Interdisciplinary Outreach Research Articles

Introduction to Special issue

Introduction to Special issue

PROJETO DE EXTENSÃO SAÚDE PÚBLICA EM AÇÃO E SUA ATUAÇÃO DURANTE A PANDEMIA OCASIONADA PELA COVID-19

This study aims to share the experiences of the interdisciplinary outreach project “Public Health in Action” carried out by professors and undergraduate students from different areas at Dom Bosco Catholic University, located in Campo Grande, the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul, especially with regard to the activities developed in 2020, in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic. The main purpose of the project is to share with society knowledge about the theme One Health through actions developed with people from different groups and ages. The development of the project has made it possible to expand the academic and personal education of the students and professors, to contribute to the communities and institutions, and to provide more information and knowledge about human and animal health as well as environmental care. It also provides opportunities for exchanging knowledge and cultures between those involved.

Aprendizaje-servicio en tiempos de pandemia: campaña contra el dengue a través de Juegotecas Virtuales destinadas a niñas y niños en aislamiento

espanolLa actual situacion a raiz de la pandemia del COVID-19 implico adecuaciones y modificaciones en las practicas que afectan a la ensenanza. Esta experiencia se desarrollo en momentos de aislamiento social preventivo y obligatorio en Argentina durante el periodo marzo-julio del 2020. El objetivo de esta fue potenciar en los estudiantes -dentro del marco de un proyecto de extension universitario interdisciplinario, donde se aplica el aprendizaje-servicio- competencias genericas de responsabilidad social, motivacion, creatividad, trabajo en equipo y la aplicacion de teoria y practica, llevado a la modalidad del espacio virtual. Asimismo, se considero fomentar en ellos la responsabilidad social en las buenas practicas de prevencion del COVID-19 y de dengue. Se trabajo utilizando los siguientes lemas: Quedate en casa; Cuidate; y Sin mosquito no hay Dengue. Para evaluar la experiencia se utilizaron diferentes instrumentos cualitativos y en todos los casos revelaron que se cumplieron los objetivos propuestos, destacandose una alta satisfaccion por participar en la experiencia virtual tanto de los voluntarios, como los ninos y sus familias. EnglishThe current social and health situation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic necessarily entails adjustments and changes in educational practices. The experience this paper relates took place at a time of preventive and compulsory social isolation in Argentina between March and July 2020. The experience was developed within the framework of a university interdisciplinary outreach project, based on service-learning, and it aimed at developing students’ generic competences, such as social responsibility, motivation, creativity, teamwork and the application of theory and practice, all within a virtual space as a consequence of the current context caused by the pandemic. The experience also aimed to foster students’ social responsibility with good practices for the prevention of COVID-19 and dengue fever. To evaluate the experience, different qualitative instruments were used, and, in all cases, they revealed that the proposed objectives were met, highlighting a high level of satisfaction with the virtual experience, not only among the student volunteers, but also among the children and their families. Virtual platforms enabled us to recreate face-to-face work without losing the university social responsibility, and they also helped to promote responsibility from childhood, motivating everyone to face the needs imposed by the current reality as a team.

Editor's Notes

I took over the editorial duties of the English editions of the Lidé města / Urban People journal in January 2020 (I am thankful to the former editor, Hedvika Novotná, for managing the English editions for the previous 12 years). I am dedicated to the high-quality standards of the journal, and to its ethnographic specificity, as well as to its wide international and interdisciplinary outreach. We have followed a rigorous selection and revision process for the articles published in this edition, and the positive outcome resulting from these efforts should be apparent to the readers. I want to express my gratitude here to all of the anonymous reviewers, as well as to my colleagues from the Lidé města / Urban People journal, who contributed to the successful completion of this issue.

