Ashmita Thapa, post-doctoral research associate, is working to bridge persistent gaps in cardiovascular care for individuals living in rural communities, where access to resources and support can be limited.
Her research centers on strengthening self-care, psychological well-being, and overall quality of life for people living with heart failure. Rather than focusing solely on clinical treatment, Thapa explores how factors like rurality, access to care, depression, and a patient’s sense of control influence outcomes. By integrating behavioral science, nursing interventions, and digital health strategies, she is working towards building scalable, patient-centered solutions designed for long-term disease management.
Thapa’s current work is SELF-CARE HF, a self-guided mobile health (mHealth) intervention designed specifically for adults with heart failure in rural areas.
The project follows a multi-phase, mixed methods design that begins with community input. Through focus groups with rural patients and health care providers, Thapa is adopting an existing evidence-based program to ensure it is both culturally relevant and easy to use. From there, she will develop the mobile app and evaluate it through a 16-week pilot randomized controlled trial involving 50 participants.
The study will assess not only feasibility and usability, but also early impacts on key health behaviors and outcomes including symptom monitoring, physical activity, diet, medication adherence, depressive symptoms, and overall quality of life.
For patients managing heart failure, daily decisions can significantly affect long-term health. Yet consistent support is often out of reach in rural settings. Thapa’s work addresses this challenge directly.
The SELF-CARE HF app offers simple, on-demand guidance for symptom monitoring, medication adherence, nutrition, physical activity, and stress management—all within a single, user-friendly platform. By making these tools accessible anytime and anywhere, the intervention empowers patients to take an active role in their care.
This approach has the potential to do more than improve routines—it can reduce symptoms, prevent hospitalizations, and help patients feel more confident and in control of their health.
Thapa’s innovative work has earned her the Heilbrunn Nurse Scholar Award from the Heilbrunn Family Center for Research Nursing (HFCRN) at the Rockefeller University, a recognition that provides both funding and professional development opportunities to emerging nurse scientists.
The $25,000 award will support critical components of her project, including app refinement, participant recruitment in rural communities, and data collection. Just as importantly, it connects Thapa to a national network of nurse researchers, offering mentorship, training, and collaboration that will help shape the next phase of her career.
With this support, she aims to generate the feasibility and preliminary outcome data needed to pursue larger, externally funded clinical trials—and ultimately expand the reach of SELF-CARE HF to communities that need it most.
For Thapa, the goal is clear: to ensure that where someone lives, no longer determines how well they can manage heart failure. Through innovation, research, and a deep commitment to patient-centered care, she is helping redefine what access to quality health care can look like in rural America.
Contacts:
Kara Clark Cardwell ([email protected], 865-974-9498)
Lauren Bryant ([email protected], 865-974-8250)