School of Nursing Home

Funded Research and Projects

Sharon B. Wyatt, PhD, RN, CANP, FAAN

Harriet Williamson Professor

School of Nursing
University of Mississippi Medical Center
2500 North State Street
Jackson, MS  39216-4505
USA

Phone: 601.984.6249
Fax: 601.815.
E-mail: swyatt@son.umsmed.edu

Sharon B. Wyatt is the Harriet Williamson Professor of Nephrology Nursing in the School of Nursing, the only endowed chair in nephrology in the country. She is also a Professor of Medicine (Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hypertension) where she maintains an active clinical practice. She joined the faculty of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in August of 1993. 

Dr. Wyatt is best known for her multi-method research in cardiovascular health disparities and innovative community-driven solutions to overcoming disparities. For a decade, she served as Director and Co-PI of the Examination Center of the landmark Jackson Heart Study, the paramount national study to identify reasons for cardiovascular disease (CVD) disparities in African Americans. She is the only nurse to hold such a leadership position in any NIH funded epidemiological study of this magnitude. She developed and implemented a novel community-driven model for research participation for the JHS and has translated findings from this approach to address health disparities in the Mississippi Delta.

Her interdisciplinary approach and commitment to health equality resulted in appointment as the Co-Chair of the Governor’s Task Force for the Prevention of CVD where she leads the health policy development and implementation of Mississippi’s State Plan to reduce disparities.
Research Overview
Research Interests
  • Health disparities
  • Hypertension
  • Sociocultural influences – particularly socioeconomic status, religion and spirituality, and discrimination
  • Research participation
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Community-based participatory research
  • Heideggerian hermeneutics

Dr. Wyatt’s program of research focuses on health disparities in cardiovascular and renal disease, particularly hypertension, among African Americans. Understanding the role of sociocultural and behavioral risk factors at the individual and community level is the major emphasis.  A secondary focus is on community engagement for building healthy communities, enhancing capacity for self-care, and for research participation.

Research activities are ongoing with two major epidemiological studies—the Jackson Heart Study (health disparities in CVD) and the National Children’s Study (research participation). The Mercy Delta Express Project, a community-based participatory action research effort is underway in the Mississippi Delta and is currently examining the role of community health advisors in improving hypertension outcomes and enhancing community capacity.