Children’s Health Services Research

Children's Health Services Research

Established in 2001, the Division of Children's Health Services Research (CHSR) at Indiana University School of Medicine is one of the largest and most active pediatric research divisions of its kind in the country. CHSR is recognized nationally for its innovative work and research services it provides to pediatricians throughout the state of Indiana.

As a national leader in health services research, our expertise falls in four priority areas: informatics, implementation science, community engagement, and systems and policy analysis. Faculty in CHSR are recognized internationally for leading cutting-edge research and contributing to policy decisions related to children and health care issues. The division consists of faculty members across eight pediatrics subspecialties and general pediatrics.

Interested in joining our faculty?

Works in Progress Meeting

The Works in Progress meeting takes place the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Children’s health service research investigators present research projects and explore research opportunities with discussion encouraged.

Upcoming Events

Recent Highlights

Pediatrics

Grassroots MCH has four programs accepted for inclusion on the national MCH Innovation Hub

The Grassroots Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Initiative within the Department of Pediatrics is grounded in a human-rights based approach to MCH. Under the leadership of Jack E. Turman, Jr., PhD, the initiative works to build the capacity of individuals and organizations within traditionally marginalized communities to bring about systems change to improve maternal and child health outcomes.

December 05, 2024

a toddler plays with toys in the early autism evaluation hub

Pediatrics

Eye-tracking tool to spot autism sets sights on commercialization

The number of children who need an autism evaluation far outweighs the supply of specialists qualified to do the evaluations, leading to long waits for families. IU School of Medicine researchers have created an eye-tracking tool that can diagnose autism with equal accuracy as specialists. [Story by Inside Indiana Business]

December 03, 2024

Division Leadership

Division Director

Matthew C. Aalsma, PhD

Jonathan and Jennifer Simmons Professor of Pediatrics

Read Bio

Fiscal Officer

Lane Cheslyn

Academic Division Administrator

Research Areas of Excellence

Research conducted by the Division of Children’s Health Services Research is concentrated in four priority areas.

Operating one of the largest and most active pediatric informatics program in the country, CHSR has physician scientists and software engineers from the Child Health Informatics Research and Development Lab (CHIRDL) who use data to develop information systems for routine clinical practice to capture and analyze health information. Child Health Improvement through Computer Automation (CHICA), a computer-based pediatric clinical decision support system which improves the delivery of primary care to children, is an example of a system created by a faculty member in CHSR.

Other examples in pediatric research include:

Utilization of geostatistical data to study how physical and social environments impact children's health
Creation a cell phone application for glucose monitoring to increase self-management behaviors in adolescents with diabetes
Development of global positioning systems to track the movement and context associated with risky behaviors among adolescent women

Faculty within the Children's Health Services Research Division are involved in implementation work across the globe. This includes the implementation of telemedicine services for children and youth with chronic diseases, improved screening programs for developmental disabilities and the development of maternal-child HIV health services implementation in resource-constrained settings. A robust implementation science research program has been developing through our behavioral health work. Our group is conducting hybrid implementation projects in over 40 Indiana counties focused on interventions for suicide, addiction services and implementation of behavioral health services into pediatric and family medicine primary care.

Collaboration efforts with patients, caregivers, healthcare providers and community members are an integral part of CHSR research. Faculty members have access to a patient engagement core called Research Jam, a multi-disciplinary team composed of health services researchers, human-centered design researchers and visual communication design experts. Research Jam engages with patients, caregivers and health care providers through human-centered design research methods to explore, create and test solutions to difficult problems around research, health and wellness.

Faculty members actively serve on committees that generate local and national health care guidelines and frequently present research evidence to legislators, community partners and organizations. For instance, faculty members lead and collaborate with the Wellbeing Informed by Science and Evidence in Indiana (WISE Indiana) initiative. This partnership between Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Monon Collaborative and Indiana Family and Social Service Administration engages Indiana faculty to guide practices, programs and policies at a state level. Other faculty members serve in leadership roles in the American Academy of Pediatrics Partnership for the Policy Implementation program, integrating health information technology functionalities into AAP policy and for national polices regarding reproductive health and maternal and child health.

