Emory Family & Preventive Medicine Department News
2023: Volume 6, issue 9
55 Words from the Chair
Click through for the latest research news, including breast & cervical cancer screening in Kenya, a new app for research, and a long COVID survey for clinicians. Find out about important service highlights, including the Fall Emory Farmworker Program, and educational opportunities, such as invitations to participate in DEI activities, and a SOM SCOTUS Webinar.
Snapshots from across our Divisions
Pictured below: Palliative Medicine research team Camille Murray, Alexandre Cammarata-Mouchtouris, and Joanna Boyles after the Winship 5K. Alexandre finished 45th overall among males and Camille finished 17th overall among females!
Pictured below: The Emory Family Medicine Clinic at Dunwoody celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month since the team has amazing health providers from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. They had some delicious food from each country and enjoyed learning how to dance salsa. Everyone had a great time sharing their culture and having a fiesta with the clinic team!
Pictured below: Dr. Leslie Johnson's family Halloween costumes were all characters from her son's favorite show, Spidey and Friends.
Transformative Research
Research News
Pictured above: Dr. Dio Kavalieratos moderating a session at the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine on November 2. Being a part of these consensus studies of the NASEM is huge and a big honor to Dr. Kavalieratos, the Division of Palliative Medicine, and the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine.
Pictured above: Dr. Sara Turbow, Program Director for the Public Health and General Preventive Medicine Residency and Fellowship Program, was a Featured Researcher at the Department of Medicine's Research Day and presented “The past, present, and future of health information exchanges.”
In late September, the National Cancer Institute funded Emory to establish the Enhanced BReast and cErvical cAncer screening in Kenya THROUGH implementation science research and training center (The BREAKTHROUGH Center), a partnership between investigators at Emory University, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), University of Nairobi, Queen’s University, and the University of Washington. The BREAKTHROUGH Center will 1) promote research on how to improve women’s cancer control; 2) build the base of future researchers in Kenya that can continue and expand this work; and 3) inform policymakers on the best ways to engage women in breast and cervical cancer screenings and link them with appropriate care.
Dr. Mo Ali serves as a center MPI and Dr. Leslie Johnson is a co-investigator responsible for leading one of the two R01-equivalent research studies facilitated through the center. The project Dr. Johnson is co-leading with Dr. Rose Kosgei (KNH) is entitled, Accelerating aDoption of pAtient-centereD cervicAl cancer screening and treatment LINKage in Kenya (DADA LINK), and will advance scientific knowledge regarding the implementation, effectiveness, and expansion of evidence-based interventions to improve cervical cancer screening and treatment of pre-cancerous cervical lesions in primary clinical care settings in Kenya.
Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha is quoted in this Health Reporter News article: Are you taking the wrong medications? You might be surprised
Dr. Sathish Thirunavukkarasu has been appointed to the Early Career Researcher Board by the Journal of Diabetes and to the Editorial Board of the Journal of Clinical and Translational Research. He received a letter of appreciation from the Editor-in-Chief of “Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews” for efficiently handling 15 manuscripts since joining the editorial board of the journal as an Associate Editor in August 2023. Dr. Thirunavukkarasu also received “Top Researcher Award in the field of Type 2 diabetes epidemiology” by the International Conference on New Science Inventions.
A new app for research called Audio Diaries, developed by Dr. Deanna Kaplan in collaboration with the Georgia CTSA, has just been released for iPhone and Android. Audio Diaries brings daily diary research methodology into the digital age by providing a platform for participants to record stream-of-conscious speech responses into their smartphone in response to prompts specified by researchers. Finally, collect longitudinal qualitative data without clunky online surveys or paper-pencil journals! The app is currently in beta testing, but those interested in potentially using the app for their future studies can sign up here for updates:
This work was funded by a CTSA Innovation Catalyst Award granted to Dr. Kaplan last year.
The National Family Medicine Research Summit, held on October 30, 2023, brought together over 140 distinguished experts, including (pictured above, l to r) Dr. Megha Shah, Dr. Miranda Moore, Dr. Leslie Johnson, and Ms. Emily Chuba, who are dedicated to expanding the horizons of family medicine research by developing a strategic plan and action steps. It envisions research that is “whole-person, family, and community-centered and improves health by enhancing health promotion, improving care for chronic diseases and advancing healthcare delivery, while including cross-cutting themes of health equity, technology, and team science”. The complete strategic plan can be found here.
Picture below: At the same conference, Dr. Nikhila Gandrakota, FM PGY-3 resident, presented her work with Dr. Megha Shah "Cost-Related Medication Non-Adherence and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the US, 2019-2021."
Research Opportunity
Call to Healthcare Providers to Participate in
Long COVID Research (15-minute online survey)
Researchers at Emory are investigating the potential role of consumer health wearables (e.g., smartwatches and activity trackers) in supporting symptom management for PASC (Long COVID) patients. If you have any questions, please email heatlab@emory.edu to reach Nicole Pozzo, Study Coordinator, and Dr. Deanna Kaplan, Ph.D., Principal Investigator of this study.
Faculty publications
Collaborative Faculty Publications
Dr. Dio Kavalieratos and Dr. Kimberly Curseen published Healthcare experiences among patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: a qualitative study.
Dr. Rosette Chakkalakal, Dr. Sathish Thirunavukkarasu, and Dr. Megha Shah, have an article in press for the Annual Review of Public Health 2023: “Test and Treat” for Prediabetes”: A Review of the Health Effects of Prediabetes and the Role of Screening and Prevention”.
