Family medicine research at the forefront
Advancement, opportunity and collaboration describe the research and scholarship efforts in The Ohio State University Department of Family and Community Medicine. Our faculty members are engaged in a broad range of multidisciplinary efforts to bolster advances in the practice, teaching and research of family medicine. Our successes are demonstrated by professional presentations, publications and grant support.Our faculty's involvement in clinical promises to advance knowledge about many aspects of primary care — for example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, seasonal affective disorder, diabetes, etc.
Investigator-initiated research drives the department toward its goal of being a nationally and internationally recognized leader in research and scholarship. Educational initiatives and research continue to produce state-of-the-art curriculum, teaching strategies and learning techniques that advance medical education at many levels including medical student education, residency training and continuing medical education.
Investigator-initiated research
Linking Education, Produce Provision, and Community Referrals to Improve Diabetes Care (LINK)
Sponsor: NIDDK (NIH)
MPIs: Dr. Daniel Walker, Dr. Joshua Joseph
DFCM Co-Is: Dr. Ann McAlearney, Dr. Aaron Clark
Purpose: The LINK study will use a prospective and pragmatic randomized controlled trial (pRCT) to test if participants referred for weekly produce provision assigned to: 1) a social needs screening, navigation and resolution intervention; and/or 2) a diabetes and culinary skills training and education intervention will have a lower A1c at 3-months than participants who are only assigned to receive weekly produce provision (control).
Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT05472441
SUSTAIN: Promoting Sustained Behavior Change and Nutrition Security in Medicaid-Enrolled Individuals With Stage 2 Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome (CKMS)I-path
Sponsor: American Heart Association
PI: Dr. Joshua Joseph
MPI: Dr. Daniel Walker, Dr. Colleen Spees
Purpose: Leveraging existing programs and strong community partnerships to inform the design of interventions, SUSTAIN will test the feasibility, engagement in and preliminary efficacy of a novel health system to community-based intervention to improve nutrition security and cardiovascular health through a food-is-medicine intervention in Medicaid-enrolled individuals with Stage 2 cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome.
Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT06589336
Implementing Scalable, PAtient-centered Team-based Care for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes and Health Disparities (iPATH)
Funder: NIMHD (NIH)
Site PI: Dr. Daniel Walker, Dr. Ann McAlearney
Purpose: This study will (a) identify processes and organizational conditions at FQHCs that promote or impede the effectiveness of type 2 diabetes care; (b) adapt a promising patient- centered medical home practice transformation strategy; and (c) test an innovative implementation approach. iPATH will apply novel multi-method, iterative, practice-relevant research focused on patient-centered, team- based, technology-enabled care to promote customized practice transformation that will address equity challenges in diabetes care and improve care for NIH-designated U.S. health disparity populations.
Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT06251323
Advancing Equity in Cancer Care: Investigating Health- Related Social Needs and Colonoscopy Follow-Up Among FQHC Patients
Funder: NCI
PI: Dr. Chyke Doubeni
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of health-related social needs on follow-up colonoscopy receipt among patients with abnormal stool-based test results. The results from this study will inform interventions that improve colorectal cancer screening completion rates in low-resourced settings.
Addressing Disparities in Outcomes of Screening for Colorectal Cancer in Community-Based Settings
Funder: NCI
PI: Dr. Chyke Doubeni
Purpose: This project seeks to elucidate why colorectal cancer disparities may persist even when similar rates of screening have been achieved by comprehensively evaluating the entire screening continuum from the tests used and screening quality to follow-up care and guideline-concordant treatment in a dynamic cohort of about 3.8 million people per year over the 2003-2019 17-year period.
Cardi-OH
Achieving Outstanding Cardiovascular Health Outcomes for All Ohioans: Cardio-OH
Funder: AHRQ/ CMS
Site Co-I: Dr. Timothy Adesanya
Purpose: The goal is to use a unique facilitated co-design approach to develop a heart healthy QI intervention based on patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) in the context of an expanded statewide Ohio cardiovascular health collaborative (Cardi-OH) to accelerate statewide CVD improvement and reductions in disparities
BETTER
Better birth outcomes and Experiences Through Technology, Education and Reporting (BETTER)
Funder: American Heart Association
PI: Dr. Ann Scheck McAlearney
Purpose: The BETTER project is part of an American Heart Association (AHA) effort to build a health equity research network to identify solutions that can improve outcomes and reduce health disparities experienced by pregnant people and infants of color or those who are born into poverty.
Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT06261398
All study activity is completed.
Expanding, Enhancing and Enriching the Primary Care Workforce through Clinical Transformation Education
PI: Kristen Rundell, MD
Purpose: The purpose of this collaborative project is to further enhance the leadership roles of the Department of Family and Community Medicine (lead applicant training program) and the College of Nursing (partnering collaborative training program) through continued development and implementation of innovative education and training initiatives designed to assure an enlarged primary care provider workforce well-prepared to practice in and lead transforming health care delivery systems.