1326. Comorbid Mental Health Disorders Are a Key But Manageable Barrier to Suppression of HIV Viral Load

BackgroundKentucky sits at the epicenter of the HIV epidemic in the United States and harbors 54 of the top 220 HIV/HCV outbreak vulnerable counties in the United States; 44 of which are served by the Bluegrass Care Clinic at the University of Kentucky. Understanding the barriers to care at the frontlines of the epidemic is of critical importance in the work toward the eventual elimination of HIV in the United States and elsewhere.MethodsThe Bluegrass Care Clinic has achieved viral suppression in 90% of the HIV-positive patients enrolled in care. Given the catchment area served by this clinic, however, the unsuppressed 10% of patients likely represent the tip of an iceberg of undiagnosed patients or those lost to care from remote and at-risk communities. We developed a quality improvement project to specifically review the barriers to achieving viral suppression in this subset of patients in our clinic. Additionally, we developed an outreach algorithm for patients identified as having comorbid mental health issues to increase engagement in both HIV and mental healthcare.ResultsWe found that nearly 45% of virally unsuppressed patients in our clinic had comorbid mental health disease and 30% had substance use disorders. Female sex was associated with being unsuppressed (P = 0.003); however, age and race were not predictive. Of the patients identified as having mental health barriers to care, 58% were able to be contacted using our outreach algorithm and 58% of these patients accepted referral into a mental health service. In this first 12 months of this program 26% of these patients achieved viral suppression and an additional 18% had substantial decreases in their viral loads.ConclusionThis preliminary report highlights the importance of identifying and addressing barriers to care. Comorbid mental disorders have consistently been associated with greater difficulties in achieving viral suppression. We present an effective and successful program for engaging patients in mental healthcare using an interdisciplinary outreach program that is designed to be generalizable. These data set the stage for reaching the missing subset of patients who are not currently engaged in HIV care, a critical next step for universal test and treat and 90/90/90 strategies. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

The Dissolution of Linguistics and the Rise of Language with Reference to Pragmatics: A Deconstructive Approach

This paper presents a deconstructive approach to the current status of linguistics as the primary science that studies levels of linguistic analysis. The research hypothesizes that the term ‘linguistics’ cannot be expected to remain as an independent and robust concept. It is subject to dissolution under the main interdisciplinary outreach of the essential branches of linguistics: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. The current paper, however, focuses on Pragmatics as a branch of linguistics. The research also hypothesizes that the relation of pragmatics to sociology and culture is stronger than the relationship between pragmatics and semantics. The main aim of the paper is to update the study of language in a way that goes beyond the closed domain of linguistics. Throughout the discussions and analyses of pragmatics between language and linguistics, it has been concluded that the study of language is in a persistent rise, whereas the domains of linguistics proper has condensed to limited fields.

Synthesis of Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore Analogues for Interdisciplinary Learning for High School Students

Interdisciplinary outreach activities with easy-to-implement experiments have been developed to enhance high school students’ interest in chemistry and their inquisitive minds with active learning strategies. The synthesis of a model chromophore of the green fluorescent protein was employed as a key motif. Students simply enjoyed observing changes in the substances as well as witnessing a variety of fluorescent emissions. They gradually realized the importance of molecular design in the understanding and development of chemistry, biology, physics, and medicine.

Jazzin' Healthy: Interdisciplinary Health Outreach Events Focused on Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Health-related disparities are a significant public health concern. In conjunction with a university concert series, healthcare professionals and students provided education, clinical services, and preventive care using an interdisciplinary approach to a primarily African American cohort. The objective was to assess cardiovascular risk factors and readiness to change health-related behaviors. Six outreach events were conducted over 3years by an interdisciplinary team including pharmacy, medicine, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, public health, optometry, and health information technology. Clinical services, such as health screenings for glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, and body fat along with counseling on the results and smoking cessation behavioral counseling, were provided. Education initiatives addressed bone health, heart disease, HIV risk, nutrition, and access to physician care. Preventative care included vaccinations and eye exams. There were 285 participants that were predominantly African American (95.8%), female (71.5%), and age within 55-64years (45.1%). Hypertension (50.8%) and obesity (65.1%) were the most common cardiovascular risk factors. Of those advised to make health behavior changes, 76.4% reported they planned to make changes within 1month. These interdisciplinary outreach events provided health information and access to care in a novel setting and led to a high rate of planned health behavior changes.

