Kessler Foundation scientist awarded prestigious federal grant for novel, mixed-method study on Latinos with multiple sclerosis
Researcher Cristina A. F. Román, PhD, to examine barriers to healthcare, cardiovascular risk factors, and accelerated brain aging in minoritized group
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CRISTINA A. F. ROMAN, PHD, RESEARCH SCIENTIST IN THE ROCCO ORTENZIO NEUROIMAGING CENTER AT KESSLER FOUNDATION, RECEIVED A FEDERAL GRANT FOR ONE OF THE FIRST MIXED-METHODS STUDIES TO EXAMINE BARRIERS TO HEALTHCARE, MEDICAL COMORBIDITIES, AND ACCELERATED BRAIN AGING IN LATINO PERSONS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.
view moreCREDIT: N/A
East Hanover, NJ – January 12, 2024 – A research scientist at Kessler Foundation has been awarded a highly competitive Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
This $704,054, five-year grant will support one of the first mixed-methods studies aimed at examining barriers to healthcare, cardiovascular risk factors, and accelerated brain aging in Latinos with multiple sclerosis (MS). The Principal Investigator and grant recipient, Cristina A. F. Román, PhD, is currently a research scientist in the Foundation’s Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center.
Though there is a paucity of research focusing on Latinos with MS, there is evidence that this group experiences more severe disease trajectories and worse functional outcomes than their non-Latino counterparts. “These disparities are believed to be strongly influenced by social determinants of health, particularly factors related to healthcare access,” explained Dr. Román, adding, “Timely intervention and consistent, ongoing medical care are crucial for improving MS prognosis, especially in historically minoritized groups that face greater health disparities.”
Studies show that Latinos encounter greater obstacles in accessing equitable healthcare, which not only contributes to poorer MS outcomes, but also increases the risk of comorbid medical conditions such as cardiovascular risk factors. These risk factors disproportionately impact both individuals with MS and Latino populations residing in the United States and can contribute to neurodegeneration (e.g., advanced brain aging). “This means that Latinos with MS are at especially high risk for the compounding effects of barriers to healthcare, cardiovascular risk factors, and MS, yet the extent to which these factors interact to impact MS-related outcomes, especially brain aging, remains unknown,” noted Dr. Román.
“The findings from our work will have direct implications for early intervention strategies, focusing on improving healthcare access and quality. Additionally, our research will significantly contribute to filling a substantial gap in our understanding of how societal and systemic factors (i.e., social determinants of health) influence brain health and health disparities in neurological disorders,” she concluded.
Funding: National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIH) 1K23MDO19232-01A0.
About the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation's premiere medical research agency. NIMHD's work touches the lives of millions of Americans burdened by disparities in health status and health care delivery, including racial and ethnic minority groups, rural populations, populations with low socioeconomic status, and other population groups. For more information, visit NIMHD.gov.
About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research. Our scientists seek to improve cognition, mobility, and long-term outcomes, including employment, for adults and children with neurological and developmental disabilities of the brain and spinal cord including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and autism. Kessler Foundation also leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.
Press Contacts at Kessler Foundation:
Deborah Hauss, DHauss@kesslerfoundation.org
Carolann Murphy, CMurphy@KesslerFoundation.org
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Using chatbots to advance Spanish-speaking patient outreach
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Kim Kaphingst, ScD, DIRECTOR OF CANCER COMMUNICATION RESEARCH AT Huntsman Cancer Institute AND PROFESSOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AT THE University of Utah.
view moreCREDIT: HUNTSMAN CANCER INSTITUTE
In her latest study, Kim Kaphingst, ScD, director of cancer communication research at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of communications at the University of Utah, is using chatbots to reach Spanish-speaking patients and teach them about genetic testing.
The chatbots, computer programs that simulate conversation, give patients the same information they would get in an appointment with a genetic counselor to learn about genetic testing. This is done by using texted prompts, allowing for more flexibility and accessibility since patients can use this tool anywhere. If a patient meets the criteria for genetic testing, they can be offered testing through the genetic counseling team.
And now, Kaphingst and her team have received additional funding from the National Cancer Institute for this specific project. “Our initial trial allowed us to develop and test the chatbot,” says Kaphingst. “This funding allows our team to reach a new population.”
Kaphingst’s background in genetics and health communication has motivated her to find new ways to reach and educate patients. Her team of researchers include Crystal Lumpkins, Whitney Espinel, CGC, Wendy Kohlmann, MS, Guilherme Del Fiol, MD, PhD, FACMI, as well as Pete Taber, MSCI, PhD, from Biomedical Informatics.
“It is important for people to know about their risk of cancer,” says Kaphingst. “As a cancer center, our goal is to effectively communicate this information to the public. There are many things individuals can do to reduce their risk, like early screening or preventative surgery. Our goal is to empower patients, ensuring they have the information necessary to make informed decisions about their health.”
The new phase of this research will focus on Spanish-speaking women. According to Kaphingst, Spanish-speaking women are less likely to receive genetic testing services when compared to English-speaking patients. This means that patients with hereditary cancer risks, like hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, are less likely to be identified, which can lead to poorer health outcomes.
“Our previous work has shown that about 25% to 30% of people who are eligible for genetic testing receive it,” says Kaphingst. “It is so important to address some of the inequities we see in the area we serve. It is really an important issue: making sure that everybody can access the services they need.”
Huntsman Cancer Institute is home to many resources, including a patient navigation program specifically tailored for people who speak Spanish.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute including P30 CA042014 and Huntsman Cancer Foundation. The chatbots were developed in a recently completed trial funded by the Inherited Cancer Syndrome Collaborative of the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
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About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U) is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering a cancer-free frontier to all communities in the area we serve. We have more than 300 open clinical trials and 250 research teams studying cancer at any given time. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient’s unique disease. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.
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