This site is intended primarily for VA and non-VA health services researchers.
Principal Investigator:
Hanna E. Bloomfield, MD, MPH
Co-Principal Investigator:
Melissa Partin, PhD
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS
Applying social cognitive theory to advance research in healthcare disparities
by Diana Burgess, PhD (pictured below)
I have written several conceptual articles in which I apply social cognitive theory to issues
related to healthcare disparities. One paper (Burgess, van Ryn & Fu, 2004;
Journal of General Internal Medicine)
presents a social cognitive framework that describes how providers may
unintentionally contribute to healthcare disparities via ordinary social cognitive processes,
such as stereotyping, which may result in biases in clinical decision-making and poorer
quality of communication with non-white and socially disadvantaged patients. Another paper
(Burgess, van Ryn, Malat, & Matoka, 2006;
Pain Medicine)
applies this social cognitive
framework to the problem of racial disparities in pain management, particularly related to
lower willingness to prescribe opioids to non-white patients.
The Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, a
VA Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D)
Center of Excellence,
is an interdisciplinary community of professionals conducting methodologically
rigorous research intended primarily to improve the health care of Veterans.
The Center is a vibrant and growing organization with 21 MD and PhD investigators,
52 research and administrative employees, more than 70 externally funded projects
and an annual budget of over $7.5 million.
CONTACT INFORMATION
VA Medical Center (152/2E)
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Minneapolis, MN 55417
Phone: 612.725.1979
Fax: 612.727.5699
Contact via email.
More than 600,000 new Veterans have become eligible for VA services since
the beginning of the global war on terror. These Veterans face a host of
unique combat-related problems, many of which will become lifelong chronic
conditions. To help ensure that these Veterans receive the highest quality
care, we will place a major focus over the next five years on
post-deployment health, specifically:
Post traumatic stress disorder
Polytrauma and Blast-related injuries and other unique health issues
facing Veterans of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom
Substance use disorders (including tobacco)
In addition much of our research will continue to focus on other areas of
established strength:
Clinical research programs in osteoporosis, vaccine preventable
disease, prostate and urological disease, and abdominal aortic
aneurysm
Intervention and implementation research in colorectal cancer screening
Health disparities in disadvantaged populations
Methods for reducing bias in observational studies
Our areas of methodological expertise include:
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Surveys
Multi-center clinical trials
Intervention development and testing
OUR MISSION
To enhance, through research, education, and dissemination activities, the
delivery and accessibility of high-quality, cost-effective health care that will
result in optimal clinical, psychosocial, and functional outcomes for Veterans
with chronic disease.
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I have written several conceptual articles in which I apply social cognitive theory to issues
related to healthcare disparities. One paper (Burgess, van Ryn & Fu, 2004;
