Doctoral student Adriana Carrieri from the behavioral nutrition program at Teacher’s College Columbia University is the latest recipient of the Celiac Disease Foundation’s Rising Villus Student Research Award for her research on how young adults with celiac disease navigate the transition from high school to college. This period is often filled with new freedoms and responsibilities, but for students managing a chronic condition like celiac disease, it also brings unique challenges. Adriana’s research seeks to understand how young adults with celiac disease make decisions about college and how their early experiences on campus impact their quality of life and adherence to a gluten-free diet. Her study will focus on identifying the factors that can ease or complicate this critical transition.
Unlike the limited existing research on this topic, this study uses a prospective design, collecting both qualitative and quantitative data from participants throughout their first fall semester in college. The study will also incorporate the perspectives of parents and caregivers, which offers additional insights into the experiences of families supporting a student with celiac disease in college.
When asked about her hopes for those impacted by this research, Adriana said:
I would like to tell them to hold tight, as the research community in celiac disease is continuously working to find better treatments and, more importantly, to understand how we can make the lives of individuals and families affected by celiac disease easier and more similar to those who do not have to manage a chronic condition like this. This study aims to understand the reality of students and their families undergoing a significant life transition to propose ways to make this process easier, better, and ensure that college students with celiac disease can have a similar experience as their peers. Although it takes time for science to progress, great things are being studied behind the scenes. I am optimistic that we will have a brighter future for celiac disease management.
For more information about navigating celiac disease while in college, check out the recording of the 2024 College Summit hosted by the Society for the Study of Celiac Disease, the Celiac Disease Foundation, and Schar USA: