Fair gives researchers forum to show their work

About 30 posters outlining research done at UNMC were displayed recently in the Durham Outpatient Center Atrium as part of the seventh-annual Research Fair. The fair was sponsored by the UNMC College of Medicine and Office of Research and Development.

UNMC researchers filled the Durham Outpatient Center Atrium with 30 posters recently as part of the seventh annual Research Fair.

The fair, sponsored by the UNMC College of Medicine and Office of Research and Development, gave researchers an opportunity to describe their work to the public and gave prospective students a glimpse of the vast research done at UNMC.

The family medicine department’s W. David Robinson, Ph.D., Heath Grames, Ph.D., and medical student Curtis McKnight displayed a poster titled “Managing Uncontrolled Diabetes in an Underserved Latino Population: The Clinical Encounter.”

The team focused on improving diabetes care for underserved Latinos, a group which suffers from more diabetes-related complications than any other racial group.

Clinical encounters and individual interviews with patients were conducted to identify the barriers and facilitators of adequate care.

“We found that a key to helping people from this group is to improve communication between the providers and the patient,” said Jenenne Geske, Ph.D., a research coordinator in the family medicine department who presented the team’s poster at the research fair.

The Omaha clinic that the team studied for its research provided a “one-stop shop” philosophy of care in hopes of in providing stronger care for the underserved patients.

Jenenne Geske, Ph.D., research coordinator in the family medicine department, presents a research poster titled “Managing Uncontrolled Diabetes in an Underserved Latino Population: The Clinical Encounter.” The poster focused on a family medicine research project aimed at improving diabetes care for underserved Latinos.

In addition to being supported by clinic physicians, nurses and staff, patients also could access an on-site licensed diabetes educator and an on-site pharmacy.

This philosophy helped build a degree of trust with clients that should help alleviate some of the communication problems that contribute to poor glucose management by underserved Latinos, the UNMC team concluded.

“The comprehensive treatment team at our research site highlights the importance of integrated care,” the team wrote in their research report. “Future research should address diabetic care for (Latinos) in a regular care facility.”