Dr. Pam Yankeelov
Professor, Director of Research Trager Institute
Rates of chronic disease are soaring and have the greatest impact on vulnerable populations such as older adults living in rural areas; therefore, it is imperative to develop interventions for the older adults and their communities.
Dr. Pamela Yankeelov’s scholarly pursuits have primarily focused on program evaluation specifically in the areas of health care for older adults, child welfare, post-divorce education programs and student academic outcomes. Recently, her research is focused on new health care delivery strategies for older adults living with chronic disease in rural areas. In the US, 25% of older adults (³ 65 years) live with diabetes (National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2017), 66% of older adults are diagnosed with multiple chronic conditions, and 95% of the health care costs for older adults is for chronic diseases (CDC, 2013). By 2030, it is expected that 1 in 5 Americans will be an older adult (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014).
Yankeelov views chronic diseases, like diabetes, as public health problems which require innovative individual, clinical and population- based system approaches, supported by academic initiatives for the management and prevention of complications. Her research aims to honor the vulnerable older adult population by giving voice to their needs and solutions through the use of participatory action research-oriented methodologies. She also studies patient outcomes associated with innovative, interdisciplinary, primary care, person-centered, coordinated care solutions which address the social, psychological and biological determinants of the older adults’ health.