UF College of Nursing recently issued the following announcement.
Assistant Professor Lakeshia Cousin, PhD, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, is the recipient of a KL2 Career Development Award from the University of Florida Clinical and Translational Science Institute, or CTSI. She is the first to receive this award from the College of Nursing.
The KL2 Career Development Award provides junior faculty with financial support and research training to develop the skills necessary to build a well-funded, collaborative career in clinical and translational research.
Cousin’s research focuses on reducing morbidity and mortality risk in older African American breast cancer survivors by developing culturally tailored interventions to improve mental and physical outcomes and health behaviors. Through the KL2 Award, Cousin will develop a pilot study that centers around gratitude journaling as an intervention to improve well-being, exercise readiness and positively impact inflammatory biomarkers in this population. She will also examine the Superwoman Schema, a cultural phenomenon that African American women manifest strength, suppress emotions and care for others over oneself.
“African American women have unique socio-cultural and historical contextual factors that lead to higher stress, obesity and metabolic syndrome,” Cousin said. “As a KL2 scholar, I hope to provide preliminary data to inform the use of a psychosocial protective intervention for African American breast cancer survivors that will help to promote physical activity and make a positive impact. Receiving this award will allow me to receive mentored research and training to help me succeed as an early-stage investigator. I am grateful for this amazing opportunity.”
Cousin is one of three from the UF academic health center to receive the award this year, which will provide funding for up to two years starting July 1.
Learn more about Cousin’s research.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up