MPACH PhD Candidate Sreelatha Akkala Publishes Study in Geriatrics Journal
Akkala's study, Impact of Pain on Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA), found that around 60% of participants reported experiencing pain, with back pain being the most common complaint.
While the majority of participants with pain described it as mild, the study also revealed a concerning link between pain intensity and difficulty performing everyday activities (ADL impairment). Compared to those without pain, participants with moderate or severe pain were more likely to experience ADL impairment.
The number of sites participants experienced pain at also played a role. Those with pain in multiple locations (multisite pain) were significantly more likely to have difficulty with daily activities compared to those with pain in just one or a few places.
These findings highlight the importance of managing musculoskeletal (MSK) pain and multisite pain in older adults. By implementing targeted interventions, healthcare professionals can potentially improve the quality of life for this growing population.
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While technologies like monitoring systems and electronic health records have grown to provide clinicians with better data to track patient conditions and make informed decisions, the increased use of technology in the ICU has led to many challenges, the article notes. These challenges range from information overload to incompatibility of different technologies, and even concerns regarding inaccuracy.
The article emphasizes the importance of a sociotechnical approach to ICU technology implementation. Using such an approach would help management and administrators to not just consider the technology itself, but also how it interacts with the social environment which includes clinician workflows and team dynamics. By helping balance technology and the social environment, the sociotechnical approach could ultimately help optimize patient care.
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Center for Health Care Data | |
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May CHCD-Monthly In-service
Associate Professor Lee Spangler, J.D., who serves as the Executive Director of the Texas All-Payors Claims Database, provided an in-depth training to all CHCD employees as part of the CHCD monthly in-service series.
This comprehensive training focused on HIPPA, PHI, and other topics related to claims data and the measures taken to protect sensitive data. The training provided aligns with UTHealth’s Annual Compliance training and allows staff to have an opportunity to ask questions in an open forum.
The CHCD is always looking for guest speakers. If you would like to present to our staff, email us.
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Graduation Announcement
Warmest congratulations to Blayton Jackson for receiving his MPH/MS dual degree in public health and biomedical informatics.
He started with the Center for Health Care Data as a GRA on the Texas All-Payors Claims Database (TX-APCD) team and has since been promoted to a Project Specialist.
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Non-Medical Drivers of Health Webinars
The Texas Consortium for the Non-Medical Drivers of Health is hosting a series of free webinars on various topics to advance the research, policy and practice of non- medical drivers of health in health care.
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Saenz Wins Outstanding Staff Award
Maria Saenz who has worked as a Department and Center Administrator at MPACH for the past 24 years won the 2024 Outstanding Staff Member award.
Please join us in congratulating Ms. Maria on this incredible achievement!
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MPACH PhD Candidate Presents Research at BCM
Congratulations to PhD candidate Meesha Iqbal who presented at the Baylor Global Health Annual Symposia on April 26, 2024. Iqbal’s poster elaborated on her dissertation study phases & methods: Rethinking Health Systems Responsiveness (HSR) in Low-and Middle-Income Countries (L&MICs). The poster also showcased the results of a Delphi methodology on the topic of Health Systems Responsiveness in the context of Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
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MPACH PhD Candidate Sreelatha Akkala presents at 2024 ISPOR Conference
Sreelatha Akkala, Health Economics and Health Services Research PhD Candidate, attended the 2024 ISPOR Conference hosted in Atlanta Georgia from May 5-8th. She presented a poster on her PhD research.
Click to hear her talk more about her experience and the key findings of the research she presented.
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Two MPACH Students Selected to be Leads Fellows | |
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UTHealth Houston Leads is a year-long program that develops future leaders in healthcare. MPACH students Lilac Li and Syed Hussain both PhD candidates in Healthcare Management and Policy were two of the four Leads fellows selected from the UTHealth School of Public Health.
Li's research focuses on the behavior of health care organizations, specifically focusing on how the services can benefit community health. "I pursued a career in public health because of a deep-seated passion for improving the well-being of communities at large," Li says. "I look forward to learning from experienced leaders and peers who will participate in the program. Through their insights, shared experiences, and diverse perspectives, I will undoubtedly gain a deeper understanding of leadership in different contexts."
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Meanwhile Hussain noted that, "Through my personal experiences, I understood that effective healing extends beyond individual patients — it involves addressing the health needs of entire communities." Through the program, "I hope to improve my interpersonal and leadership skills through this program, empowering me to grow personally, lead effectively, and foster healthier communities on both individual and systemic levels," he added.
Congratulations to Lilac & Syed.
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Wednesday, June 5, 12 p.m.: Payment Pathways for Food Is Medicine Programs & other NMDOH in Texas
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Thursday, June 6, 11 a.m.: Texas NMDOM Consortium Policy Generation: Interactive 2-hour workshop
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Friday, June 7, 10 a.m.: Implementation Science Networking Event - Austin location. Register here.
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Tuesday, June 11, 3 p.m.: Texas NMDOM Consortium Policy Generation: Interactive 2-hour workshop
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Thursday, June 13, 2 p.m.: TEPHI: Module 205: Hemodialysis with Kayla Ruch, PhD(c)
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June 18-21: 2024 Society of Epidemiologic Research Conference
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Student Opportunities & Announcements | | | | |
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Join UTHealth Houston in making strides against Alzheimer’s disease during the 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s event
Saturday, Nov. 9, at University of Houston’s Lynn Eusan Park, 4800 Calhoun Road.
Join the team or donate!
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Metro Q Cards are Now Available on Campus
In cooperation with Metro, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health is making it easier for students to reduce their transportation costs. A Metro Q card provides 50% off fares to students who have placed funds on the card.
To obtain a physical card, please visit the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Services (RAS E201) during regular business hours.
For more information about this program, visit Ride Metro or contact the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Services.
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Join the UTHealth Houston Alumni Community Platform!
Are you a student looking to expand your network and access valuable resources? Consider joining the UTHealth Houston Alumni Community platform!
Joining the platform is a great way to stay connected with the UTHealth Houston community and take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and resources available to you.
Sign up today to start connecting and engaging with your fellow students and alumni!
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Thank you for contributing!
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