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Using Project Management Skills in Behavioral Research

Using Project Management Skills in Behavioral Research

Research projects have various moving parts throughout their lifespan needing to be completed within a certain time frame and budget as outlined in the grant awarded. Project management skills are crucial in ensuring all phases, tasks, and logistics of a research project are organized and completed within deadline and scope.

The workload of a project is driven by how each aim breaks down into a phase, each with its own specific deliverables to be fulfilled and unique timeline to be met. As each phase of a project moves forward, the responsibilities are often compounded due to overlapping timelines, creating an increased need to think ahead and utilize efficient multi-tasking and organizational skills.

Research Project Management Phases

  • Determining and communicating the scope derived from the grant aims and methods;
  • Developing timelines;
  • Protocol development (such as recruitment, screening, data entry, intervention, data management, and adverse event processing);
  • Obtaining necessary institutional approvals;
  • Staff identification/hiring, training, and evaluation;
  • Goal setting including incremental goals as well as larger overarching goals;
  • Project implementation;
  • Delivering objectives including communication of progress toward objectives;
  • Tracking budgeted and expended costs;
  • Required reporting to aid in communicating progress; and
  • Problem-solving as issues inevitably arise.

Communication is a key component to ensuring a smooth flow of the deliverables throughout the project. All personnel on a project need to maintain the same vision and goals. This can often be accomplished using regular meetings, phone calls, emails, and reports. Beyond the regular means of communication, a more comprehensive system such as project management software can be used to keep track of deliverables and deadlines.

Klein Buendel Research Program Manager, Julia Berteletti, organized and participated in a research project management Pre-Conference Workshop at the 40th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM), March 6-9, 2019 in Washington, DC. Co-presenters included Jessica Bibeau and Jared Goetz from the University of Connecticut, and Kim Massie from Chapman University in California. The presenters have been coordinating multi-site research projects from coast-to-coast with each other for several years. Ms. Berteletti explained, “Our projects run on effective partnerships. Facilitating teamwork is one of my favorite parts of my job. It meant a lot to me for us to share our methods for effective collaboration and project management with other research teams.”

The SBM seminar provided a guide for managing a research project using a project management approach which included: (a) understanding the scope, (b) setting goals, (c) considering the costs, (d) implementation (intervention/data collection), and (e) close-out. A hypothetical project was used to present each part of the approach. Team organization, communication, important considerations, timelines, charts, and reports were reviewed to aid in organization, and project management software ideas were provided along with a tutorial of the Basecamp software.

A Year of Research and Outreach

A Year of Research and Outreach

This was a very productive year for Klein Buendel (KB). In 2018, our scientists and staff:

  • Competed successfully for 4 new prime grant and subcontract research awards;
  • Completed 7 prime and subcontract research projects;
  • Presented research findings at 17 local, national, and international conferences and expert meetings; a total of 34 presentations, panel discussions, and posters; and
  • Published 20 research manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals.

It was also a very exciting year because KB was one of three North American sponsors and organizers of the 4th International Conference on UV and Skin Cancer Prevention. KB co-sponsored the conference with Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the Canadian Dermatology Society. The conference was held in Toronto on May 1-4, 2018.

And KB celebrated it’s Sweet 16th Birthday in June!

Additional highlights of our 2018 research publications, conference presentations, and outreach activities are listed below. Publications may include manuscripts that were in press or published in electronic format last year. The names of KB investigators and staff are bolded.

Publications

Loeb SJ, Penrod J, Myers VH, Baney BL, Strickfaden SM, Kitt-Lewis E, Wion RK. Enhancing Care of Aged and Dying Prisoners: Is e-Learning a Feasible Approach? J Forensic Nurs. 2017 Dec;13(4):178-185.

Cochrane SK, Chen SH, Fitzgerald JD, Dodson JA, Fielding RA, King AC, McDermott MM, Manini TM, Marsh AP, Newman AB, Pahor M, Tudor-Locke C, Ambrosius WT, Buford TW; LIFE Study Research Group. Association of Accelerometry-Measured Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Events in Mobility-Limited Older Adults: The LIFE (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017 Dec 2;6(12).

Wang-Schweig M, Miller BA, Buller DB, Byrnes HF, Bourdeau B, Rogers V. Using panel vendors for recruitment into a web-based family prevention program: methodological consideration. Evaluation and the Health Professions. 2017 Jan 1: 163278717742189. doi: 10.1177/0163278717742189. [Epub ahead of print]

Berteletti J, Buller DB, Massie K, Ashley J, Liu X, & Reynolds, KR. Sun protection policies in public school districts with elementary schools in California. JAMA Dermatol. 2018 Jan 1;154(1):103-105.

