Improving surgical recovery programs for patients with low health literacy
Official title: Adapting Enhanced Recovery Programs (ERPs) through Health Literacy to Eliminate Surgical Disparities
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11066477 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking to make recovery after surgery easier for patients who might struggle to understand health information by using helpful visuals and better communication, so everyone can have a smoother healing process.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $457,786 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA271303-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11066477 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are surgical patients aged 21 and older who have low health literacy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with high health literacy or those not undergoing surgery may not receive benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to enhance recovery programs for surgical patients by addressing the needs of those with low health literacy. The team will implement a novel strategy called VISACT, which includes using visual aids to engage patients, coaching healthcare providers on effective communication, and training organizations to improve health literacy. By adapting existing recovery programs to better fit these patients, the research seeks to improve surgical outcomes and reduce disparities in care. The study will test these adaptations to ensure they effectively meet the needs of low health literacy populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved surgical outcomes and reduced disparities for patients with low health literacy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that enhanced recovery programs can reduce racial disparities in surgical outcomes, indicating potential success for this adapted approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chu, Daniel I — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Chu, Daniel I
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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.