Current Scholar Research Projects

Ingrid Binswanger Mortality rates among released inmates To determine the death rates, causes of death, and risk factors for death among inmates released from Washington State prisons. To compare the death rate among released inmates to that of the rest of the Washington State population Health care utilization and mortality of injection drug users initially evaluated in the Harborview ER for skin and soft tissue infections Describe the health care utilization patterns of a cohort of injection drug users seen for soft tissue infections in the Harborview ER over a three year period and analyze the risk factors for high utilization of care based on a baseline interview survey. Describe the mortality rates for this cohort using the National Death Index. Describe the culturing patterns and the microbiology of skin and soft tissue infections in this cohort of IDUs Literature review on the relevance of medical problems on inmates to public health Review the current medical literature with regards to health care delivery among inmates of jails and prisons and the implications for public health for a general medical audience Characteristics of jail inmates Examine the characteristics of jail inmates using data from a national survey of a representative sample of jail inmates conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which includes data on drug use, health characteristics and some health care utilization. Physician Impact Study Examine the association between the motivators of research-trained physicians for their current work and the perceived impact of their work. Examine burn-out among research-trained physicians

Alison Brooks Prevalence of Preseason Conditioning Among High School Athletes To describe what preseason conditioning adolescents are engaing in prior to participating in a school-sponsored sports season To determine if reported preseason physical activity meets CDC/ACSM guidelines for adolescent physical activity To describe the sports injury history of competitive high school athlete Neuromuscular Training Using Motion Analysis Technology Use motion analysis technology as a tool to describe knee otion with jumping and cutting Use motion analysis technology as an effective neuromuscular training tool as compared to standard jump training programs Case Control Study: Injuries in Snowboard Terrain Parks Perform nested case-control analysis using database from NIH funded case control study evaluating the efficacy of ski helmets in reducing or preventing head injuries from skiing and snowboarding Physical Education Policies in States and School Districts Evaluate what percentage of states and the largest school districts in each state have PE policy that meets CDC guidelines for adequate time in PE Describe hight school athletic coverage: Full-time AT vs part-time vs none; types of contracts Sports med knowledge questionnaire to HS students; compare to responses of pediatricians Soccer heading

Jason Mendoza Assessing the role of low socioeconomic status in the selection of energy dense diets and obesity (CSFII 1994-1996, 1998 database) -To study the role of energy dense diets in the overweight/obesity epidemic. -To identify associations between energy dense diets and socio-demographic characteristics such as income, education, race/ethnicity, etc. Walking School Bus - To evaluate the implementation of the Walking School Bus program at Bailey Gatzert Elementary School. The Walking School Bus is a program designed to encourage children to walk to school under the supervision of parents/adults who teach and reinforce safe pedestrian skills. The evaluation will quantify the number of walking school bus routes, participants, and observed safety behaviors pre- and post-intervention. - To gain research experience in the school setting and collaborating with community groups such as Feet First, e.g. community-based participatory research. Dietary energy density and association with BMI and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes mellitus (NHANES 1999-2002 database) -To identify the independent association between dietary energy density (DED) and measured BMI in a nationally representative sample. -To identify associations between DED and cardiovascular or type two diabetes mellitus risk factors. Glycemic Index and obesity/type 2 diabetes mellitus risk factors (NHANES 1999-2002 database)

Beth Tarini Parental participation during a child’s inpatient hospitalizations. - To determine parental participation during a child’s hospitalization using knowledge of diagnostic testing as a proxy for participation. - To determine whether self-efficacy with physician interactions, beliefs about participation in care, self-reported participation in medical decision are associated with parental knowledge of diagnostic testing on their child. - To determine parent and child characteristics associated with knowledge of diagnostic testing. State newborn screening in the tandem mass spectrometry era: More tests, more infants labeled falsely - To describe the change in the number of tests in state newborn screening panels from 1995-2005 - To estimate the increased number of infants who are currently falsely labeled with disease. Variation in and predictors of repeat ordering of complete blood count (CBC) ordering for inpatients with bronchiolitis at pediatric hospitals - To describe variation in the repeat ordering of CBC in children with bronchiolitis hospitalized at pediatric hospitals, using the PHIS (Pediatric Health Information Services) database. - To determine which variables are associated with repeat ordering of CBC for children with bronchiolitis hospitalized at pediatric hospitals, using the PHIS (Pediatric Health Information Services) database. Diagnostic testing in pediatrics (description, not official title) - Review article for Contemporary Pediatrics on the principles and pitfalls of diagnostic testing.

Darcy Thompson Completed activities: In press: Thompson, DA and Christakis DA. The Association between Television Viewing and Irregular Sleep Schedules in Children under 3 Years Old. Pediatrics In Press: scheduled for publication in October Completed presentations at PAS: Platform Presentation: Association of Maternal Mood and Anxiety Symptoms with Television Viewing in Children Under 3 Years Old Poster presentation: The Association between Television Viewing and Irregular Sleep Schedules in Children under 3 Years Poster presentation: Television Use in Children Under 3 Years with Latina Mothers and the Importance of Language Spoken at Home Ongoing projects Manuscripts in preparation: Thompson DA and Christakis DA. Association of Maternal Mood and Anxiety Symptoms with Television Viewing in Children Under 3 Years Old Thompson DA and Christakis DA. Television Use in Children Under 3 Years with Latina Mothers and the Importance of Language Spoken at Home Focus Groups on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Latino parents on their children’s TV viewing -Focus Groups to take place in July In –Person Survey on young Latino childrens TV use. -Will use information obtained from above focus groups to design my survey Evaluation of the Efficacy of Community Placed Computer Kiosks in Health Promotion: A Pilot Study

Judy Zerzan Variability of opiate prescription use among national FFS Medicaid - What was the variability of prescription opiate use among national FFS Medicaid recipients between 1996 and 2003 measured in DDD? Characterizing state Medicaid PDL/Formulary decision-making – Describe decision making processes for state Medicaid including composition of committees, public input, what level of power in decision process. Effect of Medicaid policies on Oxycontin use How does the opiate use differ in relationship to the states’ efforts to control spending on this class of medications? Are policies that restrict opiate use associated with an increase NSAID/COX2 use? Prevalence of dementia medications in nursing homes Objectives - Determine the use of dementia medications, such as donazepil, in nursing homes in the state of Washington. Use of such medications most likely represents inappropriate use as these medications are to prevent institutionalization. Survey on Physician Researcher – Looking at burnout and self-perceived impact (with other RWJ fellows) in physician-researchers who have completed RWJ clinical scholars program, NRSA fellowship, or VA HSR&D fellowship in last 15 years. Variability of gabapentin use among national FFS Medicaid Objectives - What was the variability of use of gabapentin among national FFS Medicaid recipients between 1998 and 2003 as measured in DDD? How does the pattern of use differ in relationship to the states’ efforts to control spending on this medication and on opiate medications or other analgesics?? Cost and prescribing pattern effects of voluntary vs. mandatory PDLs in Medicaid Objectives - When prescribing opiate analgesics, does prescriber adherence to Medicaid preferred drug lists (PDLs) differ in states with voluntary PDLs compared to states with mandatory PDLs?

Back to UWCSP home page

Last modified: 9/8/05