Over the past 5 years, Cornell’s Roybal Center has developed innovative approaches and an effective infrastructure for the translation of behavioral and social science research to improve the health and well-being of older adults. A major strength of TRIPLL is its demonstrated ability to link behavioral and social science research to real world contexts. TRIPLL has focused on developing behavioral interventions and on leveraging new technologies that can bring about adaptive behavior change in the context of pain, an issue characterized by the Institute of Medicine as a critically important and under-addressed public health problem.

 

We will build on our accomplishments to date by measurably expanding the infrastructure of the Center to augment the development of potent and scalable behavioral interventions for pain, with a particular focus on conducting this research with underrepresented populations, i.e., older persons with cognitive impairment, minority elders, rural-dwelling older adults, and those aging with HIV. Pain is highly prevalent, costly, and frequently disabling in older adults, particularly among underrepresented populations. Behavioral interventions (e.g., psychological and exercise therapies) are now routinely encouraged as primary treatments for pain, but research is needed to enhance their efficacy, effectiveness and long-term benefits.

 

The overarching aims of Cornell’s Roybal Center will be to:

1) Develop potent and scalable behavioral interventions to address the problem of later-life pain

2) Conduct a vibrant investigator development program

3) Provide an effective infrastructure for developing behavioral interventions using new technologies that can enhance intervention effects

4) Leverage the intellectual, fiscal, and other resources of the academic collaborators in this application, thereby achieving results that would not be attainable by any one institution.