Community Health | Page 8 | College of Applied Health Sciences

Community Health student feels confident about return to in-person instruction

April 26, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Student is also EMT and administers vaccines

*Nick Olivieri is an EMT and can give vaccines (Stock image)*

Nick Olivieri is a senior in the University of Illinois’ College of Applied Health Sciences, and expects to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in community health in May. But if he was returning to school in the fall—when UIUC and many other schools are expecting to return to in-person instruction in the midst of the pandemic—he would be looking forward to it.

“100 percent,” said Olivieri, an Orland Park, Ill., native. “U of I has put on an example for the rest of the nation. I get tested multiple times a week, and if people continue to do that, I don’t see a reason why I can’t be sitting next to my fellow classmates once we all know we’ve had some negatives. People are going to get vaccinated. I don’t see why our campus can’t be back in person, and people will actually get the real U of I experience that they thought they would when they signed up to come to the school.”

Part of the reason Olivieri is so confident is that, as a licensed Emergency Medical Technician, he is eligible to administer COVID-19 vaccines. As part of his graduation requirement, Olivieri is doing an internship as a medical assistant at Frances Nelson Health Center, a walk-in clinic in Champaign, where UIUC is based.

“One of the first things they said my first day on the internship, was like, ‘OK, cool. You got your EMT license. You are eligible to give the vaccine,’” he said. “And it took a bit of asking after that. But eventually a slower day around the clinic, so one of the physician’s assistants brought me over to the vaccination clinic, and he let me do it. And only through this internship would I be able to do that, which I’m grateful for.”

Not that Olivieri—who has himself gotten vaccinated—didn’t have some hesitation about putting needles into arms.

“Well, I won’t lie. When I first was approached, asked to do it, I was a little hesitant. I didn’t have any previous experience giving shots, but I knew someone would be training me. And I’ve always learned throughout EMS that you’re only going to learn through actually doing it. You can’t overthink it.”

Most people age 16 and older in Central Illinois are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, and Frances Nelson is administering vaccines to “almost anyone who asks,” Olivieri said. Still, some are naturally concerned about taking the needle or the potential side effects.

“There are cases where people get a wave of anxiety or fear,” he said. “And these people, we take them to the side and we try to calm them down by just like talking to them. Because these bad reactions, they’re very rare. But I do tell these people that I take this vaccine. And every institution worth their while in the U.S. opts for the vaccine. And I think it’s a civil duty getting it.”

In his role as an EMT and at Frances Nelson, Olivieri is an obvious choice for classmates and friends to come to for advice.

“I am somewhat knowledgeable about health care, and I’ve taken enough science classes to know how the vaccine works,” he said. “But I’m still no expert on this whatsoever. (Classmates) do ask me questions about the vaccine. And I have nothing but good to say about it. I’m pretty confident in the safety of it. (But) with the collective knowledge of all the scientists in America, the CDC is the best source.”

Olivieri added that he will not “baby-sit” his fellow classmates about their behavior on campus.

“It is frustrating to see a large group of campus going out every weekend, things like that,” he said. “But people are also in control of their own decisions. But I would say yes, it is a bit frustrating when people do not follow such recommendations given by the CDC and university.”

Olivieri is quick to point out that he wouldn’t be in the position he’s in without his AHS training.

“You can enter many different fields through Community Health, and they kind of give you a good way of thinking about health care,” he said. “I wanted to help people in health care, but I wasn’t really sure in what way. Community Health at AHS really helps you learn about all the types of positions throughout the health system.”

Olivieri already has had a number of experiences for someone of his age. Yet, he has big plans ahead.

“I want to get a job at an ambulance company, but also look for other jobs in a clinical setting. I want to do that for a couple of years and hopefully take the (Medical College Admission Test), do well, and gain admission into medical school.”

With his training, Olivieri is well on his way.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

Tags: alumni

Public health training gives chaplain a different perspective

Jan. 19, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Systematic reviews have found that religion is associated with decreases in depression, faster recovery from depression, less drug dependence, less drug abuse, better physical health, longer life, and an increased sense of purpose, well-being, hope and optimism

Kristin Godlin is an ordained Presbyterian minister and a chaplain at Carle and OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana. She’s also a PhD candidate in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois.

