Leah Fogarty

Innovate for Good: Multidisciplinary Research Explores Wearable and Music Technologies to Support Cognitive Impairment

Mary Cunningham — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 18:27:17 +0000

Innovate for Good: Multidisciplinary Research Explores Wearable and Music Technologies to Support Cognitive Impairment Mary Cunningham Fri, 07/22/2022 - 14:27

In This Story

Emily Ihara, PhD, MSW, FGSA

Megumi Inoue, PhD

Mason’s Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA) aims to connect Mason’s world class research community with other communities to engage in cutting edge work to shape the future of our digital society, promoting equality, wellbeing, security and prosperity.

Several Department of Social Work faculty were awarded 2021 IDIA seed grants, which are for projects that focus on what’s known as disruptive digital innovation, aimed at helping organizations reduce costs, improve services, or bring about a paradigm shift.

The next part of our Innovate for Good series explores how College of Health and Human Services faculty are expanding research on dementia and palliative care.

Improving Dementia Care with Wearable Technologies

Emily S. Ihara, chair of the Department of Social Work

Building off a successful research project called the Music and Memory initiative, a multidisciplinary team of Mason faculty members is collecting physiological data points to determine what happens to the body when those with dementia hear certain types of music.

Known as “Smart Music Intervention Program for Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment: A Protocol Development,” the project will develop a wearable technology device to measure things like heart rate and skin temperature in dementia patients.

The team is comprised of Emily S. Ihara, chair of the Department of Social Work; Megumi Inoue, associate professor in the Department of Social Work; Cathy Tompkins, professor in the Department of Social Work; Y. Alicia Hong in the Department of Health Policy and Administration; plus Parth Pathak and Huzefa Rangwala in the Department of Computer Science.

“The goal of this project is to develop an easily accessible, automatic, personalized digital music intervention program for older adults living with cognitive impairment,” said Ihara. “We already know that personalized music has been shown to decrease negative psychological and behavioral symptoms for individuals living with cognitive impairment.”

“Nursing homes and long-term care organizations are implementing this nonpharmacological and affordable intervention both nationally and internationally,” said Ihara. But what’s next?

Given the benefits of personalized music for individuals living with dementia, development of a wearable device will give researchers some hard data on how listening to music can physically impact a person’s body.

“Our data thus far is observational,” said Ihara. “We see that patients are humming or smiling or rocking to the music. But we want to see what to see what’s going on inside—and we have the technology now to collect that information,” she said.

Through the prototype development process, the research team will triangulate the physiological, observational, and self-reported effects of personalized music for individuals living with dementia. This will inform how to further digitize the intervention, allowing for scale-up in a large randomized clinical trial.

Understanding and Combating Misconceptions about Palliative Care Using Artificial Intelligence

Megumi Inoue, associate professor in the Department of Social Work

On the surface, machine learning and big data may not seem to play an important role in palliative care. Megumi Inoue, associate professor in the Department of Social Work, is quick to correct misconceptions about palliative care, pointing out that the term “palliative care” does not necessarily mean end-of-life care.

“Palliative care is about symptom management,” said Inoue. “One of the misconceptions about palliative care is that it’s the same as hospice care. But that’s not true—with palliative care, anyone can use it.”

With such pervasive misinformation about palliative care, Inoue made it her mission to address these misconceptions. And what better way than to go the source of many of these misnomers—the internet.

Inoue is working with an interdisciplinary team: Mahdi Hashemi from Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing, Naoru Koizumi and Rajendra Kulkarni from Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government, Denise Mohess from Inova Fairfax Hospital, and Matthew Kestenbaum from Capital Caring Health.

The team received a 2021 seed grant from Mason’s Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA) for their project “Understanding the Impact of Misinformation on Palliative Care Demand Using Machine Learning and Qualitative Methods.”

The project will apply a methodology used mainly in the field of computer science to see what type of misinformation exists about palliative care online. They will use artificial intelligence (AI) information mining to scour the internet, including Twitter and Google, to see what is being said about palliative care.

