Understanding social-health needs of families in the Appalachian Highlands through the STRONG LINK (Longitudinal Initiative for Newborns and Kids) Study with ETSU and Ballad Health.
Location
D.P. Culp Center Room 311
Start Date
4-5-2024 2:30 PM
End Date
4-5-2024 3:30 PM
Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor
Beth O'Connell
Faculty Sponsor's Department
Community and Behavioral Health
Competition Type
Competitive
Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Category
Social Sciences
Abstract or Artist's Statement
The primary aim of the STRONG (Striving Towards Resilience and Opportunities for the Next Generation) program at Ballad Health is to promote positive changes in the Appalachian Highlands for families, most specifically children. STRONG LINK (Longitudinal Initiative for Newborns and Kids) is one of the programs that helps to achieve this aim. The purpose of STRONG LINK is to conduct an 18-year longitudinal study of mothers and their children in the Appalachian Highlands region of Tennessee and Virginia, by collecting data to better understand their health and well-being. Expectant mothers are given information about the study during prenatal visits to a Ballad Health facility, through a community health navigator and ocomplete a HIPAA authorization for ETSU’s Center for Rural Health Research (CRHR) staff to contact them. The CRHR team then reaches out to enroll them in the study if they are eligible and interested. If the person enrolls, they are then directed to fill out a baseline survey, followed by surveys at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after the expected due date of the baby. There will be additional surveys at various time points throughout the child’s life up to 18 years of age. Both risk and protective factors impacting maternal health are being collected within STRONG LINK. Results of this work have yet to be fully explored, as the study launched in April 2023 and is ongoing. Currently, there have been 760 people recruited for the study, and 262 have enrolled. Study results will offer future opportunities to explore the social health needs of children and mothers in Tennessee and Virginia. This work will be useful in understanding various needs of children and mothers in rural Appalachia. Understanding these needs can lead to improved knowledge of medical, social, and educational outcomes of families in this region.
Understanding social-health needs of families in the Appalachian Highlands through the STRONG LINK (Longitudinal Initiative for Newborns and Kids) Study with ETSU and Ballad Health.
D.P. Culp Center Room 311
The primary aim of the STRONG (Striving Towards Resilience and Opportunities for the Next Generation) program at Ballad Health is to promote positive changes in the Appalachian Highlands for families, most specifically children. STRONG LINK (Longitudinal Initiative for Newborns and Kids) is one of the programs that helps to achieve this aim. The purpose of STRONG LINK is to conduct an 18-year longitudinal study of mothers and their children in the Appalachian Highlands region of Tennessee and Virginia, by collecting data to better understand their health and well-being. Expectant mothers are given information about the study during prenatal visits to a Ballad Health facility, through a community health navigator and ocomplete a HIPAA authorization for ETSU’s Center for Rural Health Research (CRHR) staff to contact them. The CRHR team then reaches out to enroll them in the study if they are eligible and interested. If the person enrolls, they are then directed to fill out a baseline survey, followed by surveys at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after the expected due date of the baby. There will be additional surveys at various time points throughout the child’s life up to 18 years of age. Both risk and protective factors impacting maternal health are being collected within STRONG LINK. Results of this work have yet to be fully explored, as the study launched in April 2023 and is ongoing. Currently, there have been 760 people recruited for the study, and 262 have enrolled. Study results will offer future opportunities to explore the social health needs of children and mothers in Tennessee and Virginia. This work will be useful in understanding various needs of children and mothers in rural Appalachia. Understanding these needs can lead to improved knowledge of medical, social, and educational outcomes of families in this region.