Digital Health and Health Disparities Research Lab

National Institute On Minority Health And Health Disparities

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

We published results of an implementation, three-phase, mixed-methods study of an auto-referral system to increase the reach of digital smoking cessation and alcohol reduction mobile applications. The study used electronic health records to identify smokers and those who drink alcohol to excess and refer them to evidence based mobile applications. In phase 1 of the study, the auto-referral system was deemed acceptable to both hospital staff and patients who also contributed to the content of the message and its delivery mode via text messages. In phase 2, the use of electronic health records to identify at-risk patients and proactively refer them to support was deemed feasible after mining the electric health records data. In phase 3, we assessed the impact of the text messages with embedded links to behavioral change mobile applications. Of 1526 text messages sent, 13.6% click on the link embedded in the message to the National Health Service Smokefree or Drink Free Days mobile applications. We published a review article of tobacco use among African Americans and Latinos who disproportionally suffer tobacco-related mortality and morbidity. We reviewed determinants of tobacco use on several levels: individual to societal. We concluded the review by recommending research in five areas that we believe will propel the field forward. We have completed a survey study titled: Understanding disparities in digital technologies access and use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study examines factors associated with access to and use of digital platforms, the association between the use of such digital technologies and health outcomes, and the mechanistic processes underlying these associations and their macro-level moderators. We launched a natural history study titled: A prospective natural history study of COVID-19 using digital wearables (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04927442). We are following a cohort of 550 COVID-19 positive patients for a period of six months to evaluate the associations between physiological data collected via digital wearables and patient-reported post-acute COVID-19 sequalae. Finally, we launched a multi-center trial titled: Sleep-time blood pressure and risk of chronic kidney disease progression (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT05189418), which is funded by NIHs Bench-to-Bedside and Back Program. In the study, we prospectively evaluate sleep-time blood pressure, using home blood pressure monitoring and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring devices. We hypothesize that sleep-time blood pressure is potentially significant and independent marker of chronic kidney disease. We are recruiting a cohort of 200 chronic kidney disease patients in G3b or G4 and following them for one year to examine the associations between blood pressure and kidney function.