The Northern New England CTR Community Engagement Core Research Dissemination Project brainstorms, initiates, guides, and supports research that addresses community priorities. Our Community Engagement Research Navigators serve as community ambassadors to advance community-engaged research in northern New England.
Below, we have created easy-to-understand research summaries from NNE CTR projects. We hope this will help share investigators research and translate into communities more effectively.
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Improving VTE Risk Assessment: Education and Prophylaxis in Rural Cancer Clinics
Heather M. Feldman, Eswar Tipirneni, Shamima Khan, Steven Ades, Allison Holm, and Chris E. Holmes
•Cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) is the second leading cause of death in patients with cancer and is preventable •Venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk assessment and preventative treatment in high-risk patients who are at low risk of bleeding are recommended for outpatients with cancer initiating therapy
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Understanding the Role of Misinformation in COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in a Rural State
Ann Marie Hess, Colin T. Waters, Elizabeth A. Jacobs, Kerri L. Barton, and Kathleen M. Fairfield
Findings from this study regarding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and sources of trusted information are important for developing public health strategies to increase vaccination rates. Understanding the concerns of individuals as assessed in this study provides opportunities for trusted health professionals, friends and family to reinforce facts about the importance of being vaccinated.
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AI Diabetic Retinopathy Screening in a Primary Care Setting in Rural Maine
Rachel Heuer MD, Emma DayBranch MPH, Anastasia Tsomides DO, Jessica F. DiBiase MPH, Neil Korsen MD, and Brian Nolan MD
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness globally. Early diagnosis and treatment reduce the risk of vision loss by 98%.
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Why did some rural Mainers accept novel COVID-19 vaccines when rolled out in 2021, while others did not?
Michael Kohut PhD, Liz Scharnetzki, Joseph Pajka, Elizabeth Jacobs, and Kathleen Fairfield
Many people, especially in rural areas of the United States, choose not to receive novel COVID-19 vaccinations despite public health recommendations.
Understanding how people describe decisions to get vaccinated or not may help to address hesitancy.
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Reaching Structurally Vulnerable Populations Using Low-Barrier COVID-19 Testing Clinics Co-Created with Community Based Organizations
David Ngandu, Gloria Sclar, Ambia Ahmed, Sumayo A Awale, Caroline Fernandes, Joshua Goldstein, Hina Hashmi, Shruti Joshi, and et al.
The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected people from structurally vulnerable communities. There was a need to improve COVID-19 testing in these communities to reduce viral spread and connect to treatment.
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Effect of a Quality Improvement Initiative on Procedural Abortion Pain and Anxiety Using a Standardized Patient-Focused Sedation Options Counseling Guide
Stephanie Small PhD, WHNP, ANP
Sedation decreases the discomfort of pain and anxiety during a procedure.
Our quality improvement initiative using a standardized sedation options counseling guide to provide patient-focused counseling decreased pain, but not anxiety, during abortion procedures. This adjunct to established pain management options is a simple improvement on current practice.
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Feasibility of Continuous Home Monitoring of Particulate Matter and Lung Function in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Who are Exposed to Wood Smoke
S Wayne, K Cowan, L.M. Paulin, J Emery, and D.A. Kaminsky
Particulate matter (PM) contains microscopic solids or liquids that are so small they can be inhaled and cause serious health problems. Examples include smoke, dust, soot, and fumes.
There is increasing evidence that small particles have harmful effects on people’s breathing. Wood stoves are a source of indoor PM.