National Institute on Aging sponsored Postdoctoral Fellow PhD, Epidemiology, Purdue University, 2004
Interdisciplinary Gerontology Minor
MS, Statistics, Purdue University, 1997
BS, Mathematics, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, 1995
Medicine/Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology
Center on Aging and Health
Center for Health Disparities Solutions
5505 Hopkins Bayview Circle
Baltimore, MD 21224
Phone: 410-550-8673
Fax: 410-550-8701
Email: rthorpe3@jhmi.edu
Dr. Thorpe’s research focuses on identifying potentially malleable psychosocial factors important to the health, functioning, and general well-being of older adults. For his doctoral thesis, Dr. Thorpe examined the relationship between pet ownership and physical activity among community dwelling older adults and found dog owners had a greater frequency and longer duration of casual walks than non-pet and non-dog owners. In a follow-up study, Dr. Thorpe has shown that dog walking leads to mobility benefits including faster rapid and usual gait speeds, an advantage that was maintained over three years relative to non-dog walkers. A second area of research concerns health disparities, particularly in late life as well as across the life course. Currently, Dr. Thorpe is examining how race and poverty status affect physical disability and functioning among noninstitutionalized older adults. Other work in health disparities includes examining the association between race and hypertension among adults living in similar conditions. Because Dr. Thorpe believes that the heterogeneity that is seen in old age is a based on events throughout life, he plans to incorporate a life course perspective in his work. Overall, Dr. Thorpe endeavors to apply his training and scholarship in epidemiology and gerontology to developing interventions and programs designed to enhance the health and general well-being of community dwelling older adults. Ferraro, K, Thorpe, R., and Wilkinson, J. 2003 “The Life Course of Severe Obesity: Does Childhood Overweight Matter?” Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 58B(2): S110-S119.
Thorpe, R. and Ferraro, K. 2004 “Aging, Obesity, and Mortality: Misplaced Concern About Obese Older People?” Research on Aging, 26(1): 108-129. Thorpe, R., Kreisle, R, Ferraro, K., McCabe, G., Glickman, L., Newman, A., Rooks, R., Rubin, S., Satterfield, S., Simonsick, E. and Kritchevsky, S. “Relationship between Physical Activity and Pet Ownership in Year 3 of the Health ABC Study” Journal of Aging and Physical Activity (in press). NIH-National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities Loan Repayment Program, September 2005-September 2007.
NIH-National Institute on Aging Training Postdoctoral Fellow (T32-AG000120), September 2004-Present
NIH-National Institute on Aging, Minority Predoctoral Fellowship (F31-AG020507), August 2002-August 2004
AARP Andrus Foundation, Gerontological Society of America’s 2002 Minority Doctoral Leadership Development Program
Graduate Opportunities Fellowship, 1999, Veterinary Pathobiology Department, Purdue University
Coca-Cola Foundation Fellowship, 1995, Statistics Department, Purdue University
Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science Opportunities Program (SEMCOP) Scholarship Recipient, 1994, Mathematics Department, Florida A&M University
Golden Key National Honor Society, 1994 Health disparities, race, functional limitations, socioeconomic status, hypertension, pet ownership, physical activity, walking |
