Barbara Riegel, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA
Professor Emerita
Telephone: (215) 898-9927
Email: briegel@nursing.upenn.edu
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Annually, one in every four deaths is due to heart disease. Through her extensive research into self-care practices of older adults with heart failure—their behaviors, their adherence to medication regimens, and their ability to understand and manage their symptoms— Barbara Riegel has learned that patients who don’t get involved in their care have extremely poor quality of life and die earlier than patients who manage their care.
Beginning when she was a clinical nurse researcher in an acute care setting and continuing since then, Dr. Riegel has created a rich body of evidence aimed at helping older adults with heart failure enjoy a high quality of life in their own homes. Her work includes development of the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index and numerous other psychometrically sound instruments. These instruments are available on her website: http://self-care-measures.com/. She has received support from her research from NIH, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, private foundations, and other funders.
I study ways to help older adults with chronic cardiovascular disease to take better care of themselves. Much of my work has been in heart failure, but these patients rarely have only heart failure, so my recent work has extended to multiple chronic conditions. In addition, I have a strong commitment to mentoring.
Education
- PhD, University of California at Los Angeles, 1991
- MN, University of California at Los Angeles, 1983
- BSN, San Diego State University, 1981
Social Justice
Dr. Riegel continues to work closely with prior doctoral trainees to publish on the impact of social determinants of health on self-care and clinical outcomes. She also conducts research and publishes with global collaborators.
Teaching
Dr. Riegel continues to advise doctoral students on their research and to sponsor mentees applying for research funding. She is actively involved in advising students, post-doctoral fellows, and colleagues in conducting their own research.
Research
Dr. Riegel’s current projects address self-care, defined broadly to include treatment adherence (e.g. medication adherence), symptom monitoring and perception, and symptom management. Her newest project focuses on promoting self-care among caregivers of adults with chronic heart failure. She is the Primary Investigator of an on-going study of a virtual intervention designed to promote self-care among caregivers of adults with heart failure. She maintains numerous international collaborations with colleagues in Sweden, Australia, Hong Kong, Brazil, and beyond. These collaborations are facilitated through her International Center for Self-Care Research: http://www.selfcareresearch.org/.
Opportunities to Learn and Collaborate at Penn Nursing
Dr. Riegel moved to Penn Nursing in 2002. Penn Nursing’s dedication to using research to affect policy and practice, and the willingness of faculty to collaborate in interdisciplinary teaching and research, were a big draw for Dr. Riegel. All schools are within easy walking distance of each other. Dr. Riegel collaborates primarily with colleagues in the School of Medicine (Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics; the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology; and the UPHS Heart Failure Program).
Selected Career Highlights
- Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, Sigma Theta Tau International
- Distinguished Scientist Award, American Heart Association
- Kathleen A. Dracup Lecturer in Exemplary Early Career Mentoring Award, American Heart Association and the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing
- President’s Award for Research on Chronic Disease Management and Impact of Nursing in Promoting Self-Care, Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research
Accepting Mentees?
- No
Accepting Fellows?
- No
