Faculty Research
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Judith
Erlen, PhD, RN, FAAN
| Department: |
Health Promotion & Development |
| Location: |
440 Victoria Building |
| Email: |
jae001@pitt.edu |
| Phone: |
412/624-1905 |
Keywords:
- Adherence
- Quality of Life
Current Funded Research:
Erlen, J
09/15/03-06/30/09
NINR
Improving Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy
Adherence to antiretroviral medications is critically important for persons with HIV (PWHIV). The primary aim of this 5-year study based on social cognitive and self-efficacy theory proposes to compare the effect of two intervention groups (structured [Ts] and individualized [TI]) relative to usual care on adherence to antiretroviral therapy over time. A sample of 300 PWHIV (plus 51 for attrition) taking antiretroviral therapy and without HIV dementia will be randomly assigned to one of three study arms.
Ts will receive a 12 week structured telephone-delivered intervention and a 3-month maintenance program; half will then be randomized to receive 3 boosters over the next 6 months. TI will receive a 12 week individualized telephone delivered intervention based on their self-identified needs and a 3-month maintenance program; half will be randomized to receive 3 boosters over the next 6 months. The usual care group will receive their regular care. Data will be collected at baseline, post-treatment (3 months), post-maintenance (6 months), post-booster (12 months), and 6 months post-booster (18 months). Adherence will be assessed using electronic event monitors (primary measure), diaries, 4-day recall, the Self-reported Medication-taking Scale, and missed appointments. Secondary aims will examine the effect of adherence on clinical response and quality of life.
Exploratory aims will examine: 1) the mediating effect of self-efficacy on adherence, 2) the mediating effect of adherence on the relationship between self-efficacy and outcomes: clinical response and quality of life, 3) physiologic feedback (symptoms, perceived burden of medication regimen, substance abuse) and psycho logic feedback (mood, personality characteristics, interpersonal relations, perceived stigma) as possible predictors of self-efficacy. Repeated measures analyses with specified contrasts will be used to test stated hypotheses (p ? .05, two-tailed). Longitudinal data analytic techniques will be used to examine the relationship between protocol assignment and adherence over time. A similar approach will be used for the secondary aims examining intervention effect on clinical response and quality of life. Exploratory aims will be examined using structural equation modeling.
Erlen, J
07/01/05 -06/30/10
NINR
Technology Research in Chronic and
Critical Illness
Technology and its use in patient care delivery is becoming increasingly pervasive. One way to decrease the public health burden of chronic and critical illness may be through technology-supported interventions that have the potential to improve bio-behavioral outcomes. Thus, developing a critical mass of nurse researchers who can examine the vital role of technology in therapeutic interventions within an interdisciplinary contest is critically important. The goal of this training program is to provide rigorous research training centering on technology-supported interventions to improve bio-behavioral patient outcomes. The objectives are to provide: 1) the theoretical and conceptual base to support a program of research that examines ways in which technology-supported interventions might improve bio-behavioral outcomes, 2) the methodological skills to support the development of a research career, and 3) an environment that promotes, supports, and sustains interdisciplinary scholarly inquiry within this focal area. We are requesting 5 years of support to recruit 2 new pre-doctoral trainees in years 01-04 and 1 trainee in year 05 for a maximum of 3 years of support. Two postdoctoral trainees will be recruited in year 02 and 1 in years 03-05 for a maximum of 2 years of support. Nine primary training faculty, 5 secondary training faculty, and 14 interdisciplinary training faculty will provide guidance and expertise in technology, research methods, analytic techniques, and a broad research base focused on the application of technology-supported interventions. Clearly, the nurse researcher of the future needs to be able to design, apply, and evaluate relevant technology, examine the acceptability of high-tech solutions to patients, and collaborate with bioengineers to refine existing or develop new technologies that have the potential to assist/augment the delivery of interventions and improve bio-behavioral outcomes. Unquestionably, this program will enable trainees to be well-positioned to conduct innovative, state-of-the-art research.
Co-Investigator:
Erlen, J
06/01/07 - 05/31/09
NIMH
NIH/NIMH, R01, “Multi-Site Collaborative Study for Adherence, Virologic and Clinical Outcomes,” (Principal Investigator: (H. Liu, University of California at Los Angeles)
Erlen, J
06/01/07 - 05/31/09
NCI
NIH/NCI, U10, “NSABP Clinical Oncology Program-Biostatistics Core,” (Principal Investigator: J. Costantino, Graduate School of Public Health)
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