“The impact of social media is huge,” she said “It’s a new data source for us and its reach is very important.”

Once the team goes through the data, the next step will be to conduct interviews and focus groups to further understand how misinformation about palliative care is heard and spread. The team’s goal is to help healthcare organizations strategically communicate about the benefits of palliative care to work with patients and their families more effectively.

“Palliative care is one of the fastest-growing medical specialties in health care,” said Inoue. “It saves money by reducing unnecessary treatment and it also provides comfort to patients.”

“At the same time, palliative care faces various challenges including misconceptions among the general public, a lack of awareness of its benefits, and limited and sporadic access and coverage by insurance companies,” Inoue said. She hopes her research can change this for the better.

Innovate for Good is an ongoing series that examines how Mason faculty in the College of Health and Human Services are harnessing technology to improve health outcomes.

If you have stories to share as part of the Innovate for Good series, email Mary Cunningham at mcunni7@gmu.edu.

Topics

Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA)

Tech Talent Investment Pipeline (TTIP)

TTIP

Tech Talent Investment Program

Introducing the Innovate for Good Series

John Brandon Cantrell — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 13:52:43 +0000

Introducing the Innovate for Good Series John Brandon C… Fri, 02/04/2022 - 08:52

Innovate for Good is a new ongoing series that examines how faculty in the College of Health and Human Services are improving health outcomes using technology such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and personal apps.

Part I: Reducing Caregiver Stress & Improving Recovery Cues

By its very nature, the practice of social work involves people. After all, the definition of social work is, essentially, people helping people. But in an era of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and machine learning, technology is playing an increasingly central role in how people help people.

In ��AV’s College of Health and Human Services, faculty members from the Department of Social Work are embracing technological innovation in its many forms to advance the practice of social work.

“In the field of social work, our goal has always been to figure out how to help those in our communities, whether through practice, organizational leadership, or policymaking,” said Emily S. Ihara, chair of the Department of Social Work. “What’s new is that we’re looking at fresh ways to gather more data to assess how we can best and most efficiently create social change.”

Innovate for Good begins with two ways researchers are using apps and virtual reality to improve the lives and health of those they work with.

Managing and Minimizing Caregiver Stress with a Phone

Caregiver burnout? There’s an app for that.

Funded by a Virginia Center on Aging, Alzheimer’s & Related Diseases Research Award Fund (ARDRAF) grant of $45,000, Ihara and Cathy Tompkins, professor of Social Work, are working with developers Ram Balasubramanian and Atreya Chaganty to help those who provide care for people living with dementia.

They are evaluating use of an app called Zelar developed by health care company Mantrah. This app will be geared toward caregivers with the intent of helping them manage the care of both the dementia patients they help and themselves.

“Care partners are often overwhelmed,” said Ihara. “The idea is that caregivers will enter information about different aspects of the care plan and they will be given reminders and helpful tips to provide organization.”

The app will have several features, including care plan creation, the ability for collaboration with other caregivers, plus self-care plans, a journaling option, and insights that provide feedback to caregivers on their reported performance.

“We’re trying to see if we can use technology to reduce caregiver stress,” said Ihara.

The project, Managing Mental Health Through Technology: Examining the Effects of Collaborative Care Management Technology Application, is being developed with Mantrah.

“In the field of social work, our goal has always been to figure out how to help those in our communities, whether through practice, organizational leadership, or policymaking. What’s new is that we’re looking at fresh ways to gather more data to assess how we can best and most efficiently create social change.”

Emily S. Ihara, Chair of the Department of Social Work

Harnessing the Power of Recovery Cues with Virtual Reality

A multidisciplinary team of researchers, working across four colleges and centers at Mason, is using technology to develop customized, real-time recovery supports to prevent drug relapse.