Latest Research

Brown A, Goubeaux D, Jacob SA, Belsky JA. Osteopathic manipulative treatment: A safe and feasible adjunct in sickle cell disease pain management. Pediatric Blood & Cancer. Published online November 6, 2024. doi:10.1002/pbc.31433

Catanzarite A, Bouck JR, Matthes M, Goubeaux D, Carter A, LaMotte J, Jacob S. Impact of neighborhood disadvantage on preventive and acute care utilization in sickle cell disease. Pediatric Blood & Cancer. Published online November 6, 2024. doi:10.1002/pbc.31422

Drewry KM, Buford J, Ayuk-Arrey A-T, Parulekar JS, Laster M, Patzer RE. Disparities in access to upstream steps in the kidney transplant pathway among young adults with new-onset kidney failure. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2024;35(10S). doi:10.1681/asn.2024ssj1qnzw

Goswami S, Rajadhyaksha EA, Schwaderer AL, Starr MC. A case series of thromboelastography (TEG) to describe patterns of uremic thrombocytopathy in pediatric kidney dysfunction. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2024;35(10S). doi:10.1681/asn.2024vmhjnt3d

Hains DS, Starr MC, Schwaderer AL. GFR changes following urinary tract infection (UTI) in children with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2024;35(10S). doi:10.1681/asn.2024jk17zmvm

Charlton JR, Selewski DT, Harer MW, Askenazi D, Starr M, Guillet R. Multidisciplinary collaboration to improve Neonatal Kidney Health. Nature Reviews Nephrology. Published online October 3, 2024. doi:10.1038/s41581-024-00895-1

Zapata HA, Todurkar N, Favel K, Griffin R, Starr M, et al. Association of delayed cord clamping with acute kidney injury and two-year kidney outcomes in extremely premature neonates: A secondary analysis of the preterm erythropoietin neuroprotection trial (PENUT). Journal of Perinatology. Published online October 11, 2024. doi:10.1038/s41372-024-02143-7

Bolakale-Rufai IK, Knapp SM, Bisono JQ, Johnson A, Moore W, Yankah E, Yee R, Trabue D, Nallamothu B, Hollingsworth J, Watty S, Williamson F, Pool N, Hebdon M, Ezema N, Capers Q, Blount C, Kimbrough N, Johnson D, Evans J, Foree B, Holman A, Lightbourne K, Brown D, Tucker Edmonds B, Breathett K. Association between clinician team segregation, receipt of cardiovascular care and outcomes in valvular heart diseases. ESC Heart Failure. Published online October 17, 2024. doi:10.1002/ehf2.15078

Mueller EL, Cochrane AR, Campbell ME, Nikkhah S, Holden RJ, Miller AD. An mHealth App to Support Caregivers in the Medical Management of Their Child With Cancer: Beta Stage Usability Study. JMIR Cancer. 2024;10:e52128. Published 2024 Oct 17. doi:10.2196/52128

Payne AB, Watts JA, Mitchell PK, Dascomb K, Irving S, Klein N, Grannis S, Ong T, Ball S, DeSilva M, Natarajan K, Shefffield T, Bride D, Arndorfer J, Naleway A, Koppolu P, Fireman B, Zerbo O, Timbol J, Goddard K, Dixon B, Fadel W, Rogerson C, et al. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine effectiveness against RSV-associated hospitalisations and emergency department encounters among adults aged 60 years and older in the USA, October, 2023, to March, 2024: A test-negative design analysis. The Lancet. 2024;404(10462):1547-1559. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(24)01738-0

Wallace SW, Geers ER, Niehaus JZ, Cristea AI, Starr MC. Kidney complications in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Pediatric Research. 2024;96(4). doi:10.1038/s41390-024-03638-x

Jaguga F, Kiburi SK, Temet E, Aalsma MC, et al. A scoping review of substance use brief interventions in Africa. PLOS Global Public Health. 2024;4(10). doi:10.1371/journal.pgph.0003340

Hains DS, Starr MC, Schwaderer AL. Glomerular filtration rate changes following UTI in children with vesicoureteral reflux. JAMA Pediatrics. Published online October 24, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.4546

Aalsma MC, Bell LA, Schwartz K, et al. Clinician willingness to prescribe medications for opioid use disorder to adolescents in Indiana. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(9). doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.35416

Dir AL, Gillenwater L, Wao M, Smith J, Short C, Schwartz K, Reda K, Aalsma M, et al. Descriptive analysis of recommendations made by county-level overdose fatality review teams in Indiana to combat the opioid epidemic. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Published online September 2024:112414. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112414

Ateya M, Aristeridou D, Sands GH, Zielinski J, Grout R, et al. Validation, BIAS assessment, and optimization of the UNAFIED two-year risk prediction model for undiagnosed atrial fibrillation using national electronic health data. Heart Rhythm O2. Published online September 2024. doi:10.1016/j.hroo.2024.09.010

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