That confluence gives Godlin a unique perspective in her role, but one she hopes doesn’t remain unique for long. Godlin’s research looks at the connection between religiosity and public health. Godlin, an alum of the Master of Public Health in AHS, said, “From a health standpoint, religion functions primarily as a means of helping people to cope with stress.”

Chaplains provide spiritual and emotional support to patients and their families. While most chaplains are themselves religious, they care for people of all faiths, as well as people who are not religious. Within the context of hospital emergency departments, chaplains additionally serve as a kind of go-between for staff members, patients, and their families. They also facilitate meetings between families and physicians.

But the public health portion of the job is one that is still quite new, even for Godlin. At the time she was board certified as a chaplain, there was an announcement made at the Association of Professional Chaplains’ annual conference that the Templeton Foundation had provided a group of chaplaincy leaders called Transforming Chaplaincy a grant of $4.5 million for the purposes of helping to train chaplains to become more research literate. The idea, Godlin said, was that if chaplains were more research literate, they would be better able to guide and evaluate and advocate for their profession.

The money could be used to encourage chaplaincy training programs to include in their curricula courses and lessons in research methodology and statistics, or how to read and understand research, Godlin said. But also, a significant part of the grant was to enable 16 board-certified chaplains the opportunity to pursue Master of Public Health degrees or Master of Science degrees for the purposes of learning how to not only read research but to generate research to support chaplaincy.

“I didn’t know hardly anything about public health when I started,” Godlin said. “I was a blank slate coming in. I think, particularly now that we have been going through the pandemic, I have a much greater understanding of what public health is all about and why they are approaching things the way they did than I ever would have before. And I really do think that’s an extraordinarily important part of the training, which I didn’t realize at the time I was getting it.”

The connection of religion and public health is particularly timely, Godlin said, because of COVID-19. Godlin recently came across a study which found that religiosity was negatively associated with intention to be vaccinated. “It was a sad commentary on how people who are more religious are less likely to take protective health measures,’ she said. “It caused me to think about how important it is for religious leaders to have an understanding of what public health is all about.

“And the National Association for the Advancement of Science has recently started made a significant effort to try to introduce science into the core curricula of divinity schools and seminaries across America. I can see, especially during the pandemic, how important that is for religious leaders to understand how science works and why public health professionals are making the recommendations that they are.”

Godlin, who grew up in Champaign-Urbana, earned two masters’ degrees from Yale Divinity School after doing her undergrad at Northwestern. But she returned to the area and trained as a chaplain and that’s when she got the research grant. At that point, she reached out to KCH assistant professor Robyn Gobin, because of Gobin’s interest in religion and spirituality and its effect on mental health.

“Dr. Gobin,” Godlin said, “has been an extraordinarily helpful mentor and partner along the way.”

“I shifted into the MPH-PhD program to focus more on research,” Godlin said. “Over the past few years, the focus of my research has been on the use of religion in coping with domestic violence. Studies find that up to 97% of women who experience domestic violence turn to God for help; so particularly for that population, religion is exceptionally important. My goal is to help religious leaders, chaplains, counselors, and therapists to strengthen their spiritual support for survivors, to help survivors to use their religion more effectively, and ultimately to improve survivors’ physical and mental health outcomes.”

Overall, Godlin believes the marriage of religion and public health through chaplaincy can help close the gap on misinformation.

“For the vast majority of people who have a religious background, when you say you are a chaplain, it opens doors that do not open for other people. And so people share things that they would not—patients share things and family members share things that they would not ordinarily share with other people.”

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Tags: alumni, Robyn Gobin

Pandemic showed importance of telehealth, telemedicine

Dec. 12, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Telehealth is here to stay, even with the COVID pandemic essentially over

Telehealth and telemedicine, two initiatives that became ubiquitous because of the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the globe in 2020, are here to stay, according to two alums from the College of Applied Health Sciences’ Master of Public Health program.

Lauren Geary, who graduated from the MPH program in 2016 and is now Program Manager, Adolescent and Behavioral Telehealth Initiatives at the American Academy of Pediatrics, says the virtual health programs will stick around even after a COVID vaccine is widely distributed and people are inoculated.