Buller DB, Reynolds KD, Berteletti J, Massie K, Ashley J, Buller MK, Meenan RT. Accuracy of principal and teacher knowledge of school district policies on sun protection in California elementary schools. Prev Chronic Dis. 2018 Jan 18;15:E07. doi: 10.5888/pcd15.170342.

Gellar AC, Jablonski NG, Pagoto SL, Hay JL, Hillhouse J, Buller DB, Kenney L, Robinson JK, Weller RB, Moreno MA, Gilchrest BA, Sinclair C, Arndt J, Taber JM, Morris KL, Dwyer LA, Perna FM, Klein WMP, Suls J. Interdisciplinary perspectives on sun safety. JAMA Derm. 2018; 154(1):88-92.

Buller DB, Heckman CJ, Manne SL. The potential of behavioral counseling to prevent skin cancer. JAMA Dermatol. 2018 May;154(5):516-521.

Buller DB, Walkosz BJ, Buller MK, Wallis A, Andersen PA, Scott MD, Eye R, Liu X, & Cutter GR. Results of a randomized trial on an intervention promoting adoption of occupational sun protection policies. Am J of Health Promot. 2018 May;32(4):1042-1053.

Hay JL, Zielaskowski K, White KM, Kaphingst K, Robers E, Guest D, Sussman A, Talamantes Y, Schwartz M, Rodriguez VM, Li Y, Schofield E, Bigney J, Hunley K, Buller D, Berwick M. Interest and uptake of MC1R testing for melanoma risk in a diverse primary care population: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2018 Jun 1;154(6):684-693.

Walkosz BJ, Buller D, Buller M, Wallis A, Meenan R, Cutter G, Anderson P, Scott M. Sun Safe Workplaces: effects of an occupational skin cancer prevention program in employee sun safety practices. J Occup Environ Med. 2018 Nov;60(11):900-997.

Buller DB, Woodall WG, Saltz R, Grayson A, Buller MK. Implementation and Effectiveness of an Online Responsible Vendor Training for Recreational Marijuana Stores in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington State. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2018 Aug 31. [Epub ahead of print]

Nostrati A, Pimentel MA, Falzone A, Hegde R, Goel S, Chren M, Eye R, Linos E, Pagoto S, Walkosz BJ. Skin cancer prevention messages on Facebook: likes, shares and comments. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Sep;79(3):582-585.

Kasting ML, Christy SM, Sutton SK, Lake P, Malo TL, Roetzheim RG, Schechtman T, Zimet GD, Walkosz BJ, Salmon D, Kahn JA, Giuliano AR, Vadaparampil ST. Florida Physicians’ Reported use of AFIX-Based Strategies for Human Papillomavirus Vaccination. Prev Med. 2018 Sep 13. pii: S0091-7435(18)30282-2. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.09.004. [Epub ahead of print]

Buller MK, Andersen P, Bettinghaus EP, Liu X, Slater MD, Henry K, Fluharty L, Fullmer S, Buller DB. Randomized Trial Evaluating Targeted Photographic Health Communication Messages in Three Stigmatized Populations: Physically-disabled, Senior, and Overweight/Obese Individuals. Journal of Health Communication. 2018;23(10-11):886-898.

Woodall WG, Starling R, Saltz RF, Buller DB, Stanghetta P. Results of a randomized trial of web-based retail onsite responsible beverage service training: Waytoserve.org. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. 2018 Sept;79(5):672-679.

Woodall WG, Starling R, Saltz RF, Buller DB, Stanghetta P. Responses to Commentaries by Miller (2018) and Buvik and Rossow (2018). J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2018 Sep;79(5):684-685.

Buller DB, Walkosz BJ, Buller MK, Wallis A, Andersen PA, Scott MD, Meenan RT, Cutter GR. Implementation of occupational sun safety at a two-year follow-up in a randomized trial: comparison of sun safe workplaces policy intervention to attention control. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2018 Nov 26:890117118814398. doi: 10.1177/0890117118814398. [Epub ahead of print]

Kitt-Lewis E, Loeb SJ, Myers VH, Wion RK, Baney B, Strickfaden S. Developing training to enhance care of aged and dying inmates: set-up phase. Public Health Nursing. In press.

