PAHP Laboratory (PI: Dr. Youngdeok Kim)

RESEARCH THEMES

Our research is guided by the Behavioral Epidemiology Framework (Sallis et al., 2000), which outlines a systematic sequence of studies leading to the development and implementation of effective, evidence-based interventions for targeted populations. The scope of our work is broad and cross-disciplinary, addressing all key phases of the framework. In particular, our lab is building the foundation for a research agenda focused on the following themes:

Theme 1: Examining the links between movement behaviors and health - Investigating public health issues related to movement behaviors including sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity by assessing their impacts on chronic health conditions.

Theme 2: Validating & Refining methods for measuring movement behaviors - Addressing measurement issues in movement behaviors assessed through both objective and subjective methods.
Theme 3: Identifying factors that influence movement behaviors - Examining personal, contextual, and environmental factors that shape healthy movement behaviors.

Theme 4: Developing and evaluating behavioral change intervention - Designing and testing intervention strategies to promote healthy movement behaviors across diverse settings.

CURRENT PROJECTS (Dr. Kim's research group as PI only)

Our lab is dedicated to conducting cutting-edge research guided by the principles of epidemiological research methods. We carry out observational, experimental, and interventional studies that align with the core goals of the behavioral research framework. Our work involves utilizing large health datasets such as the UK Biobank and NHANES, as well as collecting primary data. Currently, our efforts are focused on applying these approaches to address health issues affecting Aging and Clinical populations, with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life.

Healthy Aging Study (HAS). Initiated in 2022, this ongoing project is building a cohort of community-dwelling older adults in the Greater Richmond Area, VA, to investigate psychological, behavioral, and socio-ecological determinants of healthy aging.
- - Exploring the role of circadian rest-activity rhythm in clinical outcomes (i.e., physical/cognitive frailty, the risk of falls)
  - Investigating modifiable person- and community-level correlates (i.e., social capital, subjective social status) to promote healthy behaviors and clinical health outcomes among aging population
Epidemiological investigation of movement patterns and characteristics, including 24-hour movement behaviors and circadian rest-activity rhythms, among aging and clinical populations using large health datasets (e.g., NHANES, NHATS, All of Us, UK Biobank) or secondary data analysis from federally funded health datasets.
Examining the measurement properties (e.g., reliability and validity) of movement behaviors assessed both subjectively and objectively particularly among aging and clinical populations.

COLLABORATIONS

The PAHP Research Lab actively collaborates within and beyond VCU in the field of behavioral health sciences. In particular, we provide methodological expertise in assessing free-living movement behaviors—including sleep and physical activity—using actigraphy, and we apply advanced analytic modeling to characterize movement behavior patterns. Our collaborators within VCU span the School of Nursing, School of Medicine, and School of Public Health, while our external partnerships include institutions such as the University of Texas at San Antonio, Yale School of Nursing, and Texas Tech University on a number of research projects in which Dr. Kim serves as a key personnel, co-investigator, or lead sub-contract PI.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse