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These collaborative projects create essential state-specific health information, policy, and/or programs that seek to improve and enhance Medicaid patient treatment and health as well as reduce the per capita cost of healthcare. Researchers in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences and CIK have been active partners in the CHFS State University Partnership Program since July 2018.

Seyed Karimi, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of the Commonwealth Institute of Kentucky, explained the benefits of receiving support from the SUP program. “We are excited about the continued relationship with CHFS. Our bioinformatics and biostatistics faculty are conducting studies that not only leverage their expertise and create training opportunities for students but have the potential to improve the quality of care and health equity in Kentucky.”

SUP PROJECTS – DEPT. OF BIOINFORMATICS & BIOSTATISTICS

Racial and Geographic Disparities in Maternal Outcomes during Covid-19
PI: Jeremy Gaskins, PhD
Award: $143,397

Gaskin and colleagues will investigate racial and geographic disparities in maternal mortality (MM) and the occurrence of a range of adverse pregnancy outcomes among the population of pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid within Kentucky. Additionally, they will examine longitudinal trends with a focus on how the Covid-19 pandemic may have exacerbated pre-pandemic disparities. The results of this study will point towards new policies and intervention strategies around the individual contributors to MM with the goal of reducing maternal mortality across the state and within at-risk populations.

Funding will support the following faculty and staff:

-- Jeremy Gaskins, PhD, Associate Professor, Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, SPHIS

-- Melissa Eggen, MPH, Program Manager, Commonwealth Institute of Kentucky

-- Jennifer Hamm, MD, Associate Professor, Dept. of OB/GYN & Women’s Health, School of Medicine

-- Riten Mitra, PhD, Associate Professor, Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, SPHIS

-- Justin Jatczak, MD, Instructor, Dept. of OB/GYN & Women’s Health, School of Medicine

-- Two graduate research assistants in the Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics

Different services for patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder: telehealth, certified peer support services, and targeted case management
PI: Maiying Kong, PhD
Award: $187,079 

Kong’s research team will investigate the utilization and effectiveness of telehealth, certified peer support, and targeted case management services among patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder. Using the Kentucky Medicaid Medical Claims Database, they will assess the trend and geographic distribution of these services, and their impact on health outcomes (i.e., more remissions and less alcohol associated liver diseases), emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and Medicaid expenditure. These results will help the CHFS to evaluate different programs for AUD patients and make evidence-based recommendations and decisions.

Funding will support the following faculty and staff:

-- Maiying Kong, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, SPHIS

-- Haojiang Huang, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine

-- Craig McClain, MD, Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology & Toxicology, and Director of UofL Alcohol Research Center, School of Medicine

-- KB Kulasekera, PhD, Professor & Chair, Director, Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, SPHIS

-- Qi Zheng, PhD, Associate Professor, Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, SPHIS

-- Two graduate research assistants in the Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics 

Quantifying Medicaid policies aimed at increasing health equity: A comparative study over time
PI: Michael Sekula, PhD
Award: $200,220

The objective of Sekula's research is to understand the effectiveness of the Kentucky Medicaid policies adopted in response to the SARS-CoV-2 Public Health Emergency (PHE) period in the context of health policy ecosystems. The team will determine which policies, policy elements, or combination policy and elements promoted health equity, as measured through utilization of services and health outcomes of beneficiaries. Quantitative claims analysis paired with policy analysis will inform CHFS policymakers of the reach, use, and outcomes of policies for different subpopulations of Medicaid beneficiaries before and during the PHE period.

Funding will support the following faculty members:

-- Michael Sekula, PhD, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics

-- Michelle Rose, MBA, Norton Healthcare, Manager of Population Health

-- Bert Little, PhD, Professor & Chair, Dept. of Health Management and Systems Sciences