“Yeah, I do think that it will stick around, and I think that it does improve access to care for several populations,” she said. “And I think that generally, it’s more convenient for people sometimes. Obviously, it’s not going to be a replacement for in-person care, but I think people are realizing how valuable it can be as a complement to in-person care.”

Alexis Katzenbach is another MPH alum who is the Program Manager of ECHO Initiatives at AAP. ECHO stands for Extension for Community Health Care Outcomes, a telementoring program that brings together subject matter experts and health care providers with those interested in learning about a variety of topics, one being COVID-19.

“I definitely don’t think (telehealth is) going away,” she said. “A lot of the discussions we have around ECHO and a lot of other organizations that are running ECHOs are specifically talking about that right now. We’re running a flu ECHO right now. And it’s a lot of the same discussion. How are we doing this safely? What are innovative ways to get evidence-based guidance shared?”

As much as both support virtual health and wellness programs, virtual learning is not as clear-cut, Katzenbach said, stressing she was speaking for herself, and not AAP.

“I can speak to the fact that my husband is a high school science teacher. And it definitely affects (students’) social. There’s a big social impact and emotional impact not being able to see their friends,” she said. “There’s an impact on learning as well. Virtual learning is tough for a lot of people. So not being able to do it in person, not being able to receive the support that they otherwise would have in person is difficult. But I know that the social and emotional impact is huge.”

Parents are also struggling with the full-day virtual learning format, Katzenbach said, adding that students are spending the same number of hours at their computers as they would spend in the classroom.

Both agreed, however, that they are applying what they learned in the MPH program to their current occupations.

“Some of the things that stick with me relate to, I think program evaluation was a really beneficial course that we took and also health behavior theory,” Geary said. “We learned about cultural competence and equity within our program. And those are things that we want to continue to ingrain in all of our work. So that was really helpful to have an intro to all of that through my graduate education.”

For her part, Katzenbach said, “I use logic models in every single position that I’ve been in. That definitely applied the information we learned in our grant writing. We did a lot of grant writing in one of our classes. And that is something that I’ve done in every role as well. I did learn a lot from our health behavior theory class. I was working at a local health department right after graduation for about four years in chronic disease and tobacco-related work. So the health behavior theory class was really, really helpful in implementing programs related to that.”

Katzenbach said she had a close friend in the Community Health program at Illinois.

“Community Health really jived with my interests and was still along the health field. And so it seemed like a really good next step for me. And it turned out to be the right one.”

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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MPH student Faith Washington talks about her contact tracing work

Dec. 10, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Students in the Master of Public Health program in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois have been asked by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health Dept. to apply the skills they are learning as contact tracers. Periodically, we will speak with them about how they are doing in these roles. Today, we speak with Faith Washington.

Q: Is the work you’re doing for CUPHD different than what you were trained for in the MPH program?

A: In the MPH program, I am studying health behavior and promotion, so there are a few parallels regarding convincing people to do what is in their own best interest and the public’s best interest. I think the main difference is the turnaround time. For the health behaviors I study and would like to ultimately work to promote, the effects may not be seen as quickly as the impact of my advice regarding COVID-19 would be. For example, encouraging people to get screened for prostate cancer would potentially decrease the disease’s mortality rates because more cases are caught in the early stages. Still, that data wouldn’t be evident for quite a while, whereas encouraging people to isolate and quarantine has an almost immediate impact on the spread and identification of COVID-19 cases in the community.

Q: What field/industry were you hoping to work in upon graduation?

A: I hope to work in either public health program research, implementation, and evaluation at a state or federal level or to work as a health journalist. I am very passionate about improving the general public’s health literacy so that people can better advocate for themselves and their needs in medical settings and ultimately lead healthier happier lives.

Q: What kinds of questions do you ask in the work you’re currently doing?

A: As a contact tracer, I ask COVID-positive people how they feel, what symptoms they are experiencing if they require any resources like masks or food, and with whom they have recently interacted. At CUPHD, there is an emphasis on ensuring that everyone has what they need to safely and adequately quarantine or isolate. Hence, all of these questions are really important. I have found that giving out CUPHD contact information also reassures people that if they have a need that they don’t disclose during the interview, that is OK. We will still be prepared to assist them.