Urine Antimicrobial Proteins in Older Adults: Aging, Infection & Innate Immunity
PI: Jeffrey Caterino, MD
Co-I: Randy Wexler, MD
Purpose: The primary goal is to identify and measure changes in baseline urinary AMP levels associated with aging and to create a normal distribution parameter of AMPs for an uninfected older cohort. The primary quantitative outcome will examine the association between age (<65 or ≥65) and the measurable levels of AMPs. Also, this outcome will include a comparison of the proportion of subjects with non-measurable levels of each AMP between the ages of <65 and ≥65.
Translational Candidate-Gene Studies of Simvastatin-Induced Myopathy in African Americans
PI: Joseph Kitzmiller, MD, PhD
Co-I: Leon McDougle, MD
Purpose: The primary goal of pharmacogenomic research is to improve the understanding of how genetic factors influence individual patient response to medication. A cornerstone of precision medicine, pharmacogenomics testing is used clinically to help prescribers select appropriate medications and doses to improve the efficacy and cost-effectiveness (as well as reducing adverse effects) of pharmacotherapies. The pharmacogenomics research supported by this grant aims to improve pharmacotherapy outcomes in African Americans – a large minority health disparity population.
Searching for Management Approaches to Reduce HAI Transmission (SMART)
PI: McAlearney, AS
Co-I's: Huerta, TR; Sieck, C; Hefner, J; Hebert C
Purpose: The project is designed to identify the organizational and structural practices that are associated with better performance at reducing and preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). This five-year project is focused on central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and involves both intensive care units (ICUs) and medical/surgical units. We aim to create a generalizable management practice toolkit that can then be leveraged in the improvement of other HAI outcomes.
Acceptance of Outpatient Electronic Medical Record by Physicians and Patients at The Ohio State University Medical Center During an Institution Wide Implementation
PI: Milisa Rizer, MD
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess physician and patient feedback regarding electronic medical record implementation at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Americans in Motion – Healthy Interventions (AIM-HI)
PI: Perry Mostov, DO
Purpose: The Americans in Motion - Healthy Interventions (AIM-HI) study was designed to evaluate the impact of a fitness program, including healthy eating, physical activity and emotional health.
Assessing Cardiovascular Risk in a Family Practice Population
PI: W. Fred Miser, MD
Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to validate a new cardiac risk tool for use in the family practice population. This tool was developed in line with the latest recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
Clinical Utility of the Newest Vital Sign in Family Medicine: A Pilot Study
PI: Lorraine Wallace, PhD
Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine whether participant use of a calculator is associated with improved scores on the Newest Vital Sign, a screening tool to detect inadequate health literacy.
Clinical Utility of Spanish Language Health Literacy Measures
PI: Lorraine Wallace, PhD
Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine whether participant use of a calculator is associated with improved scores on a screening tool to detect inadequate health literacy and numeracy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques and Lifestyle Changes: Reducing Systolic Blood Pressure
PI: Randy Wexler, MD
Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether behavioral change to improve blood pressure control was greater in patients who used cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to support their health behavior change.
Core Stability, Biomechanical Joint Loading and Athletic Performance
PI: Ajit Chaudhair, PhD
Co-I: Tom Best, MD, PhD; Deborah Givens, PT, PhD; Greg Young, MS
Purpose: This randomized interventional study assessed the influence of improving core stability on reducing lower extremity joint loading and improving athletic performance in football athletes. Forty subjects were randomized into a core stability training group or a whole-body resistance training group for six weeks, with both pre- and post-testing of lower extremity biomechanics, performance in selected football-specific tasks and clinical strength measures.
Development and Validation of Educational Materials to Foster Safe Use of Opioid Medication
PI: Lorraine Wallace, PhD
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess patient comprehension of the OxyContin Medication Guide (OxyMG) and Patient Medicine Information Sheet—Long Acting Opioids (PMIS).
Efficacy of Web-Based Physician Education
Site PI: Doug Post, PhD
Purpose: The aim of this study was to change the skin examination practices of primary care physicians by developing the Basic Skin Cancer Triage Curriculum into a web-based course and to evaluate its efficacy in a geographically diverse sample of community-based primary care physicians.
Initial Development of the Opioid Health Activities Tool (OHAT): A Pilot Study
PI: Lorraine Wallace, PhD
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable Opioid Health Activities Tool (OHAT) to simulate tasks routinely required of patients prescribed opioids.
Medical Student Partners in Health
PI: Doug Post, PhD
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to develop and test the feasibility of an educational intervention delivered by first-year medical students to senior patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes who receive their health care in OSU primary care clinics.
Mindfulness-Based Approach to the Treatment of Obesity and Diabetes
PI: Carla Miller, PhD
Co-I: W. Fred Miser, MD
Purpose: The purpose of this project was to test the effects of a dietary intervention based on self-regulation and dietary intake on weight loss compared to a standard nutrition education curriculum.
Ohio Patient Navigator Research Program
PI: Electra Paskett, PhD
Co-I: Doug Post, PhD
Purpose: The Ohio Patient Navigator Research Program (OPNRP) is designed to alleviate disparities in relation to the timely diagnosis and treatment of breast, cervical and colorectal cancer in underserved populations in Columbus, Ohio.