Byrnes HF, Miller BA, Grube JW, Bourdeau B, Buller DB, Wang-Schweig M, Woodall WG. Prevention of alcohol use in older teens: A randomized trial of an online family prevention program. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. In press.

Buller MK, Bettinghaus EP, Fluharty L, Andersen PA, Slater MD, Henry KL, Liu X, Fullmer S, Buller DB. Improving health communication with photographic images that increase identification in three minority populations. Health Ed Res. In press.

Conference Presentations

NASPA Well-being and Health Promotion Leadership Conference — January 18-20 in Portland, Oregon
• Myers VH, Newton RL, Jerrod T. Healthy Detours: A location-based services app to promote healthy choices among college students. (presentation)

University of Alabama Birmingham School of Medicine Center for Exercise Medicine’s Distinguished Lecture Series — March 13 in Birmingham, Alabama
• Myers V. Caminemos Juntas: A Location-Based Smartphone App for Latinas to Connect with Nearby Walking Partners. (presentation)

Eastern Nursing Research Society Annual Meeting — April 11-13 in Newark, New Jersey
• Loeb SJ, Kitt-Lewis E, Myers VH. Development of Computer-based Training for Inmate Caregivers through Nursing Science and Technological Innovations. (presentation)

Society of Behavioral Medicine Annual Meeting — April 11-14 in New Orleans, Louisiana
• Berteletti J, Strickfaden S, Woodall WG, Starling R, Zimet G, Stupiansky N, Chilton L. BeVaccinated: Designing a web app to promote teen vaccination uptake. (poster)
• Buller D, Walkosz B, Buller MK, Wallis A, Meenan R, Liu X. Moderators of implementation of occupational sun protection policy by public-sector employers in a randomized trial. (presentation)
• Goldstein C, Alshurafa N, Spruijt-Metz D, Thomas G, Jake Schoffman D, Goldstein S, Wac K, Myers V. The Digital Health Council & ETCD present perspectives on effective digital health training in behavioral medicine. (panel discussion)
• Jackson J, Castro Sweet C, Coa K, Foster G, Matacotta J, Myers V, Place S, Keefe B, Osborn C, Wolin K. Speed networking your career options: Non-academic paths for behavior scientists. (panel discussion)
• McLeod D, Myers V, Stetson B, Sheean P. Nuts and Bolts: A practical Q&A about your education and career trajectory. (panel discussion)
• Myers V, Loeb SJ, Kitt-Lewis E, Jerrod T, Strickfaden S, Wion RK. What works in corrections: Front-line insights on computer-based training. (poster)
• Myers VH, Hudson H, Jerrod T, Strickfaden S, Buller M, Lippert M. Pinpoint: Gaming technology to engage adolescent sickle cell patients in precision pain management. (poster)
• Pagoto S, Berteletti J, Walkosz B, Oleski J, Palumbo A, Baker K, Hillhouse J, Henry K, Buller D. Delivering health promotion interventions on social media: Engagement and methodological considerations. (panel discussion)
• Reynolds K, Buller D, Berteletti J, Massie K, Ashley J, Buller MK, Meenan R. Correlates of sun safe policy implementation among elementary schools. (poster)
• Newton RL, Myers V, Carter L, Griffith D. A Mobile Phone-based physical activity maintenance app for African American men: MobileMen. (presentation)

Patient Centered Outcomes Research 8th Annual Symposium – April 24-25 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri
• Buller DB. Precision Skin Cancer Prevention: A Sun Safety Mobile App. (presentation)

4th International Conference on UV and Skin Cancer Prevention – May 1-4, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Buller D. A Facebook Intervention to Reduce mothers’ Permissiveness for Indoor Tanning: Health Chat. (presentation)
• Meenan RT, Buller DB, Reynolds KD, Massie K, Berteletti J, Buller MK, Ashley J. Costs of Sun Protection Policy Implementation in California School Districts. (presentation)
• Meenan R, Buller D, Walkosz B, Eye R, Buller M, Wallis A. Estimated Cost of Occupational Sun Protection Policy Intervention Delivery to Public-Sector Employers. (presentation)
• Massie K, Berteletti J, Freeth B, Ashley J, Buller MK, Buller DB, Reynolds KD. Implementation Strategies: Review of a Sun Safety Program in California. (poster)
• Walkosz B, Dellavalle R, Buller M, Buller D, Eye R, Olivas S. Formative Research to Develop Sun Safety Ink!, a Skin Cancer Prevention Training Program for Tattoo Artists. (presentation)