Q: Do you find people are willing to respond truthfully?

A: For the most part, people are willing to answer truthfully. It becomes relatively easy to tell when people are being dishonest. The one question that seems to get the most pushback is, “Do you have any close contacts?” Generally, people do not want to give out the personal information of their friends and family. Still, once I explain that we protect and respect everyone’s privacy and confidentiality and that we are only asking so that we may reach out to their close contacts and provide them with proper guidance and assistance regarding quarantine, people become more willing to disclose that information.

Q: Any frustrations that people are not listening to the health guidelines?

A: I become very frustrated when I see people not adhering to health guidelines because I see the negative impacts this virus has had on so many people and their families. It is hard to have one conversation with someone severely ill and potentially dying and then call another person who has mild symptoms or is asymptomatic and refuses to isolate and could be spreading this virus to others, who may then be my next severely ill call.

Q: Do people you know ask you for COVID advice?

A: My family doesn’t ask me for COVID advice because I always offer it before they have a chance. I am always in contact with my parents and brother to ensure that they are not succumbing to quarantine fatigue and they are continuing to follow all health guidelines. Fortunately, my family has been taking this very seriously, and my parents and brother are all able to work and learn from home right now. My friends sometimes ask me for COVID advice or ask me general questions if they don’t understand the reasoning behind something that public health officials are asking everyone to do right now. However, for the most part, my friends are also all still staying home and not really physically interacting with the world right now.

Q: What are you missing out on because of the pandemic, in terms of working face-to-face with people?

A: I think what I am most missing out on are the benefits of in-person classes. This is my first semester as an MPH grad student, but I studied communication with a concentration in health for my undergraduate degree here at UIUC, and there is such a stark difference between learning on Zoom and learning in a classroom. Mainly because there is so much collaboration necessary in public health courses. I am concerned that the connections I am making with my cohort are not as strong as they would have been had the semester been typical, but a lot of MPH students also work at CUPHD right now, so I do have more interaction with them through work, which I value a lot.

Q: What ways has COVID-19 affected you? Have you traveled? Have you been able to go home, see family?

A: I generally count myself as lucky because, while COVID has affected me a lot, it could have been much worse. Like many other class of 2020 students, I didn’t get a formal graduation, which was upsetting. I also have not been able to see my friends from high school for a very long time. We usually all congregate when we are home in Chicago, but due to the pandemic, we haven’t been home, and we haven’t been willing to potentially risk the health of our families by being together. I also have not traveled, which is rare for me. I usually travel to see friends or just take a trip to some landmark or interesting spot in the country, but most things are closed, and I am also not willing to get on a plane right now. While all of these things have been less than ideal, I count myself as fortunate because I do not personally know anyone who has died from COVID, and I was the only member of my immediate family and friend group to ever catch the virus, which I recovered from.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Tags: COVID-19, MPH

MPH student Maggie Hamielec talks about working as a contact tracer and COVID

Dec. 07, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Q: Is the work you’re doing for CUPHD different than what you were trained for in the MPH program?

A: I am currently working as a contact tracer with the CUPHD. One thing I love about this position is a public health background is not necessary, which allows many more individuals to be able to help out during this pandemic. While being in the MPH program is a bonus, I don’t think it is a training that is explicitly needed to be an effective contact tracer.

Q: What field/industry were you hoping to work in upon graduation?

A: I would like to either work in research on sexual health/health education or work in infectious disease epidemiology.

Q: What kinds of questions do you ask in the work you’re currently doing?

A: My job as a contact tracer has two main tasks: interviewing confirmed COVID-19 cases and notifying individuals who were in contact to a confirmed case that they need to quarantine.

During positive case interviews, we ask about symptoms and pre-existing conditions to collect epidemiologic data, known exposures to other positive cases to determine how the virus is being spread in the community and information about employment, household members and socializing to identify close contacts that will need to quarantine. We also ask if the cases have everything to isolate safely and do everything we can to provide them with resources needed such as food, shelter, housing/income resources, masks, thermometers and toiletries.

