An estimated eight million Americans have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Adolescents with such disabilities face significant health issues, particularly cardiovascular health risks linked to limited physical activity and health literacy challenges.
Patty West, a researcher and assistant professor in the MSU College of Nursing, is the recipient of a three-year, $507,000 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NIH). West will explore how to address these gaps by engaging adolescents with intellectual disabilities, their families, and community members as collaborators in co-designing, adapting, and pilot-testing a tailored virtual reality-based physical activity intervention.