My research is focused on explicating the role chronic stress, especially racial stress, on the disparities facing African Americans related to hypertension and its sequelae. My long-term goal is to identify persons at greatest risk of hypertensive disorders in order to initiate preventive interventions at the earliest possible point in time.

Program of Research

Rosalind M. Peters, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Professor College of Nursing at Wayne State University, is an expert on preventing and managing hypertension in minorities, as evidenced by her extensive publications, funded research, and leadership on expert panels and professional organizations. Her comprehensive theoretical framework integrates physiological, environmental, and personal variables relevant to minorities and has led to cutting edge findings, including identifying a circle of culture that prevents many African Americans from embracing lifestyle changes to reduce hypertension risk and sensory gating as a potential biomarker for African Americans at highest risk for racism-related hypertension.

In addition to stress-related expertise, Dr. Peters also has theoretical expertise as is seen in the development of instruments to measure beliefs regarding the totality of self-care behaviors necessary to control blood pressure. These instruments are widely used both nationally and internationally. Her kidney disease awareness instrument is being used in patient education programs in Michigan and Alabama. Dr. Peters was also instrumental in extending the self-care deficit nursing theory to include concepts of spirituality and spiritual self-care; and in explicating the health-deviation self-care requisites for living with an implanted left-ventricular assist device (LVAD).

Current Research

2015-2016 Peters, R.M., Co-Investigator - Neighborhood environment, lipidomes, and preterm birth in African American women.
Principal Investigator: C. Giurgescu
Funded by: Institute for Population Studies, Health Assessment, Administration, Services and Economics (INPHAASE)

2014-2015 Peters, R.M., Consultant – Psychometric testing of the revised Beliefs about Personal Weight Survey
Principal Investigator: S. Pickett   Funded by: Sigma Theta Tau International Small Grants

2015-2016 Peters, R.M. PI - Self-reported sensory gating and hypertension in young adults. Funded by  Harriet Werley Award

2014-2016 - Consultant - Psychometric testing of the revised Beliefs about Personal Weight Survey.  Funded by: Sigma Theta Tau International Small Grants

2012-2013 - Principal Investigator – Sensory gating and cardiovascular reactivity: A comparison of African Americans and Caucasians. Funded by Harriet H. Werley Award

2009-2010 - Co-Principal Investigator: Maternal coping with environmental stress: influences on pregnancy and child health outcomes . Funded by the Institute for Population Studies, Health and Assessment.

2007-2008 Co-Principal Investigator: Hypertension Prevention Beliefs in Hispanics. Funded by University of Central Florida, College of Nursing Chatlos Minority Research Fund.

2007-2008 Principal Investigator: Cardiovascular and Central Nervous System Responses to Racism among African Americans. Funded by Wayne State University. College of Nursing Dean’s New Investigator Initiative Award.

2003-2006 Principal Investigator: Hypertension Prevention Beliefs of African Americans. Funded by National Institute of Nursing Research (R15 NR008489-01).

2004-2005 Co-Principal Investigator: The Effects of Psychosocial Aspects of Care on Hypertension Outcomes in African Americans. Funded by Detroit Medical Center (DMC) Scholar Award 2005-2006 Principal Investigator: Kidney Disease Awareness among a High Risk Population. Funded by Wayne State University College of Nursing.

Populations of interests

• Age: Adults, At- risk Adolescents
• Genders: Both men and women
• Race: African American
• Health State: Persons at-risk for cardiovascular diseases or diagnosed with hypertension, early stage kidney disease,

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