The research team is made up of Holly Matto in the Department of Social Work, along with Padmanabhan Seshaiyer in Mason’s College of Science, Stephanie Carmack in Mason’s Center for Adaptive Systems of Brain-Body Interactions, Nathalia Peixoto in Mason’s Volgenau School of Engineering, Siddharth Bhattacharya in Mason’s School of Business, plus graduate students in engineering Vinicius Zanini and Bryce Dunn and in social work Cate Feldkamp, as well as Rudra Nagalia, a Mason intern and student at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, in Pilani, India.

The team hypothesizes that they can disrupt the drug trigger-craving-relapse cycle by reorienting people to what is personally rewarding in their lives and regulating the brain and body’s response to drug triggers. These are known as recovery cues.

This idea was inspired by Matto’s work in the field of addiction and from the lived experiences of people in recovery. After treatment, individuals often go back to the same environments that trigger a desire to use drugs, resulting in a need for ongoing, consistent support.

“Because craving can still be quite intense even after months of abstinence, real-time interventions to support recovery are essential to preventing relapse long-term,” said Matto. Examples of recovery cues include music, soundscapes, inspirational quotes, and more.

The Mason team and its industry partner, Brightline Interactive, are examining the effects of recovery cues using virtual reality simulations. The work is being supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Drug Abuse through a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grant.

“Rather than focusing on drug triggers, our team believes that by focusing on the rewarding parts of their lives, their recovery cues and supports, individuals in recovery can strengthen and grow,” said Matto.

Virtual reality is unique among other technological enhancements in that it can recreate some elements of the social situations and physical environments that typically trigger relapse, allowing patients to practice skills they will need when they encounter such situations in real life.

Along with investigating recovery cues using virtual reality, the team is developing their Recovery Engaged Mind (REMind-h) app. In this app, individuals in recovery will be able to upload their customized recovery cues according to their preferred sensory modality (visual, auditory, tactile) and content category (people, places, objects), and be able to access these cues when experiencing intense craving.

Innovate for Good is an ongoing series that examines how Mason faculty in the College of Health and Human Services are harnessing technology to improve health outcomes.

Topics

Healthcare Technology

Addiction

Recovery

In the George

Global and Community Health Faculty Member Shares Insight on Pandemic Preparedness in the Middle East in a New Publication

mthomp7 — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 22:01:09 +0000

Global and Community Health Faculty Member Shares Insight on Pandemic Preparedness in the Middle East in a New Publication mthomp7 Wed, 11/17/2021 - 17:01

In This Story

Amira Roess, PhD, MPH

Amira Roess, professor in the College’s Department of Global and Community Health, says that while several Middle Eastern countries had preparedness plans in place prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the region’s response shows that the implementation plans remain underdeveloped and under-resourced.

In “How Can the Middle East Better Prepare for the Pandemics of the Future?”, Roess notes that while the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the global economic toll of emerging highly infectious pathogens, it has not yet resulted in long-lasting or meaningful investments in public health systems. She advocates for significant investments over the next five years in the region’s public health system workforce and strategic technological enhancements.

“Without thoughtful, long-term investment in public health preparedness, the mistakes of the past will be repeated,” Roess writes.

Roess’s piece is a chapter in Thinking MENA Futures from the Middle East Institute’s Strategic Foresight Initiative. The publication maps out possible futures for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by drawing insight on key issues and trends from experts. The publication covers everything from economic development and the future of work to climate change adaptation and public health.

Roess is a nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute, a nonpartisan think tank providing insight and policy analysis on matters in the Middle East. Thinking MENA Futures is available on the institute’s website.

Topics

coronavirus; covid-19

Middle East

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

College of Health and Human Services

CHHS News

faculty spotlight

Mason’s Master of Public Health is a Top Value, According to the Wall Street Journal

John Brandon Cantrell — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 13:27:24 +0000

Mason’s Master of Public Health is a Top Value, According to the Wall Street Journal John Brandon C… Thu, 10/14/2021 - 09:27

When compared to nearby programs, graduates of Mason’s MPH program boast one of the best debt-to-income ratios two years post-graduation and the best in the state.

