Washington, D.C. – Today, the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) announced that its Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grants, in the total amount of $60,000, have been awarded to two recipients: Dr. Jie Gao for effects of a park visitation program for low-income seniors and Dr. Cathy Torrington Eaton for interventions to improve communication during interactions with aphasic patients. The grant program led by ASAHP’s Research Committee is designed to support innovative research projects with the highest potential to produce new knowledge and paradigms towards success in interprofessional collaboration.
"We are thrilled to announce the two recipients of the 2023 ASAHP Interprofessional Collaboration Grant Program. At ASAHP, we are committed to fostering innovation and collaboration in healthcare education,” said ASAHP President Deb Larsen PhD, FASAHP. “This grant program, which was increased to $60,000 total this year, represents a significant investment in the future of interprofessional health professions research. We look forward to seeing the impactful initiatives that will emerge from this year’s grant recipients and the positive change they will bring to the health professions.”
Both grant recipients will be invited to present their work at the 2024 ASAHP Annual Conference.
Here is more information about this year’s recipients:
A Park Visitation Program: An Interprofessional Collaboration to Address the Healthcare Needs of Older Adults in Low-income Senior Housing
$30,000 grant awarded to
Primary Investigator (PI) Jie Gao, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
Dr. Jie Gao, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM and PI of this project said, “The rising number of older adults with suboptimal health in low-income senior housing creates a need to develop low-cost health promotion strategies and support healthy aging of the residents. The positive impacts of urban park visitation on individuals’ health and wellness have potential to improve the residents’ physical and mental function. This interprofessional research project will address this healthcare need and evaluate the effects of a park visitation program on the mental health of residents living in low-income senior communities.”
“Our school’s core values include compassion, service, and social responsibility – these are at the heart of Dr. Gao’s work with our senior communities and their mental health,” said UAB School of Health Professions Dean Andrew J. Butler, Ph.D., FASAHP. “We are proud of Dr. Gao’s efforts and look forward to expanding this research and service that positively supports the fastest growing population in the U.S.”
Improving Communication with Aphasic Patients: An Interprofessional Experience for Future Allied Health Providers
$30,000 grant awarded to
Primary Investigator (PI) Cathy Torrington Eaton, PhD, CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor from The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
When discussing the grant project, Dr. Eaton shared “Aphasia, a complex communication disorder, is one of the most devastating impairments following stroke and is linked to a variety of poor healthcare outcomes. To improve health outcomes, healthcare professionals need skills for conversing with individuals with aphasia. This Interprofessional Education (IPE) project targets key ingredients in an intervention aimed at improving communication across allied health disciplines to enhance students’ knowledge and behaviors during interactions with aphasic patients.”
“This exciting interprofessional program will raise awareness among health professions students and clinicians as they learn how to communicate more effectively with people with aphasia. The skills and insights they gain will make a meaningful difference in the lives of people with aphasia and their loved ones,” said David Shelledy, PhD, RRT, FAARC, FASAHP, dean and professor of the School of Health Professions at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.
About ASAHP
The Association of School Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) is a national professional organization of 120 universities and employers focused on critical issues affecting health professions education. ASAHP’s mission is to advance health professions education and discovery through interprofessional collaboration, leadership, excellence, and innovation.