International Communication Association Annual Meeting — May 24-28 in Prague, Czech Republic
• Woodall WG, Berteletti J, Starling R, Zimet G, Stupainsky N, Kong A, Chilton L. Usability testing of a web app to improve adolescent vaccination: Be Vaccinated. (presentation)
• Walkosz B, Buller D, Buller MK, Wallis A, Meenan R, Scott M, Andersen P, Cutter G. Sun Safe Workplaces: Effect of a communication theory-based occupational skin cancer prevention program on employee sun safety practices. (presentation)

UNESCO International Conference on the Tangible and Intangible Impact of Information and Communication in the Digital Age — June 4-8 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia
• Walkosz B. Emerging Issues in Media Literacy in the 21st Century. (presentation)

National Cancer Institute Cancer Center HPV Vaccination Meeting – June 7-8 in Washington, DC
• Kong A, Woodall WG, Zimet G, Reither J, Myers V, Buller D, Starling R, Chilton L, Ginossar T. Improving HPV Vaccine Uptake with Digital Interventions. (presentation)

National Research Society on Alcoholism Annual Scientific Meeting – June 16-20 in San Diego, California
• Sanchez V, Chacon A, Perez F, Reither J. WayToServe-Español: Adapting an Evidence-Based Online Responsible Beverage Server (RBS) Training for Spanish Language Populations in the US Southwest. (poster)

National Cancer Institute Exercise Science and Skin Cancer Prevention Research Meeting — September 26-27 in Washington, DC
• Buller D, Walkosz B. Translational Research in Sun Safety in Sports Settings. (presentation)

National Commission on Correctional Health Care Conference – October 12-16 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Loeb S, Myers V, Kitt-Lewis E. Developing and Testing E-Training to Enhance Care of Aged and Dying Prisoners. (poster)

EUSPR Conference and Members’ Meeting – October 24-29 in Lisbon, Portugal
• Miller BA, Rogers V, Byrnes H, Johnson M, Buller DB, Grube J, Berteletti J. Influences of Personal Characteristics on Group-based Club Intervention Outcomes. (presentation)

Colorado Cancer Coalition Annual Symposium — November 8-9 in Lakewood, Colorado
• Myers V. Caminemos Juntas: Using Technology and Social Media to Advance Your Mission. (presentation)

American Public Health Association Annual Meeting — November 10-14 in San Diego, California
• Buller DB, Woodall WG, Saltz R, Grayson A, Buller MK, Svendsen S. Implementation and Effectiveness of an Online Responsible Vendor Training for Recreational Marijuana Stores in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington State. (presentation)

EUROGIN International Multidisciplinary HPV Congress – December 2-5 in Lisbon, Portugal
• Woodall WG. Digital Interventions to Improve HPV Vaccine Uptake: Results and Issues. (presentation)
• Woodall WG, Zimet G, Reither J, Kong A, Buller DB, Chilton L, Myers V, Starling R, Ginossar T. Vacteens: Results from Ongoing Trials of Mobile Web Apps to Improve HPV Vaccine Uptake. (poster)
• Buller DB, Walkosz B, Berteletti J, Pagoto S, Oleski J, Baker K. Insights on HPV Vaccination from Mothers’ Comments on Facebook Posts in a Randomized Trial. (poster)

The Science of Dissemination & Implementation in Health Annual Conference – December 3-5 in Washington, DC
• Meenan R, Reynolds K, Buller D, Massie K, Berteletti J, Buller MK, Ashley J. Economic evaluation of a sun protection promotion program in California elementary schools. (presentation)
• Loeb S, Myers V, Kitt-Lewis E, Wion RK, Jerrod T, Carter M. Developing Geriatric and End-of-Life E-training For Inmate Peer Caregivers (poster)

Other Highlights & Recognitions

In February, Dr. Valerie Myers, began her tenure as a mentor for the SPRINT program at the National Cancer Institute. She also began serving as a mentor on Dr. Seth Creasy’s K Award entitled, “Linking Temporal Pattern of Modifiable Behaviors to Weight Loss Outcomes”.

Dr. David Buller was a co-author on a chapter in a book that was selected as the 2018 recipient of the Gerald R. Miller Boo Award for Interpersonal Communication from the National Communication Association:

    The book is: D.O. Braithwaite and P. Schrodt (Eds.), Engaging theories in interpersonal communication: Multiple perspectives, 2nd edition (pp. 343-356). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
    The chapter is: Burgoon, J. K., & Buller, D. B. (2015). Interpersonal deception theory: Purposive and interdependent behavior during deceptive interpersonal communication.

