project Purpose(s)
- Disease Focused Research (cardiovascular disease)
- Population Health
- Social / Behavioral
Scientific Approaches
We will utilize the survey and biological datasets for this analysis. We will operationalize cardiovascular risk using a composite of cardiovascular risk factors including c-reactive protein, body mass index, etc. In addition, we will stratify our sample by biological sex due to the ways in which cardiovascular risk operate differentially between biological women and men. We will utilize generalized linear modeling to test our study hypothesis. Further, we will utilize the survey data in All of Us to determine how place of residence (e.g. urban vs. rural) and social support from friends or family may operate to lower cardiovascular risk overtime.
Anticipated Findings
This study will characterize how cardiovascular risk functions over time among sexual and gender minorities and specifically among sexual and gender minorities of color. This will allow us to more precisely establish when prevention interventions may be most effectively across time. In addition, examining potential "buffers" will allow us to explore new avenues where we may be able to create effective prevention interventions to protect SGM from cardiovascular disease.
Demographic Categories of Interest
- Race / Ethnicity
- Age
- Gender Identity
- Sexual Orientation
- Geography
Data Set Used
Registered TierResearch Team
Owner:
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
- Erica Wood - Graduate Trainee, New York University
Collaborators:
- Yuhan Cui - Graduate Trainee, New York University
- Antoneta Karaj - Graduate Trainee, New York University
Understanding the Effects of Discrimination on Mental Health and Substance Use
Scientific Questions Being Studied
The American Psychological Association describes discrimination as unfair or prejudicial treatment of people or groups based on characteristics such as race, gender, or sexual orientation (Discrimination: What it is, and how to cope, 2022). Discrimination is a social condition that can be displayed in several ways. All forms of discrimination have been proven to be contributors to developing poor health outcomes. (Krieger, N., 2000). Among these poor health outcomes include anxiety, mood disorders, and substance use disorder. The study aims to examine the relationship between discrimination and anxiety, mood disorders, and alcohol and drug use. Using an exploratory analysis, we will look at these associations cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The study aims to find if there is a difference in the relationship based on identity (i.e. race) and if different types of discrimination are more prevalent among certain types of demographic groups including races/ethnicities and sex.
Project Purpose(s)
- Population Health
- Social / Behavioral
Scientific Approaches
To asses the relationship between discrimination and anxiety, mood disorders, and alcohol and drug use, we will utilize survey data and conditions data. We will use the Basics Survey to gather demographic information and descriptive statistics. We will use additional survey data surrounding discrimination and health experiences utilizing the COPE survey. We will control for COVID-19 related health data. Discrimination will be assessed using the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS). Our study has three main outcomes: generalized anxiety disorder, which will be measured using the GAD scale, major depressive disorder, which will be measured using the PHQ-9 scale, and alcohol and drug use, which will be measured by the AUDIT screening tool. The basics survey will be used to help understand if race/ethnicity is a moderator of the association between discrimination and anxiety, mood disorders, and alcohol and drug use.
Anticipated Findings
We anticipate to find an association between discrimination and anxiety, mood disorders, and alcohol and drug use. We expect to see that people who experience discrimination will also experience anxiety, mood disorders, and alcohol and drug use more than those who do not experience discrimination. We also anticipate finding a difference in the relationship based on identity and that race/ethnicity will be a moderator in this relationship. We anticipate that ethnic and racial minorities will have a stronger relationship between discrimination and said outcomes compared to non-racial ethnic minorities. We anticipate finding other demographic characteristics, such sex and sexual orientation, to be additional possible moderators of the relationship. The study will contribute to the body of scientific knowledge in the field by presenting additional information about and raising awareness on discrimination and its effect on health.
Demographic Categories of Interest
This study will not center on underrepresented populations.
Data Set Used
Controlled TierResearch Team
Owner:
- Sydney Hagley-Alexander - Graduate Trainee, New York University
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
Collaborators:
- Emma Risner - Graduate Trainee, New York University
PTSD AND CVD
Scientific Questions Being Studied
Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among men and women over the age of 65 in the United States, men account for more than half of the deaths due to CVD. Moreover, evidence suggests that cardiovascular disparities exist among men, such that those who identify as sexual minorities are more likely to experience poor cardiovascular health as compared to heterosexuals. The objective of this proposal is to examine physiological and behavioral mechanisms linking self-reported PTSD to cardiovascular disease risk. We also would like to understand the moderating effect of race/ethnicity. The long-term objective of this research is to inform the creation of culturally relevant interventions to reduce the risk of CVD among YSMM. The proposed study specifically aims to:
Project Purpose(s)
- Disease Focused Research (CVD)
- Population Health
- Social / Behavioral
Scientific Approaches
I will explore datasets that provide self report information on the constructs discussed above.
1. Descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics for all variables will be calculated. Distributional properties will be examined using summary statistics (e.g., mean, median, SD) and graphs (e.g., histograms and box plots). I will confirm psychometric properties (e.g., internal consistency) of all scales. All management, basic analyses, and assumption testing will be done in Stata 16.23 Hypothesis testing will be conducted in Mplus v8.24
2. Multivariate linear regression (MLR) will be used to asses if PTSD predicts mean CVD risk.
3. MLR will be used to assess if race/ethnicity moderated the association between PTSD and CVD risk.
Anticipated Findings
the mechanisms linking PTSD and intermediate cardiovascular factors among racially diverse individuals remain under-explored. Conducting this research is vitally important considering the heightened rates of both stress from discrimination and CVD disease. Secondly, understanding what the potential "buffers" are that mitigate the negative effects of PTSD on cardiovascular risk factors is critically important if we are going to create tailored interventions to reduce CVD.
Demographic Categories of Interest
- Race / Ethnicity
Data Set Used
Registered TierResearch Team
Owner:
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
Collaborators:
- Catherine Xin - Graduate Trainee, New York University
- zhilin Wang - Project Personnel, New York University
- Chenziheng Weng - Graduate Trainee, New York University
- Erica Wood - Graduate Trainee, New York University
Discrimination, Social Isolation, and Support during the COIVD-19 Pandemic
Scientific Questions Being Studied
Researcher have shown that there was an increase in discrimination some points of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many researchers have suggested a myriad of reasons why this may be. However, it remains unclear what the correlates and distribution of discrimination experiences were for different groups of people. In addition, it is unknown how these experiences increased or decreased during high points in the pandemic. Lastly, it is unclear how social isolation and the disruption in human connection (e.g. with family, friends, etc.) may have been associated with the mental health effects of discrimination during the pandemic. This is of considerable public health significance because we must not only address the mental health needs of those in need, but understand the specific correlates of mental health, such as discrimination, to prevent such an uptick in mental health distress due to discrimination during the next pandemic.
Project Purpose(s)
- Social / Behavioral
Scientific Approaches
I plan on using the COPE data source from May 2020-February 2021 to examine changes in experiences of discrimination, social isolation, human connection, and mental health. I will utilize hierarchical linear models to asses random and fixed effects, as well as potential mediators and moderators. The COPE has questions related to discrimination experiences in each wave, family connections, social isolation, and mental health. I will also utilize the main survey to access basic sociodemographic information (e.g. race/ethnicity, age, socio economic status, etc.) to utilize as covariates in my analyses.
Anticipated Findings
Based on the extant research literature, I believe that we will find that there is a general uptick in perceived discrimination during COVID. In addition, we hypothesize that as discrimination experiences increase, so does poor mental health. We also hypothesize that social isolation will mediate the longitudinal relationship between perceived discrimination and perceive social isolation and perceived mental health. Lastly, we hypothesize a mediated-moderated model whereby those with perceived positive human connections who experience greater discrimination will report less social isolation and thus less poor mental health compared to those with perceived negative human connections who experience greater discrimination.
Demographic Categories of Interest
- Race / Ethnicity
- Age
- Sex at Birth
- Gender Identity
- Sexual Orientation
- Geography
- Education Level
- Income Level
Data Set Used
Registered TierResearch Team
Owner:
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
Collaborators:
- Catherine Xin - Graduate Trainee, New York University
- zhilin Wang - Project Personnel, New York University
- Chenziheng Weng - Graduate Trainee, New York University
Duplicate of Stephanie H. Cook - Project 1
Scientific Questions Being Studied
Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among men and women over the age of 65 in the United States, men account for more than half of the deaths due to CVD. Moreover, evidence suggests that cardiovascular disparities exist among men, such that those who identify as sexual minorities are more likely to experience poor cardiovascular health as compared to heterosexuals. The objective of this proposal is to examine physiological and behavioral mechanisms linking self-reported discrimination to ambulatory blood pressure, an intermediate outcome used to assess subclinical cardiovascular disease, in a racially diverse group of YSMM aged 18-35. The long-term objective of this research is to inform the creation of culturally relevant interventions to reduce the risk of CVD among YSMM. The proposed study specifically aims to:
Project Purpose(s)
- Disease Focused Research (CVD)
- Population Health
- Social / Behavioral
Scientific Approaches
I will explore datasets that provide self report information on the constructs discussed above.
1. Descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics for all variables will be calculated. Distributional properties will be examined using summary statistics (e.g., mean, median, SD) and graphs (e.g., histograms and box plots). I will confirm psychometric properties (e.g., internal consistency) of all scales. All management, basic analyses, and assumption testing will be done in Stata 16.23 Hypothesis testing will be conducted in Mplus v8.24
2. Multivariate linear regression (MLR) will be used to asses if discrimination predicts mean CVD risk.
3. MLR will be used to assess if each of the individual health behaviors of substance use, sleep , and physical activity predicts mean CVD risk.
4. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) will be used. The Monte Carlo method for assessing mediation will be used
Anticipated Findings
the mechanisms linking discrimination and intermediate cardiovascular factors among racially diverse young sexual minority men (YSMM) remain underexplored. Conducting this research is vitally important considering the heightened rates of both stress from discrimination and subclinical cardiovascular disease among these potentially vulnerable populations. Secondly, understanding what the potential "buffers" are that mitigate the negative effects of intersectional discrimination on cardiovascular risk factors is critically important if we are going to create tailored interventions to reduce CVD among diverse YSMM.
Demographic Categories of Interest
- Race / Ethnicity
- Sexual Orientation
Data Set Used
Registered TierResearch Team
Owner:
- zhilin Wang - Project Personnel, New York University
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
Collaborators:
- Chenziheng Weng - Graduate Trainee, New York University
Duplicate of Stephanie H. Cook - Project 1
Scientific Questions Being Studied
Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among men and women over the age of 65 in the United States, men account for more than half of the deaths due to CVD. Moreover, evidence suggests that cardiovascular disparities exist among men, such that those who identify as sexual minorities are more likely to experience poor cardiovascular health as compared to heterosexuals. The objective of this proposal is to examine physiological and behavioral mechanisms linking self-reported PTSD to cardiovascular disease risk. We also would like to understand the moderating effect of race/ethnicity. The long-term objective of this research is to inform the creation of culturally relevant interventions to reduce the risk of CVD among YSMM. The proposed study specifically aims to:
Project Purpose(s)
- Disease Focused Research (CVD)
- Population Health
- Social / Behavioral
Scientific Approaches
I will explore datasets that provide self report information on the constructs discussed above.
1. Descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics for all variables will be calculated. Distributional properties will be examined using summary statistics (e.g., mean, median, SD) and graphs (e.g., histograms and box plots). I will confirm psychometric properties (e.g., internal consistency) of all scales. All management, basic analyses, and assumption testing will be done in Stata 16.23 Hypothesis testing will be conducted in Mplus v8.24
2. Multivariate linear regression (MLR) will be used to asses if PTSD predicts mean CVD risk.
3. MLR will be used to assess if race/ethnicity moderated the association between PTSD and CVD risk.
Anticipated Findings
the mechanisms linking PTSD and intermediate cardiovascular factors among racially diverse individuals remain under-explored. Conducting this research is vitally important considering the heightened rates of both stress from discrimination and CVD disease. Secondly, understanding what the potential "buffers" are that mitigate the negative effects of PTSD on cardiovascular risk factors is critically important if we are going to create tailored interventions to reduce CVD.
Demographic Categories of Interest
- Race / Ethnicity
Data Set Used
Registered TierResearch Team
Owner:
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
Collaborators:
- Catherine Xin - Graduate Trainee, New York University
- zhilin Wang - Project Personnel, New York University
- Chenziheng Weng - Graduate Trainee, New York University
Stephanie H. Cook - Project 1
Scientific Questions Being Studied
Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among men and women over the age of 65 in the United States, men account for more than half of the deaths due to CVD. Moreover, evidence suggests that cardiovascular disparities exist among men, such that those who identify as sexual minorities are more likely to experience poor cardiovascular health as compared to heterosexuals. The objective of this proposal is to examine physiological and behavioral mechanisms linking self-reported discrimination to ambulatory blood pressure, an intermediate outcome used to assess subclinical cardiovascular disease, in a racially diverse group of YSMM aged 18-35. The long-term objective of this research is to inform the creation of culturally relevant interventions to reduce the risk of CVD among YSMM. The proposed study specifically aims to:
Project Purpose(s)
- Disease Focused Research (CVD)
- Population Health
- Social / Behavioral
Scientific Approaches
I will explore datasets that provide self report information on the constructs discussed above.
1. Descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics for all variables will be calculated. Distributional properties will be examined using summary statistics (e.g., mean, median, SD) and graphs (e.g., histograms and box plots). I will confirm psychometric properties (e.g., internal consistency) of all scales. All management, basic analyses, and assumption testing will be done in Stata 16.23 Hypothesis testing will be conducted in Mplus v8.24
2. Multivariate linear regression (MLR) will be used to asses if discrimination predicts mean CVD risk.
3. MLR will be used to assess if each of the individual health behaviors of substance use, sleep , and physical activity predicts mean CVD risk.
4. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) will be used. The Monte Carlo method for assessing mediation will be used
Anticipated Findings
the mechanisms linking discrimination and intermediate cardiovascular factors among racially diverse young sexual minority men (YSMM) remain underexplored. Conducting this research is vitally important considering the heightened rates of both stress from discrimination and subclinical cardiovascular disease among these potentially vulnerable populations. Secondly, understanding what the potential "buffers" are that mitigate the negative effects of intersectional discrimination on cardiovascular risk factors is critically important if we are going to create tailored interventions to reduce CVD among diverse YSMM.
Demographic Categories of Interest
- Race / Ethnicity
- Sexual Orientation
Data Set Used
Registered TierResearch Team
Owner:
- Stephanie Cook - Early Career Tenure-track Researcher, New York University
Collaborators:
- zhilin Wang - Project Personnel, New York University
- Chenziheng Weng - Graduate Trainee, New York University
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