Ranked first in New England in federal research funding, the college hosts researchers making major impacts on community
The University of Rhode Island College of Nursing was recently ranked 37th in the nation — and first in New England — in total federal research funding from the National Institutes of Health, after securing nearly $1.7 million for various projects in fiscal year 2020.
The research funding will fuel multiple impactful studies that promise to advance health care throughout the community. The following is a sample of just some of the studies underway in the URI College of Nursing, listed by the Principal Investigator of each project:
PI: Kimberly Arcoleo, PhD, MPH
Research Project Name: School-Based Asthma Therapy (SBAT) to Reduce Disparities in Childhood Asthma: Pragmatic Process and Program Implementation Evaluation
Grant #: NIH R01 HL144652
Duration: 4 years
Overview: This project is a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study where we will conduct a rigorous, comprehensive evaluation of the School-Based Asthma Therapy (SBAT) program clinical and academic outcomes and cost-effectiveness when implemented in a real-world setting. We will also assess the implementation strategies in facilitating further dissemination and implementation of the SBAT program across a variety of schools. Dissemination and implementation research on this integrated, interprofessional, multidimensional SBAT program could serve as a model for programs that aim to improve asthma care and reduce morbidity for high risk children with asthma and has applications for other chronic health conditions.
PIs: Kathy Hutchinson, PhD, RN, FAAN &
Melissa Sutherland, PhD, RN, FAAN (Binghamton University)
Research Project Name: Multi-level Influences of Violence Screening in College Health Centers
Grant #: AHRQ R01 HS027154-01
Duration: 2020 – 2024
Overview: The proposed study will use an explanatory sequential mixed-methods (QUAN+qual) design, framed within an organizational expansion of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), to collect quantitative and qualitative data from a national sample of college HCPs and female college students. The specific aims are to: (1) (Quant) Explore multivariate associations between individual-, organization-, and state-level variables and college HCPs’ IPV/SV screening intentions and rates, using disaggregated data; (2) (Quant) Examine fixed effects and random effects of individual-, organization-, and state-level variables on college HCPs’ IPV/SV screening rates, using multi-level modeling; (3) (Qual) Obtain in-depth understanding of college HCPs’ beliefs, organizational perceptions, experiences with IPV/SV screening and practice change preferences; and (4) (Qual and Quan) Examine female college students’ attitudes/beliefs and experiences related to IPV/SV screening and disclosure, and compare to HCPs’ perceptions. The study findings will have high impact by elucidating how to effectively implement IPV/SV screening recommendations and informing the development of a multi-level intervention to promote screening in college health centers. Implementing routine IPV/SV screening in college health centers can capitalize on missed opportunities for early detection, referral and treatment.
PI: Mary C. Sullivan, PhD, RN, FAAN
Research Project Name: Allostatic Load & Epigenetic Mechanisms in Lifecourse Trajectories of Preterm Infants at Age 30
Grant #: NIH/NINR 1 R01 NR018147
Duration: 2019-2024
Overview: Among the most intense experiences of adversity for infants is premature birth. Annually, 1 in 10 (450,000 in the U.S., 15 million worldwide) infants are born prematurely. Yet, studies of premature infants at adulthood are few compared to those at younger ages and most focus on the smallest 20% of premature infants. We do know that their transition to adulthood is challenging, and often hampered by cognitive, physical and mental health, motor and independence difficulties. With an interdisciplinary team, this longitudinal study is the 10th wave of a Rhode Island born cohort of infants representing a wide range of neonatal morbidity, birth weight, and socioeconomic status who are now in their early 30s. The study aims include: complex modeling of adult outcomes of health, function, work, and social competence; examination of allostatic load with metabolic, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and inflammatory biomarkers; and epigenome-wide DNA methylation and estimates of age acceleration (Horvath’s epigenetic clock). The project brings a lifecourse perspective to determine how prematurity and environmental stress effects preterm-to adult health. To our knowledge, this would be the only U.S. study of premature infants to age 30-33y. Thus, there is limited research-based evidence to inform the timing and content for interventions despite millions of preterm survivors.
PI: Susan DeSanto-Madeya, PhD, APRN-CNS, FAAN
Research Project Name: Photovoice: An Intervention for Aligning Goals of Care within Seriously Ill African-American Dyads
Grant: Hillman Foundation
Duration: Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2021
Overview: African-American seriously ill adults experience significant disparities in care, are less likely to receive palliative care services and are more likely to be hospitalized unnecessarily. This project seeks to examine attitudes towards palliative care among African-American adults with serious illnesses and their caregivers. The project uses Photovoice as part of an intervention to assist these seriously ill adults and their caregivers to align their treatment goals and examine palliative care options.
PI: Jungeun Lee, PhD, RN
Research Project Name: Fatigue, sleep disturbance, and quality of life for older adults living with HIV
Funder / Grant #: Rhode Island Foundation / #5205_20200602
Duration: 04/01/2020 – 09/30/2021
Overview: HIV requires continuing treatment and care, which is especially critical among older adults who tend to have co-morbidities and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Older people living with HIV (PLWH) often experience adverse symptoms that are associated with impairments in medication adherence, physical activity, cognitive function, psychological health, and HRQOL. This study proposes a much-needed approach to a considerable issue of public health given the rising numbers of older PLWH. The findings from this study will inform the development and testing of personalized programs to reduce symptom burden and improve HRQOL for older PLWH. The long-term goal of this study is to improve HRQOL and decrease morbidity associated with HIV and aging.
PI: Denise Coppa, PhD, RN, APRN-CNP, FAANP, FAAN
Training Project Name: URI College of Nursing Advanced Nursing Education Workforce
Grant #: T94HP32906
Duration: 2019 – 2023
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration.
Overview: The purpose of this project is to enhance well-established Academic Clinical Partnerships (ACPs) between the University of RI (URI) College of Nursing (CON) and community health center organizations, that provide a total of 13 Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (FQHCs) as clinical sites for nurse practitioner (NP) students. The project will support academic and practice achievements of students and community-based preceptors in practice with medically underserved individuals negatively impacted by social determinants of health. The project is designed to: (a) provide traineeships to reimburse tuition of a minimum of 14 NP students per year; (b) contribute to the transformation of the primary care workforce by providing intense, longitudinal clinical placements at the ACPs; (c) recruit and educate community-based preceptors to supervise and mentor NP students; and (d) expand the home-based primary health care program to further reduce emergency department and hospital admissions and to offer students the opportunity to work with home-bound, chronically ill individuals.
SubContract PI: Barbara E. Wolfe, PhD, RN, FAAN
Training Project Name: Southern Rhode Island Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
Grant #: U77HP23064 (PI: Sarita Warrier, MD, FACP; Brown University)
Duration: 2017 – 2022
Overview: The project’s objectives are to reduce health care inequalities and achieve health equity by increasing the diversity within the nursing workforce while improving individual and community health. URI contributes to these goals through the Pathways to Nursing program, which provides nursing students from underrepresented populations with the resources and support to attain bachelor’s degrees in nursing over five years.
Pathways to Nursing began in 2010 as a partnership between the Southern Rhode Island Area Health Education Center and URI College of Nursing to recruit, support, retain and graduate a diverse group of students. The funding allows the College to offer enhanced services to recruit, retain, and graduate students contributing to a highly qualified and diverse professional nursing workforce. Resources include a mentoring, family orientation, academic scholarships, tutoring, academic skills building, preparation for the board licensing examination, and leadership lecture and development.