Core D - External Innovative Network Core

University Of Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

EXTERNAL NETWORK CORE (CORE D): REVISED PROJECT ABSTRACT/SUMMARY The goals of External Network Core (Core D) are to continue to increase the research network capacity for longitudinal investigations of healthy aging behaviors (HABs) we have developed to enhance research on the economics and demography of aging within CHABLIS and the broader research community, and to develop network capacity in new areas. To accomplish these goals, Core D identifies highly promising longitudinal data resources, and actively encourages and supports both emerging and more senior researchers in these network projects. Some of CHABLIS’ specific activities to support these goals include a) supporting workshops and webinars; b) collaborating on pilot projects and grant applications; c) harmonizing data collection across studies and settings; and d) developing and applying novel research resources (e.g., new survey instruments and analytic approaches). These CHABLIS External Network activities promote capacity to use all CHABLIS’ data resources, including both population-based data (e.g., NIA-funded studies) and longitudinal clinically-based studies in several areas of application: 1) comprehensive care physician (CCP) models that bridge inpatient and outpatient care and address unmet social need (e.g. for housing, food), 2) pharmacogenetics, and 3) oral health. In some cases, increasing network capacity has involved establishing new networks (e.g., our Comprehensive Care Research Network). In many cases, network capacity has been most effectively increased by helping CHABLIS investigators – especially emerging ones - compete for funding to support their work and engages them in existing research networks. In this renewal, we will continue to advance these research network capacity development activities, with a continuing and enhanced emphasis on engaging emerging investigators. We will also develop a new area of focus on leveraging learning health system (LHS) approaches to data collection in the context of clinical care and applying these to advance research on the economics and demography of aging. LHS approaches emphasize that data collected in clinical care can be analyzed to produce knowledge to improve care and generate data on the outcomes of that care, creating a cycle of continuous, effective, and efficient learning. While LHS approaches hold promise for what could be transformative increases in the efficiency and scale of research, and provide examples of remarkable success, we will address theoretical and practical challenges in extant LHS approaches in general, and specifically address challenges in the application of LHS approaches to research in the economics and demography of aging. We describe actionable strategies to scale this work within the UC health system and Chicago-area and national partners through our Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA)-funded Institute for Translational Medicine and the national CTSA network. Building on CHABLIS’ engagement with NSHAP dating back to the start of our current funding cycle, we also describe plans to continue the progress we have made increasing CHABLIS’ connections with large NIA-funded aging studies, including by leveraging CIDMA and our partnership with Michigan’s ISR.