Disease-Specific Research

Current Projects

Reducing Adverse Self-medication Behaviors in Older Adults with Hypertension

CCPC is collaborating with UConn School of Nursing to reduce adverse self-medication practices in older adults via a computer program developed for older adults (Personal Education Program or PEP) modified to include an interface to allow patients to enter self-medication behavior data on a wireless, touch screen "tablet PC." Data entered on the PEP tablet are collected via a secure server and information printed out for the patient to give to the provider at the visit. The printout documents the patient’s self-medication behaviors while also providing educational support for the clinician. Specific aims related to APRN training are to increase APRN's knowledge concerning potential drug interactions arising from older adults’ self-medication practices, to increase self-efficacy for teaching older adults about potential drug interactions, and to increase self-efficacy for communicating with older adults about self-medication.

Specific aims related to testing the PEP-NG as an intervention for older adults are to:

• increase knowledge concerning potential drug interactions arising from self-medication practices;
  
• increase self-efficacy as to how to avoid potential drug interactions arising from self-medication practice;
  
• reduce self-reported adverse behaviors associated with potential drug interactions;
  
• improve prescription medication adherence;
  
• achieve target blood pressure readings; and
  
• demonstrate satisfaction using the PEP-NG.

Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea by Primary Care – AHRQ

The aim of this project is to examine how primary care clinicians recognize, diagnose, and manage patients who report symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The study is being funded by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is led by the University of Oklahoma Department of Family and Preventive Medicine (OU-DFPM), and will involve 5 regional practice-based research networks across the country including CCPC between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009. This study was designed to reveal how primary care physicians, sleep lab directors, and home sleep labs screen for, collaborate, and follow up on conditions associated with OSA.

CCPC will:

• Interview nine ProHealth clinicians
  
• Interview nine sleep lab directors to whom clinicians refer patients
  
• Interview nine home sleep labs to whom clinicians refer patients
  
• Review and abstract of medical charts for 50 patients with potential sleep disorders identified via billing records or provider recall for each of the 9 ProHealth clinicians
  
• Prospectively enroll 50 patients (consecutive patients coming into the office to be seen) to complete a brief survey