The Curricular Approaches to Radical Education (CARE) Project

In the U.S. 1 out of 5 people have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is a leading cause of death. The death rate from CVD in Ohio ranks eleventh in the country. In Cincinnati, like other Midwestern cities CVD poses a major health threat and has been reported as the leading cause of death. Black/African Americans face a significant burden due to CVD and have experienced a substantially higher death rate. Additionally, Black/African Americans have a higher CVD risk profile than whites due to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, along with numerous social determinants of health such as housing, access to care, and bias. For Black/African Americans the multifactorial nature of the disease is complicated further by the lack of disaggregated data to provide nuisance insights into prevention and management. This project aims to address this issue through the disaggregation of data, community partnership, and the education of future healthcare providers to enhance cultural humility and empathy.

Faculty Partner: Francoise Knox Kazimierczuk, Assistant Professor, College of Allied Health Science; Cassandra Jones, Assistant Professor, College of Arts & Science

Community Partner: Wave Pool, American Heart Association-Cincinnati

Developing Interventions to Increase Awareness and Screening of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Latinx Communities

Latinx communities in the U.S. are disproportionally affected by latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), particularly Latinx first-generation immigrants. However, most Latinx individuals with LTBI remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated. The purpose of this project is the first necessary step to develop effective and culturally appropriate interventions to increase LTBI awareness and screening among Latinx. Specifically, we will explore and describe the health beliefs of Cincinnati Latinx immigrants which influence their self-perceived need for LTBI screening and collaborate with an interdisciplinary community advisory board (CAB) to design and pilot a locally- and culturally informed intervention that will increase LTBI awareness and screening. The strong community partnerships, participatory co-design, and knowledge gained from this research will be critical to improving LTBI screening among Cincinnati Latinx and will ultimately lead to an evidence-based, scalable LTBI intervention that can be implemented with other immigrant-origin communities

Faculty Partner: Moises A. Huaman, Associate Professor, College of Medicine; Shanna Stryker, Assistant Professor, College of Medicine; Lisa Vaughn, Professor, College of Medicine
Community Partners: Hamilton County Public Health

The Relationship between Vocal Congruence and Wellness in Gender Diverse Patients: Gathering Evidence to Increase Access to Medical Care

Gender-diverse patients represent a minoritized group who experience discrimination and barriers to healthcare access. Healthcare access is of particular importance to gender-diverse patients who often need the assistance of medical providers to initiate gender-affirming medical interventions, such as hormones, surgery, and other procedures. Part of the gender-diverse patient’s medical journey may include gender-affirming voice therapy (GAVT) to improve vocal congruence, aligning one’s voice and gender identity. Our previous work found high rates of psychological diagnoses and symptomology in patients beginning their vocal transition; however, studies have yet to fully investigate the relationships between vocal congruence, wellness, and health. We will address this knowledge gap via two aims: i) establish connections between vocal congruence, wellness, and social determinants of health to understand the complex relationships contributing to the need for and lack of access to care, and ii) document the relationship between vocal congruence and wellness over the course of GAVT. The results of this work will provide evidence to refute insurance denials for GAVT, which are currently documented at rates of 76% in the U.S.

Faculty Partner: Victoria McKenna, Assistant Professor, College of Allied Health Sciences & College of Medicine; Sarah Pickle, Associate Professor, College of Medicine

Community Partner: Equitas Health Center

Reducing Pediatric Traffic-Related Fatalities and Injuries by Improving Motorist Attention in Special and Non-Profit School Zones for Disabled Students through the Implementation of Flashing Warning Signals

The leading cause of pediatric deaths in the United States continues to be from injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes. Currently, Ohio law only mandates posted signs to designate a school zone, but allows for privately funded enhancement, such as flashing beacons. This has created unequal traffic control measures between affluent and underprivileged schools, which leads to motorist confusion and contributes to crashes. Previous studies have shown forward-facing beacons significantly reduce motorists’ speed, but the effectiveness of rear-facing beacons has had limited research. This project aims to collect pre- and post-intervention data on the effectiveness of forward-facing and rear-facing beacons in a Cincinnati school zone area that serves deaf children.

Faculty Partner: J.C. Barnes, Professor and Interim Director of School of Criminal Justice, College of Education, Criminal Justice, & Human Services

Community Partner: Miami Township Police Department