Dr. Linda Cottler, Dr. Deepthi Varma and QC/Data Specialist Scott Cohen recently represented HealthStreet at the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) Translational Science 2017 conference in Washington D.C.
The conference aimed to support the communication between students, researchers, and physicians regarding the education, research, and public policy of health research. Scott presented a research poster titled “Social determinants of health and multimorbidity in individuals with type 2 diabetes recruited through HealthStreet”, which strives to identify the disparities associated with diabetes-related comorbidity among community members with type 2 diabetes. The poster, co-authored by Jasmine Mack, Dr. Catherine Striley, and Dr. Linda Cottler, found that these individuals with comorbid conditions are more likely to be food insecure and to have had recent contact with a physician.
Dr. Varma (pictured below) also presented a research poster titled “Screening for Depression among Women in the Community” based on HealthStreet women participants. The analysis showed that 37.1% of total HealthStreet women members reported depression. Her findings showed that race, employment, food insecurity, chronic diseases and drug use are associated with depression among women in the community. Further, her analysis found that women with three or more chronic diseases have a higher chance of reporting depression. Additionally, women who use three or more drugs are eight times more likely to report depression compared to those who do not use any drugs. She concludes that community engagement initiatives, such as HealthStreet, offer an effective model of regular health screening and continued supportive presence of CHWs in the community. Social and medical service referrals provided by HealthStreet improve women’s access to affordable health care and social services within their community.
In addition to these posters, Dr. Cottler and co-chair Dr. Mickey Eder held a Partners for the Advancement of Community Engaged Research (PACER) meeting at the conference. PACER is an ACTS Special Interest Group that brings together community and academic researchers to explore topics and issues important to building community-academic research partnerships and to improve public health through research.