An Evaluation Framework of a Transdisciplinary Collaborative Center for Health Equity Research

Over the last few decades, there has been an increase in the number of large federally funded transdisciplinary programs and initiatives. Scholars have identified a need to develop frameworks, methodologies, and tools to evaluate the effectiveness of these large collaborative initiatives, providing precise ways to understand and assess the operations, community and academic partner collaboration, scientific and community research dissemination, and cost-effectiveness. Unfortunately, there has been limited research on methodologies and frameworks that can be used to evaluate large initiatives. This study presents a framework for evaluating the Flint Center for Health Equity Solutions (FCHES), a National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)-funded Transdisciplinary Collaborative Center (TCC) for health disparities research. This report presents a summary of the FCHES evaluation framework and evaluation questions as well as findings from the Year-2 evaluation of the Center and lessons learned.

A design-led framework for engaged research: Using a design approach to understand and place the public at the core of health and social care

This paper offers a multi-perspective approach on the role of engaged research in health and social care. Each of the authors focuses on their individual experiences of this domain, from the perspective of an academic partner of the Health Research Board’s PPI Ignite programme, a CEO of an umbrella organisation for health research charities and a researcher in design innovation, focusing on health research. The paper outlines the values which underpin public and patient involvement, as well as examples of its application as engaged research. It details how organisations like Health Research Charities Ireland support and enable engaged research within health and social research and policy. This paper offers a framework for facilitating dialogue and response across all stakeholders in the engaged research process, illustrating the importance of engaged research and how we can further our understanding and application of it within health and social care policy by adopting a design-led approach. We argue that a design-led approach can both facilitate engaged research as well as support policymakers in the design of new policies and practices.

Collaboration Between Academia and Industry to Advance Industrial Gas Turbines

Most collaborations between academia and industry involve industry funded and defined research projects. There are, however, many more opportunities for activities that lead to a stronger partnership that benefits both. Moving from individual projects to a wider collaboration aligned along industry needs and academic strengths, to form academic centers of excellence provides a more involved collaboration. This paper provides an example of how companies can become more than a research partner but, instead, can get involved in the curriculum and educational efforts of the academic partner.

Abstract P871: Community and Academic Partner Creation of a Community-Informed, Behavior Theory-Based Music Video to Encourage Stroke Preparedness During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Background: Black Americans comprise 14% of Michigan’s population, but 30% of the COVID-19 cases and 40% of deaths. The accumulating national quantitative data on decreased presentation and increased pre-hospital delay during the pandemic confirmed our Flint, MI community partners’ impression of a decline in stroke presentations. Thus, we set out to understand the community’s perception of seeking acute stroke care during the pandemic which will inform the development and dissemination of public health messaging in a predominantly Black American community. Method: To honor social distancing orders, we conducted semi-structured interviews based on the Theory of Planned Behavior via HIPAA-approved teleconferencing with community members. Due to the clinical and public health implications of the pandemic, we employed a rapid assessment approach to streamline qualitative data analysis. Results were used to inform the creation of a music video. Lyrics were written by the academic team, set to a soundtrack and sung by a community partner. The music video theme was conceptualized by the academic team and performed by both academic and community partners. Results: We reached thematic saturation after completing 15 semi-structured interviews with Flint, MI community members. Mean duration of interviews was 40 minutes. Eighty percent of participants were Black; median age was 50; 74% were women and 47% reported some college or above. There was an unfavorable attitude towards seeking emergent stroke care via ambulance and at the hospital, due to concerns for viral transmission at the hospital, hospital capacity and ability to triage, and quality of care. Community and academic partners co-created a music video with verses addressing the community-identified barriers: “ stroke is an emergency all the time, even with COVID-19 / get to the hospital as soon as symptoms start, it’s so important to do your part, be Stroke Ready” (https://youtu.be/lKefAiUM2W0) The video reached over 1,200 users on our community-academic partner Stroke Ready Facebook page. Conclusion: We found that community members’ attitudes and perceived behavioral control to seek emergent stroke care were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. We addressed these barriers in an academic-community partner created music video. Academic and community partnerships facilitated a timely, innovative response to seeking acute stroke care in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health-system implementation of a collaborative core curriculum for advanced pharmacy experiential education during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose A collaborative advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) education model established within a healthcare institution during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is described. Summary The COVID-19 pandemic caused a nationwide disruption of APPE pharmacy education. Healthcare institutions faced the challenge of educating APPE students while attempting to simultaneously de-densify work areas and reduce transmission risk for employees and patients. A pharmacist coordinator and pharmacist academic partners at a large teaching hospital created a collaborative common core curriculum model for resourceful implementation of APPE education. Healthcare network pharmacists, clinical pharmacist academic partners, and pharmacy residents delivered the curriculum to 35 pharmacy students over a 9-week time period. Main components of the curriculum included patient case discussions, topic discussions, journal club presentations, live continuing education (CE) webinars, and development of pharmacy technician CE programs. A majority of students reported positive experiences working with a variety of preceptors from different specialties (81%) and collaborating with students from other universities (62%). Conclusion A health system can leverage institutional, network-wide, and academic partner resources to implement a collaborative APPE curriculum during challenging times such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospital social workers and their understanding of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma

Compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma can be a consequence of social work practice in all contexts, including the fast-paced, crisis driven hospital environment. Four metropolitan hospitals collaborated with an academic partner to explore the understanding and awareness that hospital-based social workers have in this area, and to investigate both individual and organisational responsibility. The research utilised a Participatory Action Research methodology with Stage One being a collaboratively developed survey. The results of the survey showed that social workers’ understanding is impacted by their knowledge of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma, the nature of everyday hospital practice, and the identification, provision of, and engagement in personal self-care and workplace support strategies. The findings highlighted the dual responsibility that employing hospitals and individuals have to care for themselves and each other, including the capacity for social workers to use supervision and collegial relationships to support their coping and resilience.

Longitudinal changes in the outdoor recreation community’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic: Final report on a three-phase national survey of outdoor enthusiasts

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to alter daily life and lead to changes in the way we spend time outside. In an effort to gather timely and relevant data on national recreation patterns, the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and its academic partner, Pennsylvania State University, have been working to conduct a study that can offer guidance to land managers, recreation providers, and outdoor enthusiasts across the United States. Through three phases of survey-based data collection, ranging from April 9th to May 21st, 2020, a longitudinal perspective of how outdoor recreationists are reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic was developed from this research. The timing of this research was purposeful, as it intended to capture self-reported information related to outdoor recreation and COVID-19 during periods of time when the virus had been officially documented as a pandemic, resulting federal and state stay-at-home orders were implemented across the U.S., and many parks and protected closed or discontinued regular operations. Phases 1 and 2 of this assessment were detailed by previous reports. This report details the findings across all three phases of research. These findings track behaviors, psychosocial determinants of outdoor recreation decision-making, and future intentions across the study period. This report is intended to provide valuable information for managing the changing recreation use of public lands, predicting spikes in recreation, and offering insight for land managers as they work to protect the natural world.The following tables, figures, and corresponding brief descriptions are intended to compare results across the three phases of this research effort.

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way people recreate outdoors: Preliminary report on a national survey of outdoor enthusiasts amid the COVID-19 pandemic

On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The pandemic is rapidly altering daily life and leading to changes in the way we spend time outside. In an effort to gather timely and relevant data on national recreation patterns, before, during, and after the pandemic, the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics worked quickly with its academic partner, Pennsylvania State University, to offer guidance to land managers, recreation providers, and outdoor enthusiasts across the country. In total, 1,012 outdoor recreationists were surveyed through the Leave No Trace community in a 48-hour window beginning on the morning of April 9th. Our hope is that the results of this rapid assessment will provide valuable information for managing the changing recreation use of public lands, predicting spikes in recreation, and offering insight for land managers as they work to protect the natural world. The following tables, figures, and corresponding brief descriptions are intended to provide initial results of this research effort. Further results are forthcoming.

CHOT ACADEMIC PARTNER

The second speaker will be Dr. Robert Weech-Maldonado, an academic representative and CHOT Site Director at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Weech-Maldonado will share what got UAB involved in CHOT; the process to get involved; what it means to be a CHOT partner, and the pros/cons of this program from the academic side. During this symposium, we will explore why this model needs to be expanded to the field of gerontology and the impact it can have on the aging population. Relating to the academic experience, Dr. Maldonado will speak to how CHOT can result in financial support to the academic institution; provide access to unique data sets / populations; outcomes, such as, publications, and how this program can further academics careers. We will also explore some of the struggles related to working with an industry partner as it relates to deliverables and expectations.

Enhancing Capacity of Community–Academic Partnerships to Achieve Health Equity: Results From the CBPR Partnership Academy

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an equitable partnership approach that links academic researchers, community organizations, and public health practitioners to work together to understand and address health inequities. Although numerous educational materials on CBPR exist, few training programs develop the skills and knowledge needed to establish effective, equitable partnerships. Furthermore, there are few professional development opportunities for academic researchers, practitioners, and community members to obtain these competencies in an experiential co-learning process. In response, the Detroit Community–Academic Urban Research Center developed the CBPR Partnership Academy, an innovative, yearlong capacity-building program facilitated by experienced community and academic partners, involving an intensive short course, partnership development, grant proposal preparation and funding, mentoring, online learning forums, and networking. Three diverse cohorts (36 teams) from 18 states and 2 tribal nations have participated. We describe the rationale and components of the training program and present results from the first two cohorts. Evaluation results suggest enhanced competence and efficacy in conducting CBPR. Outcomes include partnerships established, grant proposals submitted and funded, workshops and research conducted, and findings disseminated. A community–academic partner-based, integrated, applied program can be effective for professional development and establishing innovative linkages between academics and practitioners aimed at achieving health equity.