Enhancements    

UNDERSTANDING AND REDUCING SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR IN STROKE SURVIVORS: FROM RESEARCH TO COMMUNITY ACTION IN THE PASO DEL NORTE REGION

UNDERSTANDING AND REDUCING SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR IN STROKE SURVIVORS: FROM RESEARCH TO COMMUNITY ACTION IN THE PASO DEL NORTE REGION
PI: Camila Torriani-Pasin
Sponsor: Moody Foundation
Physical Therapy
Amount awarded: $294,481

Stroke survivors often spend much of the day sitting, placing them at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, recurrent stroke, and early death. This project focuses on Hispanic and Latino stroke survivors living along the U.S.–Mexico border, a population that faces a disproportionate stroke burden yet remains understudied in terms of the physical and psychosocial factors that shape daily activity patterns. The research compares stroke survivors with age- and sex-matched healthy controls through laboratory visits, functional testing, surveys, standardized questionnaires, and seven days of wearable sensor monitoring to measure sitting, standing, and physical activity. Semi-structured interviews with stroke survivors and, when available, caregivers add cultural, social, and environmental context to observed behavior patterns. Findings from this first phase will guide a second phase centered on community action. In partnership with United 4 Stroke and Medical Center of the Americas (MCA) Ambassadors and Promotoras, the project will deliver a bilingual awareness and behavior-change program designed to reduce sedentary behavior. Twelve community-based sessions will be offered in recreation centers, churches, and other public venues across El Paso. Attendance, retention, participant feedback, and group discussion will be used to assess feasibility and satisfaction, helping determine how a culturally grounded intervention can support healthier activity patterns after stroke.

Posting date: Thu, 03/12/2026

Award start date: Tue, 01/20/2026
Award end date: Wed, 01/19/2028