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Connecting the Dots : Partnering with Community

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Connecting the Dots : Partnering with Community

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  1. Vicki Hines-Martin, PhD, RN, FAANProfessor and Director Office of Disparities and Community EngagementSchool of NursingFaculty Scholar and Acting Associate Vice President Office of the Vice President for Community Engagement&Sharon Bowland PhD, LCSWAssistant Professor and Director Gerontology ProgramHartford Geriatric Research ScholarKent School of Social WorkUniversity of LouisvilleKentucky Connecting the Dots: Partnering with Community to Build CBPR Research Skills Among Graduate Students 2012 IARSLCE Conference Baltimore MD September 24, 2012 Students

  2. Project purpose • The purpose of the project was two-fold • To conduct a research study to complete a comprehensive assessment of health status, quality of life indicators and community residents’ perceptionsto determine strengths and challenges of community living from residents with chronic health and aging concerns; • To provide health and service professions graduate students with real world experience with Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) with community members with complex health and resource needs. • *Study funded by a University of Louisville Office of Community Engagement Faculty Grant

  3. Project frame Work • The study was based upon the Social Ecology model which stresses the importance of the context in which the individual exists, interact; and the affect those interactions have on their health status and behaviors and their quality of life. • environmental, • social, • interpersonal aspects of experience and • individual

  4. Research Method • Community-Based Participatory Research • Building on a 3-year relationship with this community in which services and student learning activities had been identified, developed, implemented and evaluated with community partners • The First Research Project with this community which was initiated based on community identified needs • Multiple partners – university faculty and students, gerontology service, community mental health agency, local public housing authority, residents’ council and interested community residents

  5. The Community • 1) low-income, public housing complex built in the 1960’s within one city-centre block, • 2) built as one of five housing complexes targeted for seniors only. • 3) last 7 years, transitioned from seniors only to residents across the lifespan. • 4) approximately 650 residents, primarily African American with an almost equal division between males and females. • 5)~70% of residents were 59 years or younger, all of whom had chronic, disabling health conditions.

  6. Project Setting

  7. Student Activities • Extensive collaboration and communication with the community and project partners to accomplish each of the following: • Project recruitment, scheduling and interviewing • Problem-solving • Activity coordination • Progress updates • Reporting to multiple audiences • Critical thinking to address emergent issues • Priority setting • Professional presentation development and delivery • Publication development

  8. Service-learning measurement • Measurement of Student Outcomes • Objective (Scholarly Outcomes resulting from the project in which students were involved) • Subjective(Reflection of students regarding their cognitive and emotional response to involvement in the project)

  9. Scholarly Outcomes • Objective Measurement of CBPR Service-learning • Outcomes from the service-learning project involved faculty and students. • Overall there were 7 presentations that resulted from the project (local – international) and student posters won two research awards (1 local and 1 regional) • Examples include….

  10. Needs of Aging Adults Living In Urban Public Housing Sharon Bowland, PhD, LCSW1, Vicki Hines-Martin, PhD, RN, FAAN2, Jean Edward, BSN, RN2, & John Myers, PhD2,3University of Louisville, Departments of Social Work1 Nursing,2 & Public Health3 Results Introduction Results • Sample (N = 100) : • - Age 25-76 years (average 54.9). • - 77% of the total population (N = 660) were aged 50+. • - Predominantly African-American (78%) • - Average of 2.45 chronic health conditions (HTN, diabetes, arthritis) and physical disabilities. • - >50 % identified having a mental illness (depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety). • - Most rated health as fair or poor. • - Physical and/or emotional health was frequently reported as interfering with social activities. • 37% of participants reported that their physical or emotional health interfered quite a bit (n= 24) or extremely (n=13) with normal social activities with family, friends, neighbors, or groups. • The importance of emotional support received from family was rated as very important by 71.7% (n=66) on the QLI. Nevertheless, residents often reported estrangement or difficulty with family. • Dosker Manor is a community with health challenges. It has a mixture of approximately 660 adults and older adults with chronic health and mental health disabilities. The community is uniquely situated in one downtown city block (3 high rise buildings). Agencies serving Dosker Manor, including ElderServe, Inc., Seven Counties Services, Louisville Metro Housing Authority and the Residents’ Council collaborated to assess the needs and strengths of residents. Students & faculty from nursing and social work worked with an on-site program in completing this project. TABLE 1. COMPARISON OF OLDER /YOUNGER ON DEMOGRAPHIC & PSYCHO-SOCIAL FACTORS Purpose • Earlier nursing clinical evidence about the needs amongst individuals in this population led to systematically assessing their needs through a community assessment study. Methods • Community-based participatory research approach. • Participants were recruited by students, on-site program workers, and flyers. • Participants completed two interviews consisting of demographic data, access to shopping, the SF-36 Health Survey, Ferrans & Powers’ Quality of Life Index(QLI), the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS), and the Camberwell Assessment of Need (CAN-R & CANE) to assess unmet needs. • Volunteers were given $15 in household items for their time. Interviews were conducted by faculty and students in social work and nursing. • Referrals for follow-up were made to an on-site program for case management when needs were identified. • A crisis protocol was in place for residents with acute needs. Discussion • Older adults had fewer unmet needs than their younger counterparts, which may be partially due to the inability of younger residents to secure health and mental health care for disabling conditions, (some were not on disability, although they had filed), whereas older residents had access to Medicare and senior services. • Older adults had higher needs for support in housekeeping and self care when compared with the younger group. • Both groups had low functioning in health & mental health • Education about existing services, advocacy to improve access to community services, programs that provide social contact, and health promotion activities may be keys to reducing health disparities in this community. TABLE 2. COMPARISON OF OLDER /YOUNGER ON HEALTH INDICATORS Acknowledgement • This research was supported by a grant from University of Louisville’s Office of Community Engagement

  11. Scholarly outcomes (cont.) • Objective Measurement of CBPR Service-Learning • Students and faculty collaborated on the development of three manuscripts • One manuscript is in review (Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement) • Two manuscripts are currently in development (aging population, and social determinants and mental health)

  12. Service-learning measurement • Subjective Measurement • Reflection – use of cognitive and metacognitive skills. • Requested after the project was completed • Electronic journals • Responses to the following questions • How they viewed the community over time • How they evaluated their experience with community • If experience affected professional development (how) • Experience on a multidisciplinary (inter-professional) team

  13. Subjective outcomes • Student Reflection Themes • Changing Perspectives (I found myself inspired by the residents who had so little yet content with what they did have) • Working with an interdisciplinary team (we each use a different set of skills, … [which used together] helped to identify needs) • Importance of ethical considerations • Gaining organizational and research skills • Mutual positive regard (… participants let us know that our work was really appreciated. I looked forward to going…and meeting these amazing people.)

  14. Outcomes for the Community • Tangible • Multiple projects (funded & unfunded), support group on trauma, political advocacy • Intangible • Strengthened partnership, trust, appreciation and communication • vphine01@louisville.edu

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