Patient Centered Communication During Chemotherapy
PI: Doug Post, PhD
Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate communication between cancer patients and clinicians through the development and evaluation of a PDA-based patient communication intervention for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. The intervention was comprised of two integrated components: symptom monitoring and tailored patient communication training.
Patient Centered Communication During Chemotherapy: A Focus Group Study in Appalachia
PI: Doug Post, PhD
Purpose: Focus groups were conducted to obtain patient and clinician feedback on the quality of a patient communication tool and its applicability to a patient population who reside in Appalachia, Ohio.
Patients' Ability to Complete the Newest Vital Sign
PI: Lorraine Wallace, PhD
Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine whether participant use of a calculator is associated with improved scores on Newest Vital Sign, a screening tool to detect inadequate health literacy.
Patients' Experiences Using Pain Medication
PI: Lorraine Wallace, PhD
Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Patient Opioid Knowledge and Activities Questionnaire (POKAQ).
Remote Home Blood Pressure Monitoring: A Feasibility Study
PI: Neeraj Tayal, MD
Co-I: Milisa Rizer, MD; Albert Lai, PhD; Stuart Beatty, PharmD
Purpose: The purpose of this project was to investigate the feasibility of using information technology (IT) to facilitate patient self-monitoring of blood pressure with conveyance of this information to a care team.
Risky Sexual Behavioral and Cervical Cancer in Rural Ohio Women
PI: Doug Post, PhD
Purpose: The overall goal of this project was to assess the feasibility of a behavioral intervention delivered by lay health advisers. Focus group members provided information that was used to understand community perceptions of the association between sexual behavior and cancer risk and reviewed models of the educational materials to be used in the later intervention phase of the study.
The Association of Health Literacy, Diabetes Knowledge and Glycemic Blood Pressure and Lipid Control in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus who Receive Their Care in a Family Practice Office
PI: W. Fred Miser, MD
Purpose: This study evaluated the relationship between health literacy, the ability to comprehend and use basic health information and knowledge about diabetes mellitus and lipid and blood pressure control among diabetic patients.
Urban Cardiovascular Diabetic F.I.T.N.E.S.S. Program: Fitness Improved Through Nutrition and Exercise Sustained by Support of Family, Friends and Community Partners
PI: Leon McDougle, MD
Purpose: This behavioral modification program aimed to enhance public health and social welfare by optimizing lifestyle change for urban African American type-2 diabetics, thereby decreasing disparities in healthcare outcomes for this population.
Using Photovoice to Chronicle the Daily Experience of Primary Care Patients with Chronic Pain
PI: Lorraine Wallace, PhD
Purpose: The aim of this study was to use photovoice research methods to capture and explain representative photographs of patients’ experiences with chronic pain.
Closing the Health Disparity Gap: Impact of Health Empowerment Technologies on Elderly African Americans' Health Provider Relationships
PI: Leon McDougle, MD
Co-I: Randy Wexler, MD
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to investigate the use of web-based health technologies to improve the patient-doctor relationship of elderly African Americans.
Developing a Communication Tool for Appalachian Breast Cancer Survivors
PI: Doug Post, PhD
Purpose: The aim of this study is to design and assess the feasibility of a culturally-relevant, PDA-based communication tool for Appalachian breast cancer survivors undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
Development and Validation of a Measure to Assess Satisfaction with the Patient Centered Medical Home
PI: Randy Wexler, MD
Purpose: The aim of this study is to measure patient perspectives of Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) implementation and activity through the development of a validated patient survey.
Enhancing Colorectal Cancer Screening in Primary Care
PI: Electra Paskett, PhD
Co-I's: Mary Jo Welker, MD and Doug Post, PhD
Purpose: The goal of this study is to test a program to improve CRC screening among male and female patients over the age of 50 from the Primary Care Network of The Ohio State University that includes African Americans and older populations.
Longitudinal Intervention: Networking Kare and Educating For Diabetes (LINKED)
Co-PI: Mary Jo Welker, MD
Purpose: The aim of this study is to link diabetes patients treated at free clinics to primary care homes and to assess the influence of the linkage to primary care homes on diabetes management and primary care, emergency care and free clinic usage.
Use of HIT to Increase Primary Care Access in Medicaid Patients
PI: Randy Wexler, MD
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to use health information technology (HIT) to develop, implement and evaluate an Emergency Department Primary Care Provider Connector Program that aims to: 1) improve access to primary care for Medicaid patients and 2) improve coordination of care across transitions in healthcare settings.
Massage Therapy in Eccentric Exercise Induced Muscle Weakness and Inflammation
PI: Tom Best, MD
Purpose: This basic science research is aimed at understanding the mechanisms of action of massage therapies. Through this study, investigators aim to understand the basis of massage therapy effectiveness and to develop innovative strategies to maximize their clinical effectiveness.
OAMiner: Integrative Knowledge Anchored Hypothesis Discovery
PI: Metin Gurcan, PhD
Co-I: Tom Best, MD
Purpose: The goal of this study is to enable the discovery, verification and validation of hypotheses concerning interrelationships between image-based, phenotypic and bio-molecular features in heterogeneous data sets by leveraging multiple conceptual knowledge sources – ultimately supporting "high throughput" knowledge-driven translational science.