Health Studies faculty presented their research at national conferences held in November.
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) annual conference was held in Boston, MA and attended by Health Studies faculty, Drs. Cohen, Meucci, and Sabik.
Dr. Cohen oral presentation at GSA entitled “Challenges and Barriers to Aging in Alaska: Disparities in Health Outcomes, Quality of Life, and Health Care Access.” The results showed that the direction of the associations between social determinants and health outcomes in older adults was often reversed in Alaska compared to that of older adults living in the lower 48. Policies, programs, and interventions designed to promote health among older adults may not be effective, or may have a reverse effect on older adults in Alaska. In addition, Dr. Cohen also presented a poster at GSA on gender and racial differences in family caregiving responsibilities to older adults. He also served as a co-author on three other presentations at GSA, including two given by recent graduate Ana Talamas.
Dr. Meucci presented her research investigating the impact of home health services (e.g., nursing, physical therapy, or occupational therapy) on preventing adverse outcomes that lead to rehospitalization or death in the 30 days after hip replacement surgery. Her results show that among Medicare beneficiaries who are discharged directly home from the hospital after hip replacement, the likelihood of being rehospitalized in the next 30 days is twice as high for people who do not have any home health services when compared to those who do.
Dr. Sabik presented research that she conducted with health studies graduate Ana Talamas and Dr. Cohen on a cross-sectional study on midlife women (ages 40-65) collected online by Health Studies students in Dr. Sabik’s research lab, and showed a significant association between engaging in old talk (e.g., “I have so many wrinkles!”) and lower body satisfaction and poorer eating habits.
Earlier in November, Drs. Greaney and Cohen attended The American Public Health Association (APHA) annual research meeting in San Diego, CA. Dr. Cohen has two oral presentations at the conference. The first was “Obesity and income inequality among older adults in the US: Variability by socioeconomic and rural-urban status” and so-authors include recent Health Studies graduate, Ana Talamas and Dr. Meucci. Dr. Dr. Cohen’s second presentation was “Swiss paradox” in the United States? Level of spatial aggregation changes the association between income inequality and morbidity.” Dr. Cohen also was a co-author on several research posters. Dr. Greaney also had a poster presentation, “Variation in weight loss recommendations for two chronic conditions by rural-urban status among US older adults” and recent URI Health Studies graduate, Madisyn Stevens, was a co-author as well as two additional posters. In addition, Drs. Cohen, Greaney, and Meucci reviewed submitted abstract s and Drs. Cohen, Greaney also served as moderators at APHA sessions.