During close contact notifications, we tell the individuals the date of exposure, explain how long and why they will need to quarantine, educate them on symptoms, provide them information on testing and as with positive cases, we also ask about any resources needed to make sure they can quarantine safely.

For both groups, we also monitor the individuals throughout their isolation/quarantine periods using health assessments, which ask about symptoms, if the person has had to leave isolation/quarantine for any reason and as a way to follow again to make sure the individual is able to isolate/quarantine safely.

Q: Do you find people are willing to respond truthfully?

A: Not always. It definitely varies from person to person. I have spoken to individuals who are willing to tell me every single place they have been in the prior month and I have people who swear at me for asking how they are feeling because that is “personal information”. I think people often fear that they will get in trouble for telling us who they have been around or where they have been. I can understand why some feel that way, but CUPHD is more concerned about preventing the spread of COVID-19 within our community than it is with punishing those not following health guidelines.

Q: Any frustrations that people are not listening to the health guidelines?

A: Yes! It is incredibly frustrating to hear about weddings, parties on campus or even people knowingly leaving isolation while infectious. I understand the burnout and pandemic feeling that most, if not all of us are currently feeling, but ignoring our problems never works. As time has gone on, my frustrations are less about the individuals within our community, and more about the federal government continuing to dismiss the pandemic. This is a team effort and without clear, well-communicated national health guidelines, we are going to continue to struggle with controlling the spread of COVID-19.

Q: Do people you know ask you for COVID advice?

A: I do have a lot of family and friends ask for COVID advice. Most often it is about what qualifies as close contact and how concerned one should be if they were exposed. I also have explained infectious periods more times than I can count (cue an “If I had a nickel for every time I was asked about COVID, I could afford to pay off my student loans” joke). It does get a little bit tiring, but the whole reason I am in public health is because I am passionate about community wellbeing. Knowing that I am someone whose opinion and experience is trusted and valued by my loved ones keeps the burnout at bay and reminds me what I am working hard for!

Q: What are you missing out on because of the pandemic, in terms of working face-to-face with people?

A: As someone who considers themself an extravert, it is working face-to-face! One thing this pandemic has really halted is the ability to socialize with people I work with. Zoom calls and social distancing make it very hard to connect with people outside of professional/academic settings.

Q: What ways has COVID-19 affected you? Have you traveled? Have you been able to go home, see family?

A: My mom lives in Poland and I had planned on visiting her in August and unfortunately was not able to due to the pandemic. Last time I saw her was in 2017 when I had just graduated high school and I wanted to keep up the post-grad tradition as I finished my undergraduate degree this summer as well.

I have not traveled much. I do enjoy being outdoors, so I have gone hiking a few times in Kickapoo State Park and Shawnee National Forest when the weather was nice!

I have gone home to the suburbs to see my dad, something I would not be comfortable doing if I wasn’t privileged and able to quarantine before and after seeing him, in addition to test frequently thanks to being a student here at UIUC and having a job that allows me to maintain social distance and mandates proper PPE.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Tags: COVID-19, Maggie Hamielec

MSHA alum Zaid Ahmed talks about his COVID-19 contact tracing work

Dec. 06, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Students in the Master of Science in Health Administration program in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois have been asked by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health Dept. to apply the skills they are learning as contact tracers. Periodically, we will speak with them about how they are doing in these roles. Today, we speak with Zaid Ahmed.

Q: Is the work you’re doing for CUPHD different than what you were trained for in the MSHA program?

A: I would say that the work I did for CUPHD wasn’t really different from the MSHA, per se. Contact tracing is essentially just calling infected cases and close contacts to gather information on their symptoms, job status, family information etc. It isn’t really like anything I learned in my MSHA program but I know that my role is a small part of the study of epidemiology. I’m not applying anything from my academics but I am just a part of the epidemiological system, if that makes sense.

Q: What field/industry were you hoping to work in upon graduation?

A: I was hoping to work in the data/technology/analytics side of healthcare upon graduation.

Q: What kinds of questions do you ask in the work you’re currently doing?

