CPDE partners with regional and nation-wide initiatives to create, research, or assess initiatives focused on improving community health and addressing health disparities, as well as those targeting diseases of public health significance. Other initiatives in this area are designed to increase use of preventative care and improve overall health.
Current Community Health and Healthcare Disparities projects include:
Arthritis Foundation Live Yes! Arthritis Network - INSIGHTS Programs
CPDE has partnered with the Arthritis Foundation to shape the development of the Adult and Juvenile Arthritis INSIGHTS programs, analyze data, and disseminate findings. The INSIGHTS programs longitudinally track the burden of disease and empowerment among people living with arthritis. INSIGHTS measures patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) in three areas: physical health, social and emotional health, and patient empowerment. In addition to contributing to the body of knowledge of PROs for people with arthritis, INSIGHTS guides and informs the Foundation’s programming efforts. These include: volunteer networks for education and support, advocacy efforts, and research. (Funder: Arthritis Foundation)
Variation in Cancer Centers’ End-of-Life Quality - Role of Norms
CPDE has partnered with Amber Barnato, MD, MPH, MS to conduct case studies of minority-serving cancer centers to understand the relationship between organizational practice norms, physician decision making heuristics, and patient and family expectations and their role in observed variations in end-of-life quality among minority patients. CPDE collaborated on the research design and implementation and is leading the qualitative data analysis using linked coding to assess findings across provider and patient interviews, observations, and clinical vignettes. (Funder: American Cancer Society)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Rural Health
CPDE partnered with the Newport Veterans Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic to update their evaluation plan for their Health Care Share (HCS) program using a mix of validated and novel outcome and process measures. The HCS program aims to improve the health of low-income families through increased access to fresh, locally grown produce. Participating families receive weekly HCS produce boxes, recipes, and nutrition resources for 12 weeks in the summer and fall (Funder: Veteran Affairs - Office of Rural Health).
Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI)
The Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) aims to improve the delivery of vascular care at a local and national level, reduce complications and expenses experienced by patients, define best clinical practices, and improve resource utilization. CPDE leverages its expertise in mixed methods research to gather the voices of patients and medical staff to explore significant findings in VQI studies such as the influence of race, socioeconomic status, and geographical location on patient care and outcomes (Funder: American Heart Association).