Creighton University faculty and students and an advisory team have come together in a research project on diabetes in rural parts of Iowa and Nebraska. The university has received more than $300,000 in two grants to help fund the research, and they are now working to recruit community stakeholders and families with connection to Type 1 diabetes. The first project is the formation of patient-centered focus groups to help identify treatment barriers and to develop solutions to overcoming service gaps. They are currently recruiting a diverse population of individuals for their focus groups, and are looking for those whose connections are more than just as patients and their families. “We want to include health care providers, school staff that work with children with diabetes, legislators, medical billers and medical equipment representatives,” says Vanessa Jewell, vice chair and assistant professor at Creighton University’s occupational therapy department. “We want to involve all of them and learn from their experiences to inform the research agenda we propose so we can address the whole spectrum of patient support after diagnosis.” Participants must live in rural Nebraska or Iowa, at least one hour outside of Omaha, Neb. or Des Moines, and be between the ages of eight and 80. Each focus group member will receive a $25 gift card. For more information or to volunteer, visit spahp.creighton.edu/diabetes.