Amid reports that many advanced degree programs in the United States leave graduates in financial debt for years after graduation, the Wall Street Journal published an online tool comparing the debt-to-income ratio of graduates from different programs and different universities across the country.

When using this metric, ��AV’s College of Health and Human Services’ (CHHS) Master of Public Health (MPH) degree fared the best compared with other MPH programs in Virginia. When compared with nearby programs in the region, the College’s program again boasted among the best debt-to-income ratios.

“As we have known for some time, a Mason degree offers great value to its students. We pride ourselves in offering a world-class education right here in Virginia,” says Dean of the College Germaine Louis. “Our graduates often stay in the region to pursue public health careers, creating further value for the region.”

“The College is just miles away from the hub of public health policy, research, and practice, which presents countless internship and job opportunities, and Mason offers a public health program that produces graduates with the lowest debt in the state,” Louis says.

Most favorable debt-to-income ratio in the state

The online tool published by the Wall Street Journal compares students’ earnings two years after graduation relative to their debt load. They looked at most universities at different program levels, including bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, and professional degree programs. The data are based on students’ median earnings two years after graduation at every one of the 123 schools that offer a master’s in public health in the United States, according to Education Department data on federal loan borrowers.

A ratio above one means a typical student would have more debt than income two years after graduation. A ratio below one means the typical graduate has greater income than debt two years after graduation.

When compared against the other Master of Public Health programs in the state, Mason graduates had the lowest median debt at $34,709, the highest median income at $55,061, and also the best debt-to-income (0.63) ratio. Comparable numbers for Virginia Tech MPH graduates were $41,000, $48,265, and 0.85, and for University of Virginia MPH graduates, the numbers were $35,213, $50,231, and 0.7, respectively.

“The College is dedicated to educating the next generation of public health leaders—one that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve—and we’re proud that we can help do so with a high return on investment,” says Louis.

Public health graduates in high demand

News of Mason’s attractive debt-to-income ratio comes at a highly visible time for public health. With the COVID-19 pandemic at the forefront of the world’s stage, many people are turning to public health programs for careers and to find ways to help and give back.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical and immense need for public health, and the multifaceted behavioral, economic, health, and societal ramifications of an inadequate public health infrastructure,” says Louis.

Topics

Mason Professor is Shedding Light on “Period Poverty” in the United States

John Brandon Cantrell — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 16:00:17 +0000

Mason Professor is Shedding Light on “Period Poverty” in the United States John Brandon C… Wed, 10/13/2021 - 12:00

In This Story

Jhumka Gupta, ScD

Gupta's study is being used to call for new laws to address the unmet needs of menstrual health.

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) has referenced Gupta’s research in support of legislation for menstrual equity.

Jhumka Gupta, ScD, MPH, associate professor in the College of Health and Human Services’ Department of Global and Community Health, says that she has always been drawn to research that seeks to “bring the ‘hidden side’ of things out in the open: such as violence against women and girls and refugee populations.” It’s only fitting that her recent work is receiving attention in the policymaking world by shining a light on a topic most people haven’t heard of: period poverty.

What is period poverty? Gupta explains that it’s a lack of access to menstrual hygiene products and other unmet menstrual health needs. It’s a topic that Gupta says is under-researched and under-funded.

“When you look at menstrual hygiene products, it’s a basic need, just like housing, food, and shelter, which are all well-documented as having critical public health implications,” says Gupta.

“Menstruation is something that impacts nearly all women and girls and other menstruators. You can assume that if people are struggling to pay for food, then they probably don’t have much money for menstrual products,” says Lauren Cardoso, study coordinator and lead author on the study. Menstrual products cost an average of $10 per month, according to one calculator, and are subject to state sales taxes in 27 states according to Period Equity.

