Advancing Equity Scholars Program
HEAL-R, in collaboration with IU School of Medicine's Health Equity in Research Scholars Program (HERS), has launched the Advancing Equity Scholars program. This initiative is designed to empower early-stage investigators in addressing health disparities. Scholars selected for this program receive funding of up to $30,000 to support 12-month pilot projects, covering expenses related to data collection, research assistance and other activities that bolster larger project proposals. In addition to funding, participants in the Advancing Equity Scholars program benefit from comprehensive support, including guidance from the HEAL-R Expert Bench, access to clinical data and statistical assistance, grant writing consultations, financial administration support and networking opportunities through HEAL-R seminars.
| Project | HEAL-R Scholar | Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| Improving Access to Quality Healthcare for Black Birthing People |
Sacha Sharp, PhD |
Personally mediated racism on the part of the health care team can undermine Black patients’ sense of trust in their provider and have detrimental effects on their reproductive health care utilization. To mitigate these consequences and promote greater trust within clinical interactions, it is imperative that Black birthing people perceive their physicians to be allies – individuals from advantaged backgrounds who advocate and actively work to end oppression for members of minoritized groups. This study aims to: (1) identify intervenable targets and specific variables related to healthcare access that impact day-to-day experiences for Black birthing people in Indiana; (2) identify personally mediated behaviors that effectively signal (versus undermine) allyship for Black birthing individuals; and (3) initiate development of a toolkit designed to address the intervenable targets identified in this study, thus mitigating the institutional barriers negatively impacting healthcare access for Black birthing people. |
| Building a scalable model of autism diagnosis to improve health equity for young children with autism in Kenya |
Rebecca McNally Keehn, PhD |
Children with autism spectrum disorder living in low- or middle-income countries (LMIC) are at high risk for maltreatment and death due to stigma and poor access to health and educational services. The objective of this application is to leverage our team’s collaborative US-Kenya research partnership to develop and pilot test a diagnostic evaluation model for young children at risk for autism living in Kenya. This study aims to: (1) Adapt the ASD-PEDS-PC diagnostic tool for use in Kenya through a culturally tailored approach, including translation, cognitive interviews, and clinician training; (2) Pilot the adapted diagnostic protocol at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, collecting quantitative data on evaluations, agreement with clinical diagnoses, and diagnostic accuracy. |
Health Disparity and Equity Research (HDER) Pilot Program Scholars
HEAL-R offers matching funds to the Regenstrief Institute’s HDER scholars pursuing research on health disparities and equity. HDER supports research aimed at developing, disseminating, or implementing innovative interventions to address health disparities at various levels. Applicants with expertise in clinical research, epidemiology, public health, implementation science, informatics or health services research are encouraged to apply, with the goal of catalyzing future funding applications to the NIH and other external agencies.
| Project | HEAL-R Scholar | Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| Address Food Security in Cancer Care |
Rebecca Rivera, PhD, MPH, CPH | In 2019 nearly half of all American cancer survivors experienced financial hardship due to rising costs of cancer care, and one in found reported food insecurity, or the inadequate access to healthy, safe, and palatable foods due to limited financial resources. Cancer patients who are low-income, racial/ethnic minorities, or female are at even greater risk of cancer health disparities. Many of the same risk factors that place patients at risk for cancer health disparities also place them at risk for food insecurity, a major concern due to the importance of nutrition to cancer care. This study aims to: (1) characterize the clinical work system components for addressing food insecurity in cancer care (people, environments, tasks, tools, and their interactions); and (2) assess the processes and outcomes of addressing food insecurity in cancer care using provider-patient journey maps. |