Abstract Body: The U.S. national average for the prevalence of hypertension in women aged 35-44 is 10.8%. In southeastern states including Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina, the prevalence of hypertension in women of this same age group is 13.5%, 17.8%, and 15.5%, respectively. The increase is mostly observed in Black women from non-metro areas. Thus, a need exists to improve awareness of cardiovascular risk in these communities and to support scientific research to improve the understanding of how sex contributes to differences in cardiovascular risk factors like hypertension.

Rural Obese At Risk (ROAR) establishes a Specialized Center of Research Excellence on Sex Differences (SCORE) homed at Augusta University, spanning three Southeast universities. The overall goal is to establish ROAR as a national resource and recognized leader in cardiovascular disease in females, and to change perceptions and awareness surrounding cardiovascular risk in women across the Southeast, particularly in high-risk groups.

One objective of ROAR Augusta is to establish a community outreach pipeline of trained scientists to increase awareness of sex as a biological variable (SABV), promote optimal cardiovascular healthcare for men and women, and empower the community to self-monitor and identify barriers to improving access to healthcare through the Community Engagement Core (CEC). The CEC aims to develop meaningful relationships among the research, medical, and lay communities promoting the increase of awareness of the importance of blood pressure control in women through community outreach, a Qualitative Needs Assessment, design and dissemination of unique illustrative educational materials related to cardiovascular disease in women, and the launch of a Blood Pressure Checks for Women campaign. In six months (December 2023 – May 2024), ROAR participated in 10 community events providing blood pressure checks and educational materials and reaching more than 600 people in 6 counties; awarded one pre-doctoral career enhancement mini-sabbatical; awarded three early career SABV pilot grants; hosted a SABV symposium reaching 120 biomedical scientists; and hosted a SABV seminar and workshop reaching 142 biomedical scientists. In conclusion, the ROAR CEC is well on its way to positively impacting hypertension perceptions and awareness in women across the Southeast.