Xueting (Mimi) Ding, a PhD candidate in Public Health at Wen Public Health, has been awarded a prestigious two-year fellowship by the American Heart Association (AHA). Her innovative research aims to address an important gap in understanding stroke risks and outcomes among Asian Americans, one of the nation’s fastest-growing yet understudied populations.
Stroke, caused by a disruption in blood flow to the brain, is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in the United States. Each year, thousands of individuals face life-altering consequences, ranging from physical impairments to cognitive challenges. Despite the significant public health impact, existing research has largely overlooked Asian Americans, a diverse population encompassing multiple ethnic subgroups with unique genetic, cultural, and environmental health influences.
Our work can help the public to better understand stroke risks among Asian Americans. My hope is that it will also contribute to fairer health policies and practices for stroke prevention”
– Xueting (Mimi) Ding, PhD Candidate
Ding’s research, “Assessing Stroke Risk and Outcomes Among Asian Americans Using the American Heart Association Life’s Essential 8 Metrics” takes a pioneering approach. This study will employ AHA’s Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) metrics, which are eight key factors influencing cardiovascular and brain health, combined with advanced data analysis techniques to uncover patterns that traditional approaches may miss. She aims to examine the relationship between LE8 and mortality outcomes among racial and ethnic groups with an emphasis on Asians, investigate ethnic-specific risk profiles of prevalent stroke among Asian subgroups, and analyze risk factors of different stroke subtypes among Asians.
“Our work can help the public to better understand stroke risks among Asian Americans. My hope is that it will also contribute to fairer health policies and practices for stroke prevention,” shared Ding who is under the mentorship of founding dean and professor of health, society, and behavior Bernadette Boden-Albala, MPH, DrPH.
