Improving nurse practitioner primary care to address social needs and reduce health gaps
Enhancing Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Delivery to Address Social Determinants of Health and Reduce Health Disparities: A mixed-methods national study
['FUNDING_R01'] · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · NIH-11285270
This project looks at how nurse practitioners can better handle social and daily-life needs to improve care for older adults, especially Black and Hispanic patients.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11285270 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You'll learn whether clinics led by nurse practitioners can help with things like housing, food, transportation, and other daily needs that affect health. The research team will analyze national data, use geographic mapping to see where NP clinics serve patients, and apply multilevel statistical models to link local living conditions to care quality measures like diabetes testing. They will interview clinicians and use a positive-deviance approach to find high-performing NP practices and practical strategies that work in underserved areas. The results will suggest clinic-level or policy changes to help reduce care gaps for older adults.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be adults aged 65 and older who receive primary care from nurse practitioners, especially Black and Hispanic patients in underserved communities.
Not a fit: People younger than 65 or those who do not receive care from nurse practitioner-led clinics are less likely to directly benefit from this study's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make primary care more responsive to patients' social needs and help reduce racial and ethnic gaps in care for older adults.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller local studies suggest NP-led care and social-support strategies can help, but this is the first national mixed-methods effort using mapping and positive-deviance to scale those findings.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: POGHOSYAN, LUSINE — COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- Study coordinator: POGHOSYAN, LUSINE
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.