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ICTS Campus Community Research
Incubator Awards Fundees
The UCI ICTS is pleased to announce the awards for the first round of the Campus Community Research Incubator Awards Program. A second round with funding will be announced in 2011.
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Project Title: University and Community Partnership to Identify Barriers to HBV and HCV Screening and Access to Care in the Vietnamese American Community
Partners: UCI-MC Vietnamese American Cancer Society & American Cancer Society
Abstract: Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV) are major global public health problems affecting one third of the world population. In the United States, HBV infection rates are highest amongst Asian Americans due to the high percentage of this immigrant population coming from countries where HBV is endemic (Hu KQ, Am J Gastroenterol. 2008;103:1–10). It is estimated that up to two thirds of Asian Pacific Islanders are unaware that they may be infected with HBV (Hutton et al., Ann Intern Med. 2007;147: 460-469). HCV is also high among Asian Americans; although the precise prevalence remains to be determined. Both HBV and HCV infection have been associated with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, these complications can be prevented with vaccination (for HBV) or early and effective medical treatment. However, many barriers may limit access of many Asian Americans to HBV and HCV care. Further collaborative community-university research will provide a unique and powerful approach to define the incidence of HBV and HCV infection in the subgroups of this special population, and develop evidence-based strategy to overcome these barriers and improve access of HBV and HCV-related care.
The Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation (VACF) is a non-profit organization in Orange County that conducts free community-wide screenings to detect viral HBV and HCV for medically underserved Vietnamese Americans, a high-risk population with an estimated HBV infection rate of about 7-14% vs < 0.5% in the general U.S. population(Jenkins et al., Pediatrics. 2000 December; 106(6): E78). From 2008-2009, VACF conducted a total of four community screenings and collected data on over 1100 patients that included medical and social-economic demographics, such as health insurance status, income, education level, intention to seek treatment if tested positive, and many other questions on cultural background and personal beliefs related to HBV and HCV care. Extensive follow-up data were also collected at 1, 3, and 6 month post screening for patients who tested positive or who showed no immunity. In contrast to most published studies that focus on a very limited issues with small sample size, our large VACF’s database is very thorough, dynamic, and unique that allows us to conduct a community-university collaborative research to address above important issues. VACF has established a partnership with UCI Medical Center (Dr. Ke-Qin Hu) and the American Cancer Society (ACS). This is essential for a successful collaborative research.
In response to ICTS invitation, we propose a community-university study. Using our established collaboration and VACF’s database, our goals will be (1) to determine the incidence of HBV and HCV infection; (2) the common barriers to access HBV and HCV care in Vietnamese American; and (3) develop a module of community-university collaborative that can also be used in other common diseases in Asian Americans.
The experience and data generated from the proposed study will be very valuable in strategizing improved access to HBV and HCV care, extending this module to other common diseases, and promoting UCI ICTS translational research in the Asian American population.
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Project Title: Improving the Quality of Transitional Care for the Elderly with Hip Fracture
Partners: UCI Nursing & Mission Hospital
Abstract: The growth of the elderly population is pressuring healthcare systems to meet the continuous
demands and needs that have surfaced. It is necessary to provide more attention to and care for
the elderly and their family caregivers, particularly those with hip fracture. Annually,
approximately 350,000 hip fractures occur in the United States. Patients aged 65 years or older
have the highest risk of hip fracture. Its mortality rate is notably high during hospitalization (4-
6%) and dramatically increases at 1 year (14-36 %) post-hospitalization. Elderly individuals who
sustain a hip fracture necessitate continuous management and frequently require complex care
from a diverse range of health care professionals in an assortment of settings such as skilled
nursing facility staff, home care nurses, and primary care providers. While transitioning between
health care settings, hip fracture elderly are especially vulnerable to experiencing poor quality of
care and fragmented services due to their deprived socio-economic status. Patients undergoing
major surgery, particularly hip fracture surgery, have an increased risk of developing venous
thromboembolism (VTE). VTE is a disease that encompasses deep vein thrombosis and
pulmonary embolism which involves the blockage of blood flow in the veins. This disease often
develops in elderly patients during their hospitalization or in the 30 days post-hospitalization.
VTE, one of the most preventable causes of hospital death, can be prevented by the proper use of
anticoagulants (anti-clotting medicine). However, patients who receive anticoagulation therapy
have a higher risk of being more susceptible to bleeding. Thus, this stresses the need to educate
healthcare professionals and family caregivers who administer anticoagulant medications to
older patients in order to ensure patient safety during the transitional period. Little research has
examined the knowledge of caregivers who help elderly patients with hip fracture during the
transitional period. People with elective hip or knee replacement surgery have received proper
education to prevent VTE but elders and their family caregivers experiencing hip fracture have
received less attention due in part to their limited access to health care in their community during
the posthospital transition period. This is particularly the case with patients and families of lower
socio-economic status who have fewer available supportive services. These patients are at risk
for adverse consequences and potential death due to unmonitored VTE risk. The purposes of this
proposal are to investigate family caregivers’ awareness and knowledge of VTE prevention in
older patients with hip fracture by conducting a survey at the time of the elderly patient’s
discharge and to develop an evidence and need-based educational program for the caregivers of
elders with hip fracture. The educational program will guide caregivers on how to properly care
for elderly patients with hip fracture during posthospital care transitions by providing them with
information on VTE risk assessment and prevention with anticoagulation. This study will present
an important example in the arena of the translation science into community care giving.
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Project Title: Preschool Obesity Prevention Pilot Study
Partners: UCI School of Social Ecology & OC Head Start, INC
Abstract: The epidemic of obesity that is currently occurring within the American population has reached into the preschool ages. Children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old are becoming overweight and/or obese in increasing numbers, to the point that close to 40% of low SES preschool children are obese or overweight. The Head Start program is a federally-funded preschool program that serves primarily low-income preschool children. In a partnership with researchers at the University of California, Irvine, Orange County Head Start will work with a nutritional analyst to evaluate the nutritional content of one week of meals served in through the Head Start program. Using the Head Start Menus, we will enter the meal information into a research database that will permit a nutritional analysis of calories served, calories from fat, and percentage of various nutrients included in the foods served. Following this analysis, we will recommend changes to the menus to improve the nutritional offerings to the students. Finally, we will conduct a cost analysis to determine whether making the recommended changes will impact the cost of foods served.
