Daniel O. Clark, PhD

Contact :

daniclar@iu.edu

One of the greatest opportunities to improve population health lies in working with underserved subpopulations to turn known-to-be effective interventions (e.g., healthy diet, exercise) into appealing and accessible activities.

Initiatives

Research Scientist, Indiana University Center for Aging Research at Regenstrief Institute
Associate Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine

Dr. Clark is a medical sociologist working with interdisciplinary teams to investigate and intervene upon risk factors for adverse physical health or cognitive function. He is particularly interested in primary and secondary prevention among high-risk subpopulations. Dr. Clark has had a career-long focus on studying health disparities and designing novel chronic disease self-management and health behavior interventions in disparities populations.

Featured Projects

MIND Food and Speed of Processing Training in Older Adults with Low Education, The MINDSpeed Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Pilot Trial

(R01 – NIA) (2018-2022)

Role: Principal Investigator

This project will test in a pilot randomized controlled trial the effects of “MIND” foods and speed of processing training on cognitive reserve in older adults with low education.

Food Resources and Kitchen Skills (FoRKS) intervention

Role: Principal Investigator

The intervention involves home delivered ingredients and dietitian-led cooking classes among adult safety-net primary care patients who report food insecurity and have hypertension. Two pilot trials (total N=20) supported by Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Eskenazi Health resources showed high attendance and satisfaction and reductions in systolic blood pressure.

Role: Principal Investigator

Dr. Clark has also worked to create an intervention delivered by safety-net providers that integrates Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet and aerobic training (MAT). Following a pilot that showed high feasibility, a randomized trial to test this intervention was submitted and is pending at the National Institute on Aging.

Role: Principal Investigator

Dr. Clark is also leading an evaluation into the long-term impacts of enhanced screening and referral for social needs (e.g., food insecurity) on health care use and outcomes in the Eskenazi Health federally qualified health centers. This work is partially supported by the Regenstrief Foundation through the Office of Applied Research.

Featured Publications

Jul 2016

Does targeted cognitive training reduce educational disparities in cognitive function among cognitively normal older adults?

Publication: International Journal of Geriatrics Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1002/gps.4395

Authors: Clark DO, Xu H, Unverzagt FW, Hendrie H

Apr 21, 2016

Sex and Race Differences in the Relationship between Obesity and C-Reactive Protein

Publication: Ethnicity and Disease

DOI: 10.18865/ed.26.2.197

Authors: Clark DO, Unroe KT, Xu H, Keith NR, Callahan CM, Tu W

Oct-Dec 2013

Hospital and nursing home use from 2002 to 2008 among U.S. older adults with cognitive impairment, not dementia in 2002

Publication: Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders

DOI: 10.1097/WAD.0b013e318276994e

Authors: Clark DO, Stump TE, Tu W, Miller DK, Langa KM, Unverzagt FW, Callahan CM

May 2010

Screening, referral, and participation in a weight management program implemented in five CHCs

Publication: Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved

DOI: 10.1353/hpu.0.0319

Authors: Clark D, Chrysler L, Perkins A, Keith NR, Willis DR, Abernathy G, Smith F

Sep 2008

The meaning and significance of self-management among socioeconomically vulnerable older adults

Publication: The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences

DOI: 10.1093/geronb/63.5.s312

Authors: Clark DO, Frankel RM, Morgan DL, Ricketts G, Bair MJ, Nyland KA, Callahan CM

May 2007

Educational disparities in the prevalence and consequence of physical vulnerability

Publication: The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences

DOI: 10.1093/geronb/62.3.s193

Authors: Clark DO, Stump TE, Miller DK, Long JS

Sep 2019

MIND food and speed of processing training in older adults with low education, the MINDSpeed Alzheimer's disease prevention pilot trial

Publication: Contemporary Clinical Trials

DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2019.105814

Authors: Clark DO, Xu H, Moser L, Adeoye P, Lin AW, Tangney CC, Risacher SL, Saykin AJ, Considine RV, Unverzagt FW

Apr 3, 2019

Context-Sensitive Ecological Momentary Assessment: Application of User-Centered Design for Improving User Satisfaction and Engagement During Self-Report

Publication: JMIR mHealth and uHealth

DOI: 10.2196/10894

Authors: Srinivas P, Bodke K, Ofner S, Keith NR, Tu W, Clark DO

Apr 2018

Addressing people and place microenvironments in weight loss disparities (APP-Me): Design of a randomized controlled trial testing timely messages for weight loss behavior in low income Black and White Women

Publication: Contemporary Clinical Trials

DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2018.01.006

Authors: Clark DO, Srinivas P, Bodke K, Keith N, Hood S, Tu W

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