Dr. Susan Loeb and Dr. Valerie Myers’ Phase I STTR Project, E-training of Inmate Peer Caregivers for Enhancing Geriatric and End-of-Life Care in Prisons, was selected for inclusion in the NIH Niche Assessment Program for small businesses.

KB received trademark registration through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for Train To Tend®.

Way To Serve®, the licensed evidence-based online responsible alcohol server training program owned by KB and its research collaborators, achieved a significant milestone by selling 75,000 trainings since it entered the market.

KB, along with Rocky Mountain Sunscreen and the Colorado Skin Cancer Task Force, offered free UV camera photographs and skin cancer prevention education to attendees at the Snowsports Industries of America Snow Show in January and the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in July. Both trade shows were held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.

Beginning in September, KB made its Grade K-5 sun safety curriculum, Sunny Days Healthy Ways®, available free to the public in response to the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer.

KB was recognized on Colorado Biz Magazine’s Top 100 Woman-Owned Companies list. KB landed at #48 for 2018. Colorado Biz Magazine ranked Klein Buendel #142 of Top 250 Private Companies for 2018.

Here’s to a Very Healthy and Happy New Year!

Cost Analysis of a Sun Safety Program at California Elementary Schools

Cost Analysis of a Sun Safety Program at California Elementary Schools

The Surgeon General’s 2014 Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer emphasized the importance of sun safety for schools. However, limited cost data exist to inform implementation decisions regarding school sun safety practices. In response, Dr. Richard Meenan from the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (KPCHR), presented data on the costs of delivering a sun protection policy intervention to public elementary schools in California at the 11th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health in Washington DC, December 3-5, 2018.

The Sun Safe Schools (SSS) program, a joint research effort of Claremont Graduate University (CGU), KPCHR, and Klein Buendel (KB), provided technical assistance to California public elementary schools interested in implementing sun safety practices consistent with their district board policy for sun safety. The research design included a randomized trial of SSS that assessed its effectiveness in promoting implementation and an economic evaluation of the SSS program.

Fifty-eight intervention schools and 60 controls participated. Principals at intervention schools received regular phone and email contact from trained SSS coaches over 20 months to support implementation of selected sun safety practices. Rolling recruitment and intervention occurred over 47 months (2014-18). Study outcome data are from a posttest survey of school principals. Intervention delivery costs were virtually all labor (SSS coach and principal time). Implemented practices were organized into ten categories (such as student education and outdoor shade) and micro-costed using a project-developed template. Required school labor and non-labor resources for implementation were estimated for each practice. Three elementary school principal consultants reviewed the template for appropriateness.

Intervention delivery costs and costs of implemented practices for intervention schools and control schools were presented and are being submitted for publication. Principals’ beliefs about the importance of sun protection were positively correlated with policy implementation, both in numbers of implemented policies and overall dollars invested. Results indicated that a low-cost program of regular phone and email coaching of school administrators can successfully stimulate implementation of sun safety practices in elementary schools at a reasonable cost. Costs per student were similar to other school health practices. These findings can assist administrators with selecting and implementing appropriate sun safety practices for their schools.

This research was supported by a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (HD074416; Dr. Kim Reynolds, Claremont Graduate University, Principal Investigator). Collaborators in addition to Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Meenan include Kim Massie from Claremont Graduate University in California; Dr. David Buller, Julia Berteletti, and Mary Buller from Klein Buendel; and Dr. Jeff Ashley from Sun Safety for Kids in Los Angeles, California.

¡Caminemos Juntas!: A Smartphone App for Latinas to Connect with Walking Partners

¡Caminemos Juntas!: A Smartphone App for Latinas to Connect with Walking Partners

Dr. Valerie Myers, Klein Buendel (KB) Senior Scientist, is the Principal Investigator leading a new research project aimed at helping Latinas combat barriers to physical activity using smartphone technology and social networks.

Hispanic women are a growing and influential segment of the population, yet health disparities for Latinas remain high. Latinas are more likely than their non-Hispanic White counterparts to be overweight, diagnosed with diabetes, and physically inactive. Regular physical activity promotes physical and emotional well-being, such as lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, weight management, and improved quality of life, yet physical activity interventions for Latinas remain limited.