Interdisciplinary Outreach of Library and Information Science Research as Reflected in “Essential Science Indicators”

This paper investigates the contribution of LIS research to intellectual growth of other disciplines. 209 highly cited papers has been analyzed to reveal the interdisciplinary patterns. Interdisciplinary journals seem more promising in producing highly cited papers.Cet article analyse la contribution de la recherche en BSI en ce qui concerne la croissance intellectuelle d’autres disciplines. 209 articles fréquemment cités ont été analysés afin de révéler les modèles interdisciplinaires. Les périodiques interdisciplinaires semblent plus prometteurs pour la production d’articles couramment cités.

Supportive housing best practices in a mid‐sized US urban community

PurposeHousing First has been upheld as an evidence‐based best practice for transitioning homeless individuals into permanent housing in a maximally cost‐effective and humane manner. However, there is much variance in the implementation and structure of Housing First programming in the USA. This paper aims to focus on a collaborative, interdisciplinary Housing First effort to house and provide case management and ancillary services to chronically homeless individuals in The City of San Mateo, California.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a case study in which the philosophy, structure, and impact of San Mateo's outreach and housing team are discussed. To explore the project's impact, data concerning arrests and other criminal justice contacts, as well as health costs associated with these clients, both prior to and post housing and services, were collected and analyzed. These are corroborated with qualitative data on client outcomes.FindingsAfter participants received housing and wrap‐around supportive services provided through the collaboration of police, local stakeholders, and non‐profits, the cost of medical care and criminal justice interventions were dramatically reduced. While challenges such as the availability of housing units remain, the findings of this study strongly support the interdisciplinary outreach team as a model for Housing First programming.Research limitations/implicationsThis is an in‐depth study, derived from a particularly innovative project; and therefore the sample size is limited by the size of the project.Originality/valueThe originality of this study lies in its analysis of a Housing First model which incorporates an interdisciplinary outreach team designed to provide highly individualized care for clients. The San Mateo permanent supportive housing pilot project is itself unique in that it incorporates a Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) comprised of the police, other government entities, local stakeholders, and other non‐profits engaged with homelessness.

The RICHER Social Pediatrics Model: Fostering Access and Reducing Inequities in Children's Health

Considerable evidence shows that children and families who are vulnerable because of their social and material circumstances shoulder a disproportionate burden of disease and are more likely to face both social and structural challenges in accessing healthcare. Addressing these issues in children is particularly important as evidence has demonstrated that inequities in health are cumulative over the life course. In this article, the authors report on the RICHER (Responsive, Intersectoral-Interdisciplinary, Child-Community, Health, Education and Research) social pediatrics initiative, which was designed to foster timely access to healthcare across the spectrum from primary care to specialized services for a community of inner-city children who have disproportionately high rates of developmental vulnerability. Their research shows that the initiative has effectively "reformed" health services delivery to provide care in ways that are accessible and responsive to the needs of the population. RICHER is an intersectoral, interdisciplinary outreach initiative that delivers care through the formation of innovative partnerships. The authors share research results that demonstrate that the RICHER model of engagement with children and families not only effectively fosters access for families with multiple forms of disadvantage, but also improves outcomes by empowering parents of particularly vulnerable children to become more active participants in care.

University-Community Partnerships in Small-Town Idaho: Addressing Diverse Community Needs through Interdisciplinary Outreach and Engagement

Traditional towns in the Intermountain West, platted in the late 19th century as railroad shipping or resource extraction centers, are experiencing significant changes as they develop more diverse economies. Small towns often lack adequate resources to address comprehensive planning and design on their own. However, universities, through interdisciplinary outreach and engagement, utilizing service-learning, can offer design, planning, economic development, and other strategies, concepts, and policies to foster sustainable development. This paper addresses the challenges of 1) developing an interdisciplinary organizational structure, 2) establishing positive community-university relationships and, 3) matching academic outcomes to community needs as the institution shifts from faculty-initiated service-learning projects to an interdisciplinary partnership model for outreach and engagement. The theoretical and philosophical dimensions raised by the challenges are illustrated by three community-university partnership case studies in Intermountain West communities.

