Current ESRN Research
Improving Title X Services for People With Disabilities in Rural Wyoming Communities
In collaboration with the Wyoming Health Council and Wyoming Title X Clinics, the ESRN organized a Community-Based Participatory Research workgroup to explore how People with Disabilities (PWD) access sexual and reproductive health services delivered at Title X Clinics in Wyoming. In partnership with Title X Clinic providers, workgroup members developed a card study to estimate the prevalence of PWD seeking sexual and reproductive care. Study findings are used to inform practice improvement strategies to improve access to sexual and reproductive health care in Wyoming communities.
ESRN Partnership Awards
Partnership Development Awards provide funding to support project development where awardees focus on building relationships, identifying key stakeholders, determining research questions that are relevant to the community and how the research can positively impact the community. This award provides an opportunity for awardee's to prepare for future funding applications including the ESRN Pilot Award and other research grants.
Dr. Sandy Leotti, Assistant Professor, UW Division of Social Work; Dr. Michelle Jarman, Associate Professor, UW Disability Studies; Dr. Margaret Holland, Assistant professor, UW Division of Social Work
We are currently developing a partnership with the ARK in Laramie to provide a PhotoVoice
class to people with disabilities. PhotoVoice is a research methodology for individuals
to express themselves using photographs and captions. It was developed to empower
marginalized people to incite community change by having them direct research projects
in their communities. The purpose of our project is to use PhotoVoice as a means for
people with intellectual disabilities and brain injuries to express their perceptions
of what community inclusion means to them. The PhotoVoice class will culminate in
a public exhibit designed to raise awareness and create an open dialogue about living
with a disability in Laramie. Our overarching goals are to deepen our understanding
of the conditions and contexts that shape the lives of disabled people in Wyoming,
and to inform the development of practices aimed at improving the health and well-being
of disabled people.
Dr. Bernard A. Steinman, Associate Professor, University of Wyoming Family and Consumer Sciences; Jeff Clark, Manager, Wyoming Department of Health Aging Division; Mark Kelly, Health Program Specialist, Program Manager and Database Assistant with the Wyoming Department of Health Aging Division, Community Living Section; Dr. Catherine Carrico, Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Director, Wyoming Center on Aging
Supportive housing options are a cornerstone to aging in place. Housing options that
are adapted with home-modifications (HM) to accommodate the physical limitations associated
with aging, can reduce accidents, assist in addressing caregiving needs, and improve
a person’s quality of life. The Wyoming Home Modification Action Coalition (WYHMAC),
headed by UW and WDH-AGD, was formed in summer 2021 to provide strong advocacy for
and to raise awareness about HMs and their efficacy; to provide training and resources
within Wyoming communities that promote development of effective HM; and to conduct
quality research to serve as the basis for HM interventions. We expect to develop
closer collaborations between partners and with key stakeholder groups that are focused
on achieving common HM/falls prevention goals. We expect the relationship to facilitate
development of an informed provider network made up of key stakeholders, including
RNs, OTs, and remodelers/contractors.
ESRN Pilot Awards
Pilot Awards provide funding to support the develop and implementation of innovative research that identifies and addresses community health challenges.
Dr. Crystal Sieger, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music Education, University of Wyoming; Lauren Hulit, Music Teacher, Rawlins Elementary K-1 Campus, Carbon County School District No.
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Dr. Sieger and Ms. Hulit will work together with Rawlins/Carbon County community members
to present a series of classes designed to provide a more inclusive music education
to students with disabilities. These interactive classes will focus on multi-sensory
learning and will utilize adaptive music technologies to increase engagement.
A goal of the research increased understanding within the community, where members
are encouraged to be open-minded and to provide input to the researchers regarding
their students’ engagement in multi-sensory music learning and the effectiveness of
the strategies employed. Researchers hope to develop a model relationship between
the UW music education program and school districts to benefit students with disabilities
and to prepare future music educators to better serve their needs.
Dr. Michelle L. Blakely, Assistant Professor of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, University of Wyoming;
Deb Anderson, CPHIMS, Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, HIT/QI Consultant; Dr. Ryan Jackson, Take Care Utah Director, Utah Health Policy Project
Our community-participatory research project will use qualitative research methods
to identify caregivers’ perspectives of healthcare services including what works,
what doesn’t work, as well as recognize areas where improvements can be made. Barriers
and facilitators to effective healthcare interactions will also be explored.
We will interview caregivers of Wyoming patients with disabilities to obtain their
perspectives of healthcare services. This will provide comprehensive insight of healthcare
services for patients with disabilities in our state. Furthermore, community engagement
will allow unique insights and contextualized understanding to be gleaned regarding
perceptions of healthcare services from the community members who participate. This
research project is being conducted to improve the health and well-being of underserved/disadvantaged
Wyoming residents with disabilities. The results will be used to develop effective
strategies to address identified weaknesses/deficiencies and improve the provision
of healthcare services in Wyoming for patients with disabilities.
ESRN CBPR Research
IProjects:
The ESRN is currently running three research work groups. These workgroups are focused on the research process for the:
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ESRN COVID-19 Patient Impact Survey.
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ESRN COVID-19 Provider Impact Study.
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ESRN Vaccine Hesitancy Study.
All workgroups are open and any can enroll at any point. Please email esrn@uwyo.edu for information.
Tele-rehabilitation Through Real-time User Interaction and Motion Tracking in 3D Immersive Virtual Reality
Tele-rehabilitation delivers rehabilitative healthcare remotely to overcome spatial,
temporal and economic barriers, helping eliminate health disparities. The emerging
effectiveness of telerehabilitation has been seen for patients with orthopedic injuries
and survivors from traumatic, degenerative and cardiovascular diseases of the central
nerve system (CNS). The current technology for telerehabilitation is limited to audio-
or video- based interaction without an objective and accurate measure of motor functions.
Such a technological limitation prevents the delivery of precision medicine and largely
constrains the efficacy and potential of telerehabilitation.
Dr. Qin Zhu Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health, University
of Wyoming is conducting a study building an interactive tele-rehab system that is
patient-centered with augmented feedback and tele-presence of therapist to assist
rehabilitative exercises in both real and virtual environment. This new paradigm of
tele-rehabilitation is expected to increase the patient adherence to therapy and minimize
the existing health disparity.
Currently, we are reaching out to primary care clinicians, staff, early childhood centers, and other community members who would like to be part of this process of inquiry. Please let us know if you are interested in receiving more information about the Equality State Research Network.
Contact us for more information, or if you would like to become a partner with the network.
Project Proposal Submissions for the network