Community-focused walking interventions produce improvements in physical activity and are well-received by Latinas when they are socioculturally sensitive. New technology has the ability to provide Latinas with innovative ways to connect socially and increase PA. Location-based services (LBS) are a popular technology that uses geographical positioning to allow individuals to use their smartphones to connect to their surrounding environment.

¡Caminemos Juntas! is a physical activity walking app that uses location-based services to connect Latinas within nearby neighborhoods as a way to provide social support for increased walking behavior. A prototype of the ¡Caminemos Juntas! app was programmed for both iOS and Android smartphones in a previous Phase I project. Multi-method formative research was conducted to guide app design and content prior to conducting field usability testing. To guide prototype development, a national sample of Latinas (n=98; mean age 32.7 +/- 7.8 years; 45% primary Spanish speaking; 28.6% with annual income < $15,000) were surveyed to better understand their preferences, usage, needs, and obstacles of current apps in relation to health and physical activity. Latinas’ current physical activity behaviors and smartphone use, opinions on health-related apps using LBS, how often they access social networking sites on their mobile phone, and their likelihood of using a social networking app to connect to others with intentions to be physically active were also examined.

Phase I results revealed that 22.5% never or rarely exercised, 73.5% accessed social networking sites daily with an average of 8 times a day, and 43.9% used LBS every day. Ease of use (82%), informationally accurate (79.2%), and reliability (84.7%) were app features rated as highly important. Over 63% reported high likelihood of using a social networking app to connect to others with the intentions of being physically active, and 67.4% reported that this type of app would be very helpful. Focus groups showed that the app was appealing, also.

In the new Phase II project, the ¡Caminemos Juntas! app will be fully developed and evaluated in a randomized control trial with Latinas aged 18-45 in San Jose, CA and Denver, CO. Changes in physical activity, social support for exercise, and quality of life will be evaluated. New features to be explored include Fitbit® device integration, mapping of walks, and social media integration. The LBS features of the app will allow Latinas to determine a safe place to meet for a walk, connect with other users nearby, and be notified if there was an available walk in the user’s vicinity.

The research is funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (MD009652) at the National Institutes of Health through the Small Business Innovation Research Program. Dr. Myers’ collaborators include Dr. Abby King from Stanford University, and Dr. Gary Cutter from Pythagorus, Inc. in Alabama.

Collaborator Spotlight:
Dr. Victoria Sánchez

Collaborator Spotlight:
Dr. Victoria Sánchez

Dr. Victoria Sánchez is an Associate Professor in the College of Population Health at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque.  She earned her MPH at the University of California at Berkeley and her Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH) in Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She directs the MPH Community Health Concentration track at UNM and teaches social and behavioral sciences courses for the UNM College of Public Health.

Dr. Sánchez has a long-standing commitment to participatory planning and evaluation processes with communities and public health organizations. Over the last thirty years, she has integrated her expertise in public health practice and participatory and multidisciplinary research methodologies to plan and implement joint solutions for reducing health and social disparities in Latino and other vulnerable communities. As a member of multidisciplinary teams, she has applied social and cultural theories and models in the development, tailoring, testing, and evaluation of interventions to improve the health of Latinos/Hispanics in New Mexico, Texas, and California.

Currently, Dr. Sánchez is working with Klein Buendel as a collaborating scientist with Dr. Gill Woodall and Dr. David Buller on WayToServe Español: A Culturally-Appropriate Online Responsible Beverage Service Training for Spanish-Speaking Servers (R44MD010405; Dr. Gill Woodall, Principal Investigator). This research project is funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Dr. Sánchez collaborates on the creation and evaluation of culturally-appropriate content and the translation of the English WayToServe® online training program to Spanish. She helps ensure that the translation is compatible with the values and needs of servers in Spanish language-dominant bars and restaurants. The randomized control trial is being conducted at Spanish-dominant businesses in the Southwestern region of the United States. …

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BeVaccinated Web App Usability Testing

BeVaccinated Web App Usability Testing

Dr. W. Gill Woodall from Klein Buendel and the University of New Mexico presented findings from the BeVaccinated project at the 68th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association in Prague, Czech Republic, May 24-28, 2018. The project tested the usability of a prototype web app for improving adolescent vaccination uptake.

