The ACCELERATE Research Group has identified that academic, community, government, and industry partnerships are the basis for achieving health for all. From this base, the group has acknowledged 4 necessary pillars. These include: Health System to Community Interventions, Community-Based Participatory Research, Data Analytics, and Quality Improvement. See below the current endeavors that the team is taking to fulfill these pillars, and ultimately, the groups mission of advancing cardiometabolic health for all.

Health System to Community Interventions

LINK

  • The LINK study seeks to improve the understanding of how healthcare and community-based organizations can work together to address social needs and improve diabetes management and control for those with Type 2 Diabetes that experience food insecurity. This is done through linking diabetes education, produce provision, and community resources and referrals during diabetes care and intervention.

SUSTAIN

  • In the SUSTAIN study, participants are Medicaid enrolled individuals over 18 years of age, who have been diagnosed with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, chronic kidney disease and/or metabolic syndrome. Participants will have 4 office visits over 24 weeks and will receive $100 Instacart vouchers every 2 weeks for 8 weeks and may receive behavioral nutrition counseling. The goal is to determine the feasibility and engagement of participants in the SUSTAIN intervention compared to enhanced usual care over 24 weeks through mixed-methods measurement of participant enrollment, adherence, retention, and engagement (counseling, screenings, referrals, and uptake). 

FASTER

  • The goal of the FASTER study is to determine the feasibility and acceptability of Fitbit smartwatches in the lives of adults 65+ participating in Ohio State University’s Exercise is Medicine (EIM) program. Additionally, FASTER uses smartwatches to assess participants physical activity levels before and after completion of Exercise is Medicine. The study also collects biometric data, such as A1c and survey information regarding behavior and food patterns, before and after completion of EIM as well as 6 and 12 months after the completion of EIM.

ACHIEVE

  • In the ACHIEVE study medicaid-enrolled pregnant women with pregestational uncontrolled type 2 diabetes are provided a continuous glucose monitor and mobile health app with provider dashboards where they can log in their obstetrical needs as well as their social needs. The dashboard information sends information to a community health worker, an endocrinologist, an obstetrician-gynecologist, or a diabetes nurse. The main goals of this trial funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, is to improve diabetes outcomes not only in the pregnant women but also perinatal outcomes for the baby.

  • Exercise is Medicine (EIM) is a global health initiative, encouraging primary care physicians and other healthcare providers to include physical activity when designing treatment plans, and to refer patients to evidence-based exercise programs and qualified exercise professionals. Research proves that exercise may help to treat or prevent more than 40 diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. The program begins with a physicians referral and includes three one-on-one and 16 group sessions over 12 weeks. An Exercise Specialist will design a personalized fitness plan to help participants meet their health and wellness goals. They will support and motivate participants to build confidence for long term exercise adherence.

EIM

STAK

  • The Healthy Heart Diet Study, STAK, is a collaboration of several departments at The Ohio State University and is funded through the U.S. Department of Defense. STAK seeks to examine the effects of a ketogenic diet (KD) compared to mixed diet (MD) on cardiac function and exercise tolerance after 6-wks (food provided) and 6-months (remote care monitoring) in patients with type-2 diabetes and heart failure. 

Community-Based Participatory Research

Black Impact

  • Black Impact is a community-based intervention study to improve cardiovascular health in African American males. During the African American Male Wellness Walk in Columbus, Ohio, over 1,000 men get a health screening to access their overall cardiovascular health. 100 of those men will be implemented into Black Impact where, as a collective, they will meet weekly with physical trainers, dieticians, physicians, and other community health workers to improve their cardiovascular health and psychosocial stress. 

Data Analytics

CARDIA

  • The CARDIA study by the American Heart Association aimed to quantify the association between childhood family environment and longitudinal cardiovascular health (CVH) in adult CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) Study participants. The study also  investigated whether the association differs by adult income

REGARDS

  • “REGARDS is an ongoing, national cohort study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Between 2003-2007, the study enrolled 30,239 black and white participants from the continental United States. For over two decade, the study has followed its participants to understand why Southerners and Black Americans have higher rates of stroke and related diseases that affect brain health.”

MESA

  • “The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) is an NHLBI-sponsored medical research study that looks at early, or subclinical, atherosclerosis in diverse participants. Atherosclerosis is a disease in which plaque builds up inside the arteries… The goal of MESA is to identify factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease that occurs with or without obvious symptoms.”

NHANES

  • “NHANES is a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. The survey is unique in that it combines interviews and physical examinations. NHANES is a major program of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). NCHS is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and has the responsibility for producing vital and health statistics for the Nation”

Jackson Heart Study

  • “The mission of the JHS is to elucidate the reasons for the greater prevalence of cardiovascular disease among African Americans and to uncover new approaches for reducing this health disparity. In addressing its mission, the Jackson Heart Study values accountability, commitment, competency, collaboration, excellence, respect, teamwork, and trust.”

Quality Improvement

Cardio-OH

  • “Cardi-OH is a statewide collaborative of health care professionals who share best practices to improve cardiovascular and diabetes outcomes and eliminate disparities.”

ACE QIP

  • “The Achieving Cardiovascular Equity (ACE+) Quality Improvement Project (QIP) is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention and Management Program. Building on previous successes, ACE+ will focus on improving cardiovascular health by increasing hypertension control, addressing hyperlipidemia treatment, and connecting patients with resources to address health-related social needs.”

MEDTAPP Diabetes QIP

  • “The MEDTAPP Diabetes Quality Improvement Project (QIP) is the second quality improvement project that is part of the Ohio Department of Medicaid Chronic Conditions Quality Collaborative. Diabetes is a significant public health issue and is the 7th leading cause of death in Ohio. Poorly controlled diabetes increases risk of comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and physical disabilities such as blindness and amputation. Diabetes has disparate effects on the population by race, geography, and income.”