Current Studies & Projects
The Flare Study, A National Study of Pain & its Treatment
The Flare Study, A National Study of Pain & its Treatment
The Flare Study, A National Study of Pain & its Treatment
Professor Emily Diamond and doctoral researcher, Lauren Hernandez, work on a national pain study. From their more than 700 participants, they're learning about the kinds of people endure, barriers to effective treatment and care, and what's working for people. They're learning about the coping strategies people use, the impact of pain on relationships, and whether people feel that a national pain hotline may help with overdose, pain-related dispair, and get people into medical care. Out of this study came a new website devoted to pain, research, and community: https://flaresociety.org/ You can also see the study results there.
Improving the Care for Those in our LGBTQI+ Community
The Flare Study, A National Study of Pain & its Treatment
The Flare Study, A National Study of Pain & its Treatment
Several student researchers are currently conducting studies to expand our knowledge on LGBTQI+ issues. Dr. Diamond, Dr. Espinoza, and Becca Bleil developed the LGBTQI+ Equality and Inclusion Index. Becca Bleil did her doctoral research on the first use of this measure in the US with 431 participants. Of the participants, 49% indicated that they either felt that things were moving backward in terms of inclusion or felt deeply concerned about current political trends. Regarding political representation, 66% reported feeling unrepresented by their elected officials (n = 183). Nearly 10% had experienced violence due to being LGBTQI+. About 30% of participants were struggling emotionally, with 7% indicating they currently felt hopeless and 24% responding they were currently struggling with their moods. When asked about whether they felt they had as much opportunity to succeed as their non-LGBTQI+ peers, 24% responded, Yes, definitely! Please contact us if you'd like to learn more about our findings or the LGBTQI+ Equity and Inclusion Index.
Development of the Frontline Families Network
The Flare Study, A National Study of Pain & its Treatment
Expanding our Knowledge of Trauma & Adversity, & What We Can Do About It
The Health Inequality Studies Group is developing a network of families who are on the frontlines of ecological issues, climate issues and often doing so while trying to nurture and care for family members who are ill or living with disabilities. Frontline families can be dealing with poor water or air quality for long stretches of time, and also enduring more intense disasters such as fires, floods, hurricanes, and sometimes community violence. Families on the frontlines may be doing all of this while caring for family members who may be living with significant illnesses and disabilities. The Frontline Families Network will help us stay on top of these events, support each other, and spread the word about resources and steps we can take to make it through these changes together. We are stronger together! For the free resources we have developed: https://healthinequalitystudies.org/free-disaster-handouts
Expanding our Knowledge of Trauma & Adversity, & What We Can Do About It
Learning from Adults and Children About Their Experiences of Natural Disasters
Expanding our Knowledge of Trauma & Adversity, & What We Can Do About It
Professor Emily Diamond has been working on expanding the ways we think about trauma and adversity. Profoundly moved by the original Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) survey by Dr. Vincent Felitti, which asks adults to retrospectively report on 10 forms of trauma they may have endured growing up, she expanded on it. The original survey asks about traumas which mostly may have occurred in the home. Over the years, it's become clear that as ACE scores go up, there are more risks to health, from asthma to cancers, substance abuse, suicidality, and shorter life expectancy. In launching the Health Path Project, she's learning about adversity that's happening not only in the home but also in the community. This expansion includes people's experiences of surviving natural disasters and not being able to see doctors or afford needed medical treatments. It asks about feeling like there's no one to turn to. She's asking not only about what happened in childhood but experiences happening now in adulthood too. Professor Diamond is interested in both the health consequences of adversity, but also learning from her participants what they feel would make them healthier and more resilient, and what would make their community a healthier place to live. The Health Path Study already has more than 2000 responses so far. She's looking to expand her study in order to deepen her knowledge.
Learning from Adults and Children About Their Experiences of Natural Disasters
Learning from Adults and Children About Their Experiences of Natural Disasters
Learning from Adults and Children About Their Experiences of Natural Disasters
Professor Emily Diamond is working on understanding the impact of natural disasters on children and adults. How people coped, the impacts on their families, and how they're doing now. She's learning about how people have been impacted, both in the immediate days following the disaster, to the longer-term impacts such as having to leave school, move out of the community, and impacts on their relationships, and their well-being. In a climate destabilizaing world, everything we can learn from people is valuable information to help us take better care of each other.
Learning from First Responders How to Provide Quality Mental Health Care
Learning from Adults and Children About Their Experiences of Natural Disasters
Learning from Adults and Children About Their Experiences of Natural Disasters
Professor Emily Diamond is working to understand how to provide the best possible care and mental healthcare to First Responders. If you're interested in developing expertise in this field, please be in touch. The Wright Institute offers a unique sequence of courses on this topic area.