Gupta and her team published a recent study that found that more than 14% of college women had experienced period poverty in the past year, and 10% experienced period poverty every month. Importantly, women who experience period poverty are more likely to report depression than those who did not. For example, more than two-thirds (68%) of the women who report period poverty every month report moderate or severe depression, and more than half (61.2%) of those who reported period poverty at some point in the last year reported moderate or severe depression. This contrasts with fewer than half (43%) of women who did not report period poverty at any point in the last year.

Bringing Period Poverty to the National Spotlight

Gupta’s research on period poverty, and more broadly, stigma and menstrual health, is helping to inform a national policy discussion on health equity, reaching well beyond the public health community.

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) has referenced Gupta’s research in support of legislation for menstrual equity.

“Period poverty impacts every part of our society–from housing to healthcare; from economic justice to education,” says Rep. Meng.

“For students, the inability to afford period products can severely inhibit their educational outcomes and mental wellbeing. Dr. Gupta’s work has highlighted how pervasive the problem of period poverty is among college-age women,” Rep. Meng says.

“When the study came out, it garnered a lot of media attention,” says Gupta. “Dr. Meng’s office shared the study on their social media, which was pretty exciting because she’s done really great work, whether it’s on period poverty or immigrant rights.”

After Gupta saw her research referenced on Rep. Meng’s social media, she reached out to Meng’s office to share additional resources. Rep. Meng’s office then proposed a meeting between Meng and Gupta. They met in June to talk about the results of her study and how Gupta could help inform Rep. Meng’s period poverty legislation in the future.

In May 2021, Meng introduced the Menstrual Equity for All Act of 2021, aimed at increasing access to menstrual products, and she met with Gupta to learn more about her work.

“These data are crucial to informing legislative solutions to combat period poverty, such as the grant program I introduced in my Menstrual Equity for All Act, which would incentivize colleges and universities to pilot free menstrual product programs on their campuses,” says Meng. “I applaud Dr. Gupta for her work and am grateful for her leadership on this research.”

Study Points to Racial Inequities; Mental Health Connection

The study’s findings also point to inequities in period poverty experiences. Black and Latina women reported the highest levels of period poverty experiences (19% and 24.5% respectively). Similar patterns were also seen for immigrant and first-generation students.

Women who experienced period poverty reported borrowing menstrual products, using other non-menstrual products (e.g., toilet paper or fabric), using pads or tampons longer than recommended, or going without them entirely during menstruation.

“One of the big takeaways from the study is that there were inequities reflected in the data,” Gupta says. “Unfortunately, that’s really not surprising because these patterns reflect what we see in other data and research about other types of health and social inequities in this country.”

“Future work really needs to dive deeper into these inequities,” says Gupta. “This issue of period poverty, and more broadly menstrual equity, can—and should—be integrated into broader research areas.”

Gupta also says that connecting period poverty to an existing public health issue, namely, student mental health, was an important part of this study.

“What I’ve heard from menstrual health advocates is that knowing the prevalence of period poverty is helpful and its connection to a public health outcome, like mental health, helps engage more actors to take action,” Gupta says. “We’re engaged in a national conversation about student mental health right now. Combating period poverty is something we can do to improve student mental health” added Cardoso.

What’s Next?

In addition to Rep. Meng’s national bill, several other states and jurisdictions are eyeing legislation that would provide menstrual supplies for free in government buildings, including schools.

California has currently passed proposed legislation Assembly Bill 367, otherwise known as the Menstrual Equity for All Bill, in both the state assembly and senate. If signed into law, it would be the first in the nation to include public higher education in legislation mandating the free provisions of menstrual products.

Ultimately, Gupta is encouraged that her study has informed policy and has the potential to help women and girls.

“The whole goal in doing research, especially when it comes to health inequity, is to not just to document patterns, but to also help translate findings into action,” says Gupta. “While this is one study, I am excited to witness the immediate policy impact to help address inequities in period poverty.”

Topics