Recent Grant Awardees

PI: Nicole Klaus, Ph.D.
Department: Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Award Amount: $30,000
Project Title: Engaging and Educating Latino Families of Children with Mood Disorders

In preparation for evaluation of Spanish Psychoeducational Psychotherapy (PEP) in a randomized trial, the proposed study plans to build community partnerships to engage latino communities in research and pilot the Spanish PEP intervention. This pilot will lay the groundwork for further evaluation of the Spanish PEP intervention in a larger randomized trial to establish efficacy. Development and evaluation of the Spanish PEP treatment will also complement the research on telehealth interventions for childhood mood disorders by supporting the inclusion of Spanish-speaking participants in future grant submissions for the study of psychotherapy via telehealth in rural communities.

PI: Gretchen Dickson, M.D., M.B.A.
Department: Family & Community Medicine
Award Amount: $19,981
Project Title: An Assessment of Resident Self-Report of Competence

The purpose of this study is to determine what proportion of information gathered in an encounter between a standardized patient and resident physician is accurately reported. This cohort assessment of resident checkout of patients to faculty will use three standardized patient cases to evaluate over-reporting, under-reporting and inaccurate reporting in both verbal discussion with a faculty member and written chart documentation regarding a patient encounter.

PI: Frank Dong, M.S., Ph.D.
Department: Preventative Medicine & Public Health
Award Amount: $19,204
Project Title: Improve the Triage System of 911 Dispatch

We seek to establish a valid prediction tool for the use of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) to triage patients according to their acuity level and the requirement of the patient's illness. We also seek to validate the prediction tool by the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve to make sure patients are safely referred and properly treated.

PI: Kari Harris, M.D.
Department: Pediatrics
Award Amount: $19,960
Project Title: Adolescent Mothers and Primary Care Survey & Focus Group

Our objectives are to understand the current care teen mothers are receiving in Sedgwick County. Preliminary research is to determine the proportion of teen mothers in Sedgwick County that have a PCP by conducting a survey. Secondary research is to conduct four follow-up focus groups of the surveyed teen mothers. Qualitative data will be collected to determine associated barriers within the population.

PI: Robert Kraft, M.D.
Department: Smokey Hill Family Medicine
Award Amount: $20,000
Project Title: Assessment of Methods for Scheduling Pap Smear Screening for Smoky Hill Family Medicine Residency Program Patients

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using a patient portal to increase Pap smear visit rates in a rural family medicine residency program. Secondarily, the study will include an assessment of Pap smear screening rates and patient barriers to completion of the screenings.

PI: Matthew Macaluso, D.O.
Department: Psychiatry
Award Amount: $19,999
Project Title: 11-Dehydroxy-Thromboxane-B2 as a Potential Biomarker in Bipolar Depression

The proposed project will examine the inflammatory marker 11-dehydroxy-thromboxane-B2 (11-D-TBX-B2) in participants with bipolar disorder who are currently depressed. 11-D-TBX-B2 is an indirect measure of platelet thromboxane activity, which is a product of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme activity. COX enzymes are found in excess in states of increased inflammation in illnesses such as arthritis. The Inflammatory and Neorodegenerative Hypothesis of Drepression postulates that chronic inflammation may be linked to depressive illness, such as bipolar depression.

PI: Cari Ahlers-Schmidt, Ph.D.
Department: Pediatrics
Award Amount: $15,986
Project Title: Interviews with Immunization Providers Regarding Barriers to Technology Implementation

The objective of this study is to identify real and perceived barriers that prevent immunization providers from using novel reminder techniques. Our rationale for this project is that successful completion will identify specific factors that prevent immunization providers in Kansas from adapting and using new communication technologies for reminders, which will enable us to develop dissemination strategies to address these barriers.

PI: Jennifer Wipperman, M.D.
Department: Family & Community Medicine
Award Amount: $20,000
Project Title: Breastfeeding and Health Literacy Among Urban Adolescents in a Midwestern Community

This study will investigate the relationship between health literacy and breastfeeding outcomes among urban adolescents through self-reported health literacy and breastfeeding outcomes. The rationale for the proposed study is that, once it is known how health literacy relates to adolescent breastfeeding, effective educational interventions may be developed.