The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded a Translational Science Research Award to CSU Associate Professor Dr. Greta Winbush for research using health information technology.

The Health Empowerment Technologies (HET) Project, headed by Dr. Winbush and Dr. Leon McDougle of the Ohio State University College of Medicine, is a research project meant to help eliminate health disparities. The HET Project was established through a grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparity.

Photo credit: AtlantaBlackStar.com

The first HET study involved the development of a mobile web-based health intervention aimed at older African-American patients with diabetes and hypertension and their doctors. One goal was to improve patient-doctor relationships. It allowed patients, using customized mobile web-based health technology, to review health information and have access to a portal to view their medical records, request prescription refills, and communicate with their health care provider. The results showed an increase in health literacy for the patients and an increase in cultural sensitivity by the doctors.

The award was presented at the National Institutes of Health Network of Minority Research Investigators (NMRI) Annual Workshop, in Bethesda, MD, April 2015.

Dr. Winbush’s research team consisted of two Central State graduating psychology majors – Javier Woodall and Stantavius Buckner; an undergraduate public health major at University of Kentucky, Amaris Winbush; and medical student Lynda Labranche of the OSU College of Medicine.

–See more at CentralState.edu

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