Current and Recent Research Projects
Below are brief descriptions of recent Division of Clinical and Community Translational Research activities and MetroNet projects.
Reducing Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence Study. Funded by the Susan B. Komen Foundation, this two year healthy living intervention study is partnered with 2 community organizations to enroll African American women. The purpose of the study is to determine if cancer survivors can adhere to an individualized diet and physical activity plan that two recent studies have shown may reduce risk of cancer recurrence and death.
Research Culture of PBRNs is a new R01 grant funded by AHRQ. The project objective is to develop a Research Professionalism Check-list for PBRNs to self-assess their current research culture. The impact of this self-assessment will be to assist PBRNs to identify areas of strength in and challenges to their policies and practices that support the research integrity processes of their organization.
Cholesterol Study: Funded by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, this two-year practice-based research study began in April 2002. The purpose of the study is to explore, through the use of patient and physician focus groups, the barriers and facilitators for treatment of hypercholesterolemia. A manuscript was recently published in the Journal of National Medical Association describing barriers to healthy lifestyles.
Competencies and Skills for Family Physicians to Participate in Practice-based Research: A quality improvement project supported by a federal faculty development grant was conducted by Dr. Neale who telephone-interviewed 11 national experts in practice-based research to determine factors that affect the success of practice-based research networks. A manuscript is currently in press at Family Medicine.
Patient Use of Internet for Health Information: With funding from the Michigan Consortium of Family Practice Research, 13 MetroNet family practice sites collaborated on this project to determine the health-related Internet activities and desires of a large, diverse primary care population. Approximately 100 consecutive patients age 18 or older were recruited to complete a questionnaire at each of the participating sites. The results suggested a majority (74%) of primary care patients with Internet access use it to obtain health information, particularly about specific diseases and medications. A manuscript was published in 2006 in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
Reducing Disparities in Influenza Vaccine Acceptance: This cooperative agreement with the AAMC/CDC tested the hypothesis that a standardized offer of vaccine to all patients 65 years and older will improve the gap between black and white patients in vaccine acceptance. The study methods included developing the standardized universal offer of influenza vaccination for all patients 65 years and older, and training the staff and health care providers at each participating site to follow the study protocol. Using this standardized approach to the universal offer, we did not find ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination acceptance. The results were published in 2006 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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