The Kentucky ECHO Pediatric IDeA Research Center (KE-PIRC)

University Of Louisville, Louisville KY

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Kentucky is a largely rural state holding one of the nation’s highest poverty rates and lowest rankings in educational achievement. It leads the nation in many pediatric and adult, acute and chronic environmentally related diseases. These adverse factors combine to result in Kentucky’s children experiencing a high prevalence of congenital anomalies, cancer, respiratory disease, autism, neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, secondhand smoke exposure and adolescent smoking, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, etc. Many of these outcomes are related to poor nutrition, obesity, parental smoking and substance abuse, and environmental exposures. Kentucky also leads the nation in the percentage of pediatric populations with special health care needs. Prior work has shown that most adult diseases begin in childhood, with some beginning during the prenatal period, making childhood the ideal time for intervention to improve health outcomes for all Kentuckians. Improving health outcomes and wellness in children is contingent upon expanding and sustaining high quality clinical research. Pediatricians at the University of Louisville with its healthcare and key academic medical center partners serve children throughout Kentucky. To bring healthcare innovation and to better serve these children, we are building upon our successes in mentorship, pediatric clinical trials, and community support as we collaborate with other ECHO IDeA Pediatric Clinical Trials Network and ECHO Cohort sites to advance healthcare for all children. Education and training of local and regional faculty and staff is critical to sustain this initiative. The Kentucky ECHO-Pediatric IDeA Research Center (KE-PIRC), as part of the ECHO IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network, will 1) enhance opportunities for children in rural and urban populations to participate in multi-center clinical trials that address research gaps in health priorities for their local communities; 2) further cultivate our ability to develop the capacity and skills for early-stage investigators to expand a sustainable workforce in pediatric clinical trials research; 3) continue to develop sustainable clinical trial research infrastructure by building upon a network of existing partnerships, and 4) strengthen our community partnerships locally and across the Commonwealth of Kentucky through a multi-disciplinary and structured approach. The five ECHO focus areas are 1) pre-, peri-, and postnatal outcomes; 2) obesity; 3) upper and lower airways; 4) neurodevelopment; and 5) positive health. These primary focus areas address healthcare challenges that are highly prevalent in Kentucky. Therefore, the efforts of KE-PIRC in collaboration with our community partners will improve the health outcomes of Kentucky children and their families. Building on ongoing relationships we will develop, mature, and sustain collaborations with regional and national pediatric clinical trial investigators to maximize efficient use of limited clinical research resources and communicate research findings.