A: I ask people who they’ve come into contact with, if their family members have any chronic disease that makes them vulnerable to COVID-19, basic information like address and birthdays, and whether or not they’ve experienced any symptoms.

Q: Do you find people are willing to respond truthfully?

A: People have been pretty truthful with me.

Q: Any frustrations that people are not listening to the health guidelines?

A: There have been several people who were frustrated with their two-week quarantine and some people have admitted to breaking it by going out somewhere. It is frustrating, but I can’t police them 24/7.

Q: Do people you know ask you for advice on dealing with COVID-19?

A: People have not asked me for COVID advice but they have asked where the cases are concentrated so they know to avoid those locations.

Q: What are you missing out on because of the pandemic, in terms of working face-to-face with people?

A: I’m missing out on the opportunity to see my fellow MSHA students and the ability to meet my professors in person.

Q: What ways has COVID-19 affected you? Have you traveled? Have you been able to go home, see family?

A: COVID made my dad lose his job although he’s managed to find another job. I haven’t been able to see my cousins in a long time. I have been spending these past few months at home with family so it hasn’t been all bad.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Tags: alumni, MHA

Mobile app aims to help older adults manage medications

Oct. 05, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

A team of researchers will seek to improve medication adherence rates in older adults with a novel app

Jeannie Lee, who specializes in geriatrics and behavioral research at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, assists on a medication review appointment with an elderly woman and her daughter-in-law.

Despite known benefits of taking prescription medications on time and with regularity, estimates indicate about half are not taken, leading to increased health care costs and mortality.

With new federal funding, however, a team of researchers from the University of Illinois’ College of Applied Health Sciences and the University of Arizona Health Sciences will seek to improve medication adherence rates in older adults with a novel mobile application.

With a team comprised of experts in pharmacy, nursing, educational psychology and cognitive aging, Kinesiology and Community Health professor Wendy Rogers and University of Arizona College of Pharmacy’s Jeannie Lee, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, will use a five-year, $3.09 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance and test the Medication Education, Decision Support, Reminding, and Monitoring System 2.0 (MEDSReM-2), an integrated mobile app and companion website.

The MEDSReM-2 system will support medication adherence for hypertension and blood pressure (BP) management for older adults. While not yet publicly available, it is available to the research team and will be further developed and tested with study patients before commercial marketing.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the most prevalent chronic disease among older Americans, estimated to affect 67 percent of people age 60 or older, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. BP medications are remarkably effective in reducing negative outcomes of uncontrolled hypertension and proper adherence to blood pressure medications can yield major reductions in heart failure and stroke, as well as preserve cognitive function.

“Though medications are very effective for hypertension control, the typical hypertension medication adherence rate is only about 50 percent, and hypertension control in older adults is only 53 percent,” said Dr. Lee, the college’s assistant dean of student services and an associate professor who specializes in geriatrics and behavioral research. “Proof that medications do not work if people fail to use them.”

In a previous research project led by Kathleen C. “Kathie” Insel, PhD, RN, chair of the Biobehavioral Health Division in the UArizona College of Nursing, Dr. Lee and fellow collaborators developed and field-tested the first iteration of the MEDSReM app. This initial app was a technology translation of the Multifaceted Prospective Memory Intervention (MPMI), a series of strategies seeking to increase medication adherence by supporting cognitive processes.

Rogers, Lee, Dr. Insel and other collaborators now have started to use the grant to build on the original MEDSReM app, which integrates the successes of the MPMI strategies into a single, easy-to-use mobile app. If the technology proves to be useful, they plan to expand the next iteration for other diseases and populations.

The MEDSReM-2 app will capitalize on technological advancements such as integration of a wireless blood pressure monitor to provide feedback on the relationship between a person’s adherence rates and their blood pressure. In addition, the app will enable the smartphone camera to provide an easy set-up for entering medications, supporting missed-dose decisions, and personalizing their reminder schedule. The MEDSReM-2 system will also include a web portal to provide educational materials and feedback visualizations. Through this multidimensional approach, the research team believes patient medication adherence rates will be sustained and BP levels improved.

