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Capstone Abstracts & Posters
Community Health Practice - Loop Cohort 2022
Capstone abstracts are listed alphabetically from A-Z. Click on posters for enlarged viewing.
Increasing Medicaid Member Engagement in Systems Level Advocacy Through the Use of Member-Only Subcommittees
Practicum Site: AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Policy & Advocacy Department
Erin Augustine
Introduction. Currently, there are no meaningful pathways for Medicaid members to engage in systems-level advocacy regarding the Illinois Medicaid program. In Illinois, Medicaid is the largest source of insurance coverage for people living with HIV (PLWH). By not providing members with accessible options to participate in this process, the state misses a key opportunity to improve services according to the needs of its members, including the majority of PLWH in Illinois. Approach. Meetings with Medicaid Advisory Committee (MAC) representatives from three states were held to learn about best practices for increasing member engagement. A Medicaid-Advocate Workgroup was created to collaboratively determine the most effective strategy for increasing member participation and design tools to support this process. Outcomes. A literature review, funding proposal, recruitment strategy and training plan were developed to inform the creation of a member-only subcommittee which aims to train members on advocacy techniques, enabling them to participate in the MAC. Conclusion. Incorporating members' voices within Medicaid policy and planning processes are essential to health system transformation and to achieving health equity. Providing members with this opportunity has the potential to address the engagement gap between members and the state Medicaid agency and improve services for PLWH in Illinois.
How the Syndemic of Food Insecurity Includes Hospitalization and The Impacts of This Syndemic on Pregnant Women and Their Infants
Practicum Site: Aurora Advocate Health Illinois Masonic Medical Center (IMMC)
Madison Ezell
Introduction. Food insecurity interacts with other social epidemics which multiplies the burden on health. Hospitals are effective settings to screen patients for food insecurity and refer them to services. Exposing health care workers who screen patients for food insecurity to syndemics theory and systems thinking will hopefully help them build capacity to better be able to identify vulnerable patients and have greater success in food insecurity screenings. Approach. This project created a literature review to inform the development of an evidence based best practices guide and a visual map of the food insecurity syndemic. IMMC expressed a need for capacity building tools for practitioners. Outcomes. The best practices guide and syndemic map were incorporated into IMMC’s onboarding materials. They were also shared with pantry program partners that attend monthly food pantry calls, and Illinois Masonic Hospital staff who have previously been onboarded into this program. Conclusion. Successful screening and referral to resources is an important intervention to combat food insecurity. The food insecurity syndemic can be especially devastating for pregnant women and infants. All practitioners who screen for food insecurity should have a systems level understanding of their patients’ social circumstances. Successful screening can be heavily dependent upon practitioner capacity.
The Effects of Continuity of Care on Health Outcomes for Older Adult LGBTQ+ Populations
Practicum Site: Howard Brown Health
Greer Madole
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Introduction. Effective continuity of care in health care can improve health outcomes. Adults over the age of 50 in LGBTQ+ populations have complex physical and social health needs and many individuals have had low access to healthcare throughout their lifetime. This project studied the efficacy of the internal referral system at an LGBTQ+ health organization in Chicago which provides resources to older adults. Approach. A survey which assessed the knowledge level and efficacy of the referral system at Howard Brown Health (HBH) was created for clinical staff to complete. Outcomes. Thirty-eight clinical staff at HBH completed the survey. Results showed that most respondents were unaware of the Aging Services programs at HBH and unsure how to refer their patients. A summary outlining the importance of continuity of care, the Aging Services programs and survey results was created to present to HBH clinical leadership in an effort to further prioritize continuity of care at HBH. Conclusion. The results of the survey show a need for a more streamlined process for clinical staff at HBH to provide referrals for their patients. Creating opportunities for increased referrals can lead to increased program collaboration and communication, further strengthening continuity of care for HBH patients.
The Air We Breathe: A Qualitative Analysis on Air Quality Threats and Exposure Reduction through Health Messaging and Environmental Health Education
Practicum Site: The Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Somara Mentley
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Introduction. Air quality is a complex health issue affecting every community; however, communities are not equally vulnerable. Vulnerable populations specifically at-risk include children, pregnant women, elderly individuals, and people with preexisting health conditions such as COPD, asthma, and heart or lung disease. Increasing environmental health literacy and environmental education is needed to support medical professionals and community members to mitigate the negative health impacts associated with poor air quality. Approach. An environmental training module and educational resources were designed to provide community members and health departments with resources to implement community education and raise awareness of the health impacts of air pollution. Outcomes. One environmental health educational module was developed to support community members and raise awareness among environmental health professionals, professors, students, and community members. Additionally, five reference guides were created for community members to increase awareness around environmental hazards utilizing environmental mapping tools. One dataset was developed for health departments and healthcare providers to identify at-risk communities. Conclusion. The development of these educational tools offers an encouraging approach to help at-risk community members build environmental health literacy to ultimately address the public health implications of long-term exposure to air pollution.