Dr. Sathish Thirunavukkarasu and Dr. Mo Ali's article Effect of Conventional Lifestyle Interventions on Type 2 Diabetes Incidence by Glucose-Defined Prediabetes Phenotype: An Individual-Participant Data Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials, featured as the first article in the November issue of Diabetes Care was also accompanied by an editorial by Dr. William Herman.
Faculty Publications
Dr. Mo Ali:
Clinical
performance and health equity implications of the American Diabetes Association's 2023 screening recommendation for prediabetes and diabetes.
Hypertension Diagnosis, Treatment, and Control in India.
Use and continuity of weight-modifying medications among adults with diabetes and
overweight/obesity: US population study.
Dr. Paul DeSandre:
Emergency Palliative Care: Severe Acute Neurological Injury With Poor Prognosis.
Dr. Dio Kavalieratos:
Feeding after congenital heart surgery: a mixed-methods study of the caregiver experience.
Dr. Miranda Moore:
Dr. Tammie Quest:
Emergency Palliative Care: Acute Presentation of a Nonsurvivable Condition.
Dr. Megha Shah:
Dr. Jesse Soodalter:
Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know About Dignity-Conserving Practice.
Dr. Sathish Thirunavukkarasu:
New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes: A Post-Acute Sequela of COVID-19
Dr. Ali John Zarrabi:
Art of pain: a multidisciplinary pain fellowship museum-based education pilot study.
Educational Investments for our future
Educational News and Events
Live SOM SCOTUS Webinar: Where Are We Now?
Nov. 21 | 5 - 7:30 p.m. | Zoom. Register.
Join the SOM for a live webinar on updates on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) Ruling on Race and College Admissions. Speakers:
Carlos del Rio, MD, Chief Executive Officer and Interim Dean, SOM; Amy Adelman, JD, Interim Senior VP & General Counsel; Mindy Simon, JD,
Associate General Counsel; and Sheryl Heron, MD, MPH, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, SOM.
Send any questions you may have for the panelists by Nov. 15 to somdei@emory.edu
Service for our future
Pictured below: Family Physician leaders from Georgia who participated in the Congress of Delegates for the American Academy of Family Physicians in Chicago. This group includes Dr. Susana Alfonso, the current Board Chair of our state Chapter, and Dr. Sharon Rabinovitz, our current President as well as two Emory Family Medicine Residency Program graduates Dr. Nikki Udejiofor, class of 2006, and Dr. Isioma Okobah, class of 2005.
This October the Emory Farmworker Project, run by the PA Program, returned to South Georgia to provide free healthcare to over 250 farmworkers. We had a team of over 150 volunteers, including nearly 50 PA students from the classes of 2023 and 2024, DABSN students from the School of Nursing, and clinicians from within DFPM, Emory Healthcare, and the community. We were joined by several PA faculty and alumni, many of whom return year after year to provide care and teach students. We are fortunate to have a large network of interpreters that allow us to provide these services to patients in the language they are most comfortable speaking. These volunteers come from Emory University and Emory Healthcare, as well as Latino Community Fund, United Farmworker Foundation, and the local community. As always, it was an incredible opportunity for service to the community and interprofessional education and teamwork! Pictured below: photo highlights of the weekend!
Dr. Leslie Johnson has been invited to serve as a member of the Medical Student Research Committee. This is a committee of 18-20 clinicians and researchers that oversees the research projects conducted by medical student during their required five-month Discovery Phase. Committee members serve three years.
News from the FPM DEI Council
Community Forum on Engagement, Equity, and Inclusion
Nov. 16 | noon - 1 p.m. | Hybrid; James B. Williams Medical
Education Building (153A)
Save the date for a quarterly update on SOM diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and strategic priorities.
Register.
Black History Month (February)
Deadline: Feb. 1
To acknowledge the diversity of our community, the Office of Equity and Inclusion launched a celebratory initiative to promote sharing, awareness, and learning. Here, we recognize and celebrate our faculty and staff by hearing their stories and experiences.
Become a Member or Ally
SOM Affinity Groups offer an opportunity for faculty to engage and network with their colleagues from similar cultural and/or underrepresented groups in events and activities ranging from professional development to cultural celebrations. Our current faculty affinity groups include:
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Medical Faculty Affinity Group
- African American Women Collaborative Faculty Affinity Group
- LGBTQ+ Faculty Affinity Group
- Latina/o/x Faculty Affinity Group
- Emory Alliance for Women in Medicine and Science (EAWiMS)
Emory among 15 Medical Schools With the Highest Proportion of Black Students
Only about 5.7% of active physicians in the U.S. identify as Black or African American, according to the latest data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. However, many institutions are working to increase the representation of Black doctors through training on their campuses. Emory is among the 15 medical schools ranked for either research or primary care with the highest percentage of Black students.
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month. Please explore the following resources to make your observation of this month more meaningful:
Explore Emory's connection to the Muscogee (Cree) peoples and land.
Check out Oxford College Library's display of poetry and fiction by Native American authors.
Read the Proclamation on National Native American Month, 2023 from the White House.
Historical oppression fueled both the Lāhainā fires and the health inequities faced by Native Hawaiian communities. Healing and rebuilding should be shaped by community voices and perspectives. Read more from NEJM Perspective here: From Ashes to Action: Indigenous Health Perspectives on the Lāhainā Fires
News from the Office of Faculty Development