Other collaborators on the NIH grant include: Dan Morrow, a professor in the College of Education at Illinois, and Tim Hale, a teaching assistant professor in KCH at Illinois; Tracy Mitzner, PhD, Senior Research Scientist at Georgia Institute of Technology, and Josephine D. Korchmaros, PhD, director, UArizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Study suggests that social engagement technology has the potential to broaden older adults’ social networks

Sept. 29, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

OneClick.chat is a web-based video chat platform that provides users with easy, accessible ways to connect with others

OneClick.chat, a video chat platform, announced positive outcomes in the study of older adults, with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI), who used their video chat technology to engage in social activities to meet new people of all ages with shared interests. Some of the participants’ favorite topics of conversation were books, health, family, and exercise. The results of this study were published in Gerontechnology, the official journal of the International Society for Gerontechnology.

OneClick.chat, a web-based video chat platform that provides users with easy, accessible ways to connect with others, partnered with Drs. Wendy Rogers and Raksha Mudar in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to conduct a three-phased study to examine experiences, attitudes, and preferences of video chat systems, particularly the OneClick video chat platform, among older adults with and without MCI. It also evaluated and optimized the OneClick.chat platform to accommodate the interests, abilities, and usability concerns of older adults. These objectives were accomplished in three phases:

Phase 1 examined older adults’ experiences with well-known video chat systems (e.g. Skype, Facetime), their attitudes toward video chat in general, and to OneClick.chat specifically, and their preferences on how they would like to use OneClick.chat.
Phase 2 worked to identify potential usability problems with the OneClick.chat platform through experiential evaluations conducted by experts with knowledge of human factors, aging, and MCI. The OneClick.chat platform was then optimized based on Phase 1 and Phase 2 findings.
Phase 3 participants interacted with the optimized OneClick.chat platform over a period of four weeks in their own homes. They gave feedback on their attitudes toward the improved system and their opinions about using the system for real conversations.

The study provided valuable and novel insights from participants about their experiences and preferences for using video chat systems, as well as understanding their perceived ease of use and technology acceptance. Overall, participants found the OneClick.chat platform useful and easy to use. This process also showcased how technology for older adults can be developed by engaging them in the iterative design process. Importantly, this study will provide insights, not only for the design of OneClick.chat, but more generally for the design of technology-based social engagement platforms for older adults with and without MCI.

“Older adults are at increased risk of social isolation and loneliness due to significant life changes, including retirement, restricted mobility – and now with the global pandemic putting older adults in isolation—we fear this will only further exacerbate the development of chronic health conditions,” said Dillon Myers, CEO of OneClick.chat. “The results of this study help us understand from research leaders in aging and technology, how to develop the best video chat and social engagement platform for older adults. Soon we will launch version 2.0 of our platform, which will include significant enhancement upgrades as a result of this study.”

OneClick.chat will launch version 2.0 next month which will include a new video chat interface designed to maximize usability for older adults, enhanced security and data privacy features, as well as curated classes and social events for residents of senior living organizations. The Company plans to build on this research through Phase II grant funding from The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). OneClick.chat will partner with home and community-based organizations (CBOs) to utilize the platform in their community outreach and demonstrate improved quality of life for older adults through social activities that use technology.

OneClick.chat will continue its study in partnership with Dr. Wendy Rogers, Director of the Human Factors and Aging Laboratory and Dr. Raksha Mudar, Director of the Aging and Neurocognition Laboratory.

“It’s critical that companies, like OneClick.chat, focus on the socialization needs of one of our most vulnerable populations,” Dr. Rogers said. “Many older adults are already at high risk of social isolation and the global pandemic continues to have a major impact on their ability to interact with family and friends or develop new social connections.”

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Two new grants aimed at improving outcomes for students with disabilities

Oct. 02, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

The grants will be focused on providing training to Special Education teachers and Vocational Rehabilitation counselors across Illinois

Two new grants to researchers in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois will fund programs aimed at improving post-school employment outcomes for students with significant disabilities.

The first grant, funded by the Illinois State Board of Education, is for a five-year, $5 million collaboration between the College of Education and AHS. Kinesiology and Community Health professor David Strauser, in collaboration with College of Education professor Stacy Dymond, received funding for the Center on Transition and Work. The Center will offer state-wide training and technical assistance to school personnel, rehabilitation counselors, and families to improve post-school employment outcomes for students with significant disabilities (e.g., intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, autism).