An Interdisciplinary Outreach Model of African American Recruitment for Alzheimer's Disease Research

The African American Outreach Satellite (Satellite) provides educational outreach to facilitate African American recruitment for longitudinal studies at the Washington University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC). This descriptive article characterizes the Satellite's recruitment methods, plan for community engagement, results of recruitment efforts, and potential for replication. The Satellite developed a comprehensive outreach and recruitment plan that identifies and addresses barriers to research participation. The Satellite conducts community outreach and recruitment programs and training for health care providers. Enrollment of cognitively healthy and mildly demented African Americans for participation in all ADRC studies increased following implementation of the recruitment plan. Current African American participation rates for ADRC studies include 39% for lumbar puncture, 43% for positron emission tomography with Pittsburgh Compound-B, 52% for magnetic resonance imaging, 95% for apolipoprotein E genotype testing, and 100% for clinical and cognitive assessment. The Satellite reduces barriers to research participation, encourages retention through sustained interactions with participants and their families, and develops lasting partnerships with community organizations and health professionals who care for African American elders.

Convalescence care for seniors of lower Manhattan: an interdisciplinary outreach, rehabilitation, and education model

The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of an interdisciplinary geriatric outreach, rehabilitation, and education program for seniors. Community-dwelling Chinese seniors in lower Manhattan were recruited through outreach activities (17 educational workshops, three community health fairs, media interviews) and community physician referrals to offer rehabilitation services. The instrument administered at entry and exit included questions about pain intensity, quality of life, activities of daily living (ADLs), and an assessment of a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to life participation. The sample included 70 seniors (53 women) with a mean age of 70.5 +/- 7.48 years (range 60-93 years old) of whom 86% were Cantonese-speaking Chinese. The barriers-to-life participation assessment revealed cultural, communication, transportation, and physical environmental barriers as well as insufficient financial resources. Thirty-four patients who completed the program showed a significant improvement in quality of life. Patients' reports reflected a high degree of satisfaction with the program. Interdisciplinary team-oriented patient care, including a physiatrist, social worker, and rehabilitation staff, may result in good outcomes and high patient satisfaction in ambulatory community seniors.

Constructing a community response to violence

After the massacre at Columbine High School, community members across the country convened to discuss how better to understand the warning signs, how to intervene at the right time—how to protect our children. What role do institutions of higher education have during such times of community crisis? What is the role of a school of social work? This paper is a case study of action taken by one school for social work toward developing a community response to violence through interdisciplinary outreach and the empowerment of local community members.

Rural health professionals' satisfaction with a rehabilitation mobile outreach program

Objective: To assess the extent to which rural physicians and allied health professionals are satisfied with consultation services provided by an interdisciplinary rehabilitation outreach team. Design: Descriptive survey. Setting: A rehabilitation outreach team that travels to 14 rural communities in eastern and northern Ontario, Canada. Subjects: Thirty-six rural physicians (response rate, 53.7%) and 62 allied health professionals (response rate, 92.5%) involved in the care of patients referred to the program. Main Outcome Measure: Consumer satisfaction questionnaire. Results: Most respondents (94.7%) indicated that they were satisfied with the interdisciplinary consultation, with comparable rates of satisfaction reported by physicians and allied health professionals. The highest satisfaction ratings were given to items addressing the clarity of recommendations provided by team members and the quality of the team's interaction with patients. The lowest ratings were associated with the waiting time between visits. Of all the individual disciplines on the team, physiatry was rated as most important for rural consultations. However, in open-ended comments, respondents indicated that the interdisciplinary aspect of the service was its most valued characteristic, whereas infrequent visits were the greatest drawback. Conclusion: The interdisciplinary outreach approach to rehabilitation consultation receives high satisfaction ratings from rural health professionals who refer patients to the outreach team, which supports this model as a way to enhance rehabilitation services in rural communities.