Identifying the Public Health Implications of Brownfields and Improving Brownfield Data Accessibility for Community Engagement and Risk Communication
Practicum Site: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Horace Nowell
Introduction. Brownfields pose a significant threat to public health by negatively impacting both the human and socioeconomic health in a community. Brownfield data may not be presented through a public health lens that is understandable by the community, thus hindering opportunities for quality engagement through risk communication, discussion, and land reuse. This project enhanced the accessibility of brownfield data by creating reference guides and educational materials that community stakeholders can use to engage in environmental health monitoring. Approach. This project developed four reference guides on how to navigate U.S. Census and environmental health mapping tools, a consultation guide on EPA and ATSDR brownfield site data and public health implications, and additional educational training material on brownfields. Outcomes. All four reference guides were published in an environmental health report of Berrien County, Michigan, the consultation guide was incorporated as a reference tool for community-led brownfield redevelopment in a published manuscript, and educational content highlighting the consultation guide initiative was presented to community stakeholders. Conclusion. The products developed in this project improve the communicability of brownfield data and associated public health risks. This project aims to improve environmental health education to inspire informed, decision-making action in communities across the United States.
Communicating the Stories of LGBTQ+ Youth in the Illinois Child Welfare System
Practicum Site: AIDS Foundation of Chicago: Pride Action Tank
Onyinyechi Jessica Ogwumike
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Introduction. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ+) young people face disparate mental health outcomes, worsened by encounters with state structures such as the child welfare system. LGBTQ+ youth in the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services are more likely to report experiencing negative mood and harmful thoughts than cis-heterosexual peers. Approach. LGBTQ+ youth in foster care and stakeholders from multiple Illinois public sectors participated in a 2021 summit to discuss tangible systems change to improve experiences of queer youth in care. I facilitated a follow-up storytelling exercise to collect youth narratives to supplement the final report of this summit’s findings. Outcomes. The session generated 14 youth stories and 16 illustrations. Recurrent themes included: a) recalling adverse childhood experiences, b) the influence of individual actors, c) wanting to connect with communities of origin, d) hopes for personal achievement, e) escaping child welfare, and f) resource concerns. Conclusion. By bringing youth in care’s exposure to adverse childhood experiences into view, their narratives present empathic evidence necessitating urgent systems change - particularly in the form of integrating LGBTQ+ competency into hiring and job performance expectations for child welfare sector professionals.
Addressing Clinical Process Barriers in Quality Care: Efforts to Improve Equity Through the Standardization of a Social Determinants of Health Screening Workflow
Practicum Site: University of Chicago Medicine Quality Performance Improvement Team
Funmilayo Odutayo
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Introduction. Assessing social determinants of health (SDOH), helps to identify and address areas of need that contribute to 30-day readmission and extended length of stay. The supportive oncology SDOH survey was used to identify patient needs in the University of Chicago Medicine (UCM). Clinical process barriers prevented previous efforts to address equity systematically. This project was designed to revise the existing SDOH survey and create a standardized screening workflow template that can be used organization wide to further quality care initiatives throughout the hospital. Approach. The existing SDOH survey was revised by correcting grammatical errors and re-organizing questions. Current workflow feedback was gathered from the clinic staff using surveys and observations. Using quality improvement mechanisms, a standardized workflow was developed for the ambulatory hematology oncology (HemeOnc) clinic. Outcomes. A revised SDOH survey, 9 results from the previous workflow feedback survey, and a new standardized workflow. Conclusion. Healthcare management tends to follow a bureaucratic leadership style, often excluding lower-level employee point-of-view from major process change efforts. This approach leaves risk for holes that can eventually sink improvement efforts. In order to get a complete view of organizational systems, a representative for all relevant members must be included in the discussion.
Observing and Aiding in the Process of Creating Advocate Condell Medical Center’s Triannual Community Health Needs Assessment
Practicum Site: Advocate Aurora Health
Nicole Ornias
Introduction. Advocate Aurora Health hospitals create a triannual community health needs assessment (CHNA) for their primary service areas (PSAs). Included in this process are presentation of data and health topic voting sessions with the Advocate health council. The purpose of this project was to identify the top health issues that would be considered a priority in order to decrease disparities and rates of the disease. Approach. Five Excel files containing data on twelve health topics and five or more indicators for each topic were analyzed. These topics and indicators were selected by Advocate Condell Medical Center. Five PowerPoint presentations were created based on the data files, containing a variety of charts and graphs. The top zip codes most in need of each health were also highlighted in the Excel and PowerPoint files. Observations were then made during presentation sessions for Advocate Condell. Outcomes. The health priorities were voted on and the final CHNA report was sent to publishing after the completion date of the practicum, however, CHNA voting sessions for other hospitals were observed. Conclusion. The development of this CHNA acts as the steppingstone to taking action against the health disparities among the communities in Advocate Condell Medical Center’s PSA.
The Importance of Sex, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity Data Inclusion in Community Health Needs Assessment
Practicum Site: Advocate Aurora Health Community Health Department
Reese Owens
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Introduction. Community Health Needs Assessments are a systematic approach to identifying and prioritizing the health needs of a community. Illinois Masonic Medical Center is in the process of completing their tri-annual Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan. However, Illinois Masonic Medical Center does not collect or analyze any data on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity (SSOGI), creating a barrier to identifying and prioritizing needs in this community. Approach. A literature review was conducted to inform recommendations for SSOGI data collection. Secondary data was collected and analyzed and used to identify the priority health needs of the entire Illinois Masonic community service area. To augment this analysis, SSOGI data for the primary service area was obtained from a community partner. Outcomes. The top priority health needs identified during the CHNA process included social determinants of health, healthy lifestyles and obesity, and mental health. SSOGI data provided from a community partner helped inform the development of recommendations for systematic collection of SSOGI data were developed and guided by the CHNA and a literature review. Conclusion. Illinois Masonic Medical Center cannot fully assess or address sexual and gender minority health needs until SSOGI data collection is implemented in the workflow. Training to ensure competent collection of SSOGI data, and SGM health competency training, would provide a foundation for implementation of SSOGI data collection.
Evaluating Midwestern Asian Health Association’s (MAHA) Trauma Informed
Care System
Practicum Site: Midwestern Asian Health Association (MAHA)
Abigail Torres
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Introduction. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (API) are a growing population that experience multiple forms of trauma. They are also an understudied group that rarely seek support or help with these issues. A Trauma Informed Care System (TIS) can be useful in helping populations like APIs. Midwestern Asian Health Association (MAHA) a health organization that primarily serves APIs has transitioned to implementing this approach to give clients wholistic care. Approach. A Trauma Informed Care System evaluation survey was developed using the SAMHSA Trauma Informed Care Guidelines manual. The survey questions were based on the values of a TIS system. After the survey, participants were asked to volunteer for an interview regarding the TIS implementation. Outcomes. 21 MAHA employees took the TIS evaluation survey and two participants were interviewed about their experience with the system. The survey indicated that most of the employees thought TIS was being implemented correctly within the organization; only a few expressed that it was not. Conclusion. MAHA employees believe that the implementation of the trauma informed care system has been implemented correctly in helping meet client’s needs. However, there is room for improvement in the way in which it is being implemented with the organization.
An Equity Evaluation of the Chicago Department of Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan
Practicum Site: Illinois Department of Public Health
Tripp Tuff
Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic widened the gap of health disparities in Chicago, leading to CDPH needing to provide an equitable vaccine distribution response plan. The project aim was to evaluate the extent to which this plan was successful at addressing pre-existing health disparities to deliver the vaccine to higher risk populations in Chicago. Approach. An interview guide was developed for use with CDPH employees to understand how equity was incorporated, along with analysis of quantitative vaccination data to assess equity of distribution. The quantitative analysis considered the HCEZs and measured vaccine distribution to those regions. Outcomes. Five interviews were conducted and analyzed for themes. The themes emerging from quantitative data were: data informed response, using historical evidence for success, community engagement, and areas of improvement. Results. showed that the vaccine distribution plan was mostly successful at meeting the needs of communities that historically had fewer options to receive care. Conclusion. This evaluation is the first step to ensuring that protocols implemented are done so with equity in mind. When disaster strikes our cities, it is of utmost importance to ensure that the pre-existing disparities are not further widened. The CDPH COVID-19 vaccine response could serve as a model for future disasters to ensure equity is prioritized.
Reducing Food Insecurity in Marginalized Communities by Improving Food Access Initiatives and Partnerships Within the Alliance for Health Equity
Practicum Site: The Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI)
Tanner Wilson
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Introduction. Food insecurity affects non-Hispanic Black and Latinx communities in Chicago at disproportionate rates and access to fresh, affordable foods is highly restricted. The Alliance for Health Equity assists in reducing food insecurity, however the response across Chicago and Suburban Cook County is inconsistent. The project aim is to strengthen partnerships within the food access space. Approach. To gather crucial information regarding gaps in the food response across Chicago and Suburban Cook County, 11 qualitative interviews were completed. The interviews highlighted common challenges and barriers experienced with “food is medicine” partnerships. This data informed the “best practices” presentation that was created for the Alliance for Health Equity. Outcomes. The presentation was shared with 50 Alliance for Health Equity members during their food workgroup meeting. The presentation materials included a working list of BIPOC growers/producers, initial guidelines for programming tracking metrics, and suggested best practices for screening and referral programs. The materials were made were made available for future access and will continue to development as the work continues. Conclusion. The Alliance for Health Equity members expressed that the presentation was helpful, and the information and metrics will serve as the foundation for strengthening the food access partnerships across Chicago and Suburban Cook County.