Strauser, Dymond and KCH professor John Kosciulek were also awarded a Vocational Training Grant. This project, funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for $1.5 million over five years, will provide statewide training to vocational rehabilitation counselors who prepare individuals with disabilities for employment.

Strauser said the two grants “complement each other and will work together to increase post-high school employment outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities in Illinois.”

Strauser said the grants will be focused on providing training to Special Education teachers and Vocational Rehabilitation counselors across Illinois.

“The training will focus on providing training to front-line professionals that will enhance their skills related on preparing youth and young adults for employment after they leave high school.”

Podcasts, videos and research briefs will be among the materials created and made publicly available to help young adults with disabilities and chronic health conditions transition to work life, he said.

Strauser hopes to begin training as soon as early next year, and is searching for sites for the Center on Transition and Work, which will be somewhere on the UIUC campus.

As far as the populations the grants will help, Strauser said the project funded by the ISBE will focus on severe intellectual, psychiatric, and physical disabilities, while the vocational training project will focus on all types of disabilities and chronic health conditions.

Strauser said the grants fulfill the land grant mission of UIUC by providing research and training directed at enhancing the lives of Illinoisans with disabilities and chronic health conditions.

“We will also be able to conduct direct practice-based research that will provide valuable information to Illinois, the country and the world regarding effective practices and strategies that can improve the career development and employment of youth and young adults with disabilities.”

Strauser and Kosciulek also received a grant for their Rehabilitation Services Administration Quality Employment Outcomes project. Strauser is the principle investigator on the project—which also includes the University of Wisconsin, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Kentucky. The objectives are to increase the number of eligible applicants to State vocational rehab programs; to increase engagement of eligible applicants in service to promote participation in services throughout the tenure of their Individualized Employment Plans; to increase the number of employers hiring and retaining persons with disabilities in their workforce; and to increase the Employment Rate indicator, as compared to each programs’ historical data and national trends. The project is funded for $2.15 million over five years.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Wellness Ambassador Emily Grayburn talks about COVID and campus

Sept. 14, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Wellness ambassadors support the University of Illinois’ COVID-19 educational compliance efforts by providing health resources to the university community. The College of Applied Health Sciences is proud to boast several students who are participating in the Wellness Ambassador program. Periodically, we’ll speak with a student about what they have encountered in their role. Today, it’s Emily Grayburn, a student in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health.

Q: What kind of training did you receive to become a Wellness Ambassador?

A: I participated in a four-hour-long, Zoom-based training along with the other Wellness Ambassadors. During this meeting, we got to speak with members of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District as well as Dr. Robert Parker from McKinley Health Center. We also learned what we would be doing during our shift and how to approach people politely. We also need to attend bi-weekly trainings to update our job duties, if need be.

Q: What kind of activities are you performing while working?

A: While working, I typically walk around campus with one to two other Wellness Ambassadors and hand out COVID-19 wellness kits to people walking by. These kits include a map of testing locations, a card with information about the COVID Wellness Answer Center, a button or sticker, a flyer containing information about flu shots, and either a mask, sunglasses, or a hand sanitizer.

Q: How many hours do you work a week?

A: I work 8-10 hours a week.

Q: Where are you stationed?

A: I am usually stationed at (Illinois Street Residence) Halls, (Student Dining and Residential Programs Building), or walking around campus.

Q: What challenges have you faced in doing the job?

A: Some challenges that I have faced while doing this job would be dealing with the small amount of students who aren’t compliant with wearing a mask.

Q: What kind of reactions do you get from students or faculty when you encounter them?

A: For the most part, students are very excited about receiving free goodies from the university. They are very thankful that we are making a positive impact on our community.

Q: What’s the toughest part of the job?

A: The toughest part of my job would be confronting individuals who do not want to wear their masks. Although it is a small percentage of students, we still need to sometimes tell these people that they need to keep their mask on whenever they are outside of their room to keep others safe and increase the chances of us being able to stay on campus.

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Tags: alumni, COVID-19, Emily Grayburn

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