While vaccination rates for young children in the U.S. currently meet recommended standards, the CDC reports adolescent vaccines uptake (Gardasil 9 for HPV, MCV4 for meningococcal infection, Tdap for Tetanus, Diptheria and Pertussis protection, and Varicella vaccine for Chickenpox protection) to be less than optimal. In the case of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, rates are seriously below desired uptake levels. Despite established safety and effectiveness information about these vaccinations, and a wide variety of medical organizations recommending them, parents continue to have concerns about them, particularly the HPV vaccine.

For health communication researchers focused on Diffusion of Innovations, this is a classic difficulty of lack of effective messaging to prompt the uptake of an innovation by closing a knowledge gap among parents, in this case, on effective adolescent vaccines. The CDC and the Presidents Cancer Panel call for the development of effective and accessible messaging to improve vaccine decision-making as well as uptake. Because parents drive the decision to, and action for, vaccine uptake, messaging should be focused on them, but not exclusively, as there are benefits from parents and adolescents communicating about vaccines specifically and health issues generally. Approaching the vaccines as a recommended adolescent vaccine panel instead of each vaccine singularly may provide adoption benefit, as a vaccine panel approach builds the normative expectation for getting all adolescent vaccines as a group.

To address this vaccine uptake deficit, a web-browser application prototype, BeVaccinated, was developed to test reactions to and feasibility of delivering adolescent vaccine information via a smartphone. The majority of adults of parenting age own smartphones and use them to access online information, especially minority adults, and use mobile apps for information acquisition and decision support, making them a potentially efficacious channel for delivering vaccine information and tools. The prototype app was developed via formative research with focus group participants and guided by an Expert Advisory Board (EAB) comprised of vaccination experts and clinicians. Usability testing was conducted iteratively with nine parent and teen pairs in New Mexico and seven parent and teen pairs in Colorado. Pairs were comprised of one teen, ages 13-17, and their accompanying parent or guardian.

Usability testing was conducted individually with the parent and teen by trained research staff. Parents and teens reported that the prototype app was easy to use. Users reported that they could learn to use it quickly and that they were confident using it. With feasibility established, the full version of the app will be designed to improve dissemination of vaccine information, improve parent/teen communication around health behavior choices, and ultimately, improve the uptake of vaccinations.

This research was funded by a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R41HD082901; Dr. W. Gill Woodall, Principal Investigator). Collaborators included Julia Berteletti from KB; Dr. Randall Starling, Dr. Alberta Kong, and Dr. Lance Chilton from the University of New Mexico; Dr. Greg Zimet from Indiana University; and Dr. Nathan Stupiansky from the University of Arizona.

Designing a Web App to Promote Teen Vaccination Uptake

Designing a Web App to Promote Teen Vaccination Uptake

Ms. Julia Berteletti, KB Research Program Manager, is presenting a poster on formative research from the BeVaccinated Project at the 39th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, April 11-14, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

While vaccination rates for young children in the United States currently meet recommended standards, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports adolescent vaccines uptake to be less than optimal, and in the case of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, seriously below desired uptake levels. To address this deficit, a web-browser application prototype, BeVaccinated, was developed to test reactions to and feasibility of delivering adolescent vaccine information via smartphone. The BeVaccinated app prototype was developed from formative research with 26 focus group participants and guided by an Expert Advisory Board comprised of vaccination experts and clinicians.

Usability testing on one module, about deciding to vaccinate, was conducted iteratively with nine parent and teen pairs in New Mexico and seven parent and teen pairs in Colorado. Pairs were comprised of one teen (ages 13-17) and their accompanying parent or guardian. Usability testing was conducted individually with the parent and teen by trained research staff. During the testing, participants used the app prototype, answering questions as prompted. At the conclusion of testing, participants completed the 10-item Bangor System Usability Scale (SUS). Parents and teens rated the app as very easy to use. SUS data also indicated that participants could quickly learn to use the app and that they would be confident using it.

A Specifications Document outlines the planned design of the full-scale app based on testing results. Findings included in the specifications document are: 1) provide tailored learning experiences to teens (i.e., game-based) and parents (i.e., didactic) within the same app; 2) integrate individualized information (e.g., clinic preferences); and 3) provide a vaccination record tracking feature. The planned app could improve dissemination of vaccine information, enhance parent/teen communication around health behavior choices, and ultimately, improve the uptake of vaccinations.

This research was funded by a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R41HD082901; Dr. Gill Woodall, KB Senior Scientist, PI) Research collaborators included Dr. Randall Starling and Dr. Lance Chilton from the University of New Mexico, Dr. Gregory Zimet from Indiana University, Dr. Nathan Stupiansky from the University of Arizona, and Sophia Strickfaden from KB.

KB Scientist Shares Career Development Guidance in SBM Panel Discussions

KB Scientist Shares Career Development Guidance in SBM Panel Discussions

Dr. Valerie Myers, KB Senior Scientist and SBM Fellow, is a co-presenter for three Panel Discussions related to training and career development at the 39th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, April 11-14, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana.


Perspectives on Effective Digital Health Training in Behavioral Medicine

To be a successful digital health researcher, most individuals find that they need to complete a set of training experiences not well encapsulated by a single degree program. Behavioral medicine scientists and practitioners that utilize digital health must take an entrepreneurial approach to advocating for receiving adequate training to be prepared for the challenges of this field. The call for cross-disciplinary digital health researchers necessitates that both trainees and mentors be flexible and creative with training opportunities. To discuss methods and philosophies for training the next generation of digital health researchers. The Society of Behavioral Medicine’s Digital Health Council has assembled a panel of digital health experts spanning academia and industry with varying educational backgrounds. The panel will include: (1) a senior-level academic with interests in mHealth and adolescent health; (2) a mid-career researcher from an academic medical center who receives NIH-funding and engages in formal recurrent consultation with numerous industry partners; (3) an early career electrical engineer with an interest in translational medicine and experience with research career development awards; and (4) a senior scientist at a small health communication and development firm who conducts research on behaviorally-based technological approaches to behavior change. Attendees will leave with practical advice for obtaining adequate digital health training in the post-graduate, postdoctoral, and established career phases. …

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KB to Co-Host International UV Conference May 1-4, 2018

KB to Co-Host International UV Conference May 1-4, 2018

Klein Buendel is a proud North American organizer and host of the 4th International Conference on UV and Skin Cancer Prevention being held May 1-4, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. The 2018 conference is being organized by a joint planning committee of skin cancer prevention experts in Canada and the United States from Ryerson University in Toronto, the Canadian Dermatology Association, and Klein Buendel.

The UV and Skin Cancer Prevention conferences provide an innovative scientific program that showcases the work of the international skin cancer prevention community. The previous conferences have been held in Copenhagen, Denmark (2011), Berlin, Germany (2013), and Melbourne, Australia (2015) and have attracted international experts in skin cancer prevention, UV radiation science, dermatology, allied behavioral and clinical disciplines and members of the environmental planning and design communities who are working in the field of UV and skin cancer prevention. The conferences have been organized by local planning committees dedicated to advancing skin cancer prevention.

The Toronto conference will feature multiple concurrent sessions and poster sessions addressing primary and secondary prevention, school settings, worksites, shade design, sun safety campaigns, indoor tanning trends, sunscreen, and more.

Special plenary sessions will address:

  • New Research Methods for Skin Cancer Prevention
  • Issues in Dissemination of Skin Cancer Prevention Interventions
  • Second Generation Audiences for Skin Cancer Prevention
  • Environmental Issues in Skin Cancer Prevention
  • Screening for Skin Cancer Prevention

Four additional workshops will be held on May 1st:

  • Sun Safety and Skin Health in Youth
  • Young Adulthood Physical Activity
  • Skin Smart Campus
  • Online, Mobile, and Social Media Interventions

To see the program-at-a-glance, speakers, and registration information, visit…

4th International Conference on UV and Skin Cancer Prevention

 

KB’S 2017 Research and Outreach Accomplishments and Other Highlights

KB’S 2017 Research and Outreach Accomplishments and Other Highlights

The year 2017 flew by, but we have taken time to reflect on what we have done at Klein Buendel (KB) to achieve our primary goal of creating and evaluating effective programs and products for health promotion and disease prevention. We are thankful for the research, education, and outreach opportunities that we have participated in, and we are looking forward to continuing our efforts in 2018. Details of some of our 2017 accomplishments and publications are listed below. The names of KB investigators and staff are bolded.

SUMMARY OF KLEIN BUENDEL’S 2017 RESEARCH AND OUTREACH ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • In June, KB celebrated its 15th anniversary as a small woman-owned business.
  • In August, one of our Senior Scientists, Valerie Myers, was made a Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.
  • We were awarded 3 new prime grants and 1 subcontract.
  • We completed 7 prime and subcontract research projects.
  • KB scientists and staff presented research findings at 6 national and international conferences (19 posters or presentations).
  • KB scientists, collaborators, and staff published 12 papers of research findings in peer-reviewed journals.

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