Research Centers - University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

AT HOME
Mr. Jackson and Mr. Jones are both 65 year
old Philadelphians. They share a love of their
communities, their hometown sports teams,
card games, and a diagnosis of type 2
diabetes. Despite these similarities, there is
one life-threatening difference — Mr. Jones
is more likely to die from complications
caused by his diabetes than Mr. Jackson
simply because Mr. Jones is African
American and Mr. Jackson is Caucasian.
Both here and abroad, some are
suffering from complications of manageable
diseases because they lack access to care and
education. The School of Nursing’s Center for
Health Disparities Research (CHDR) is working
to close the gap in disease diagnosis and
access to appropriate care.
“Despite steady improvements in
the overall health of the U.S. population,
disparities still exist,” says Loretta Sweet
Jemmott, GNu ’82, GR ’87, HOM ’95, PhD,
RN, FAAN, the van Ameringen Professor
in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing and
CHDR Director. “Racial and ethnic minorities
receive a lower quality of healthcare and
have higher rates of morbidity and mortality
than non-minorities, even when accessrelated
factors, such as insurance status and
income are controlled,” says Dr. Jemmott,
indicating the life expectancy for African
Americans is approximately five years
shorter than Caucasians.
According to Dr. Jemmott, issues
that contribute to health disparities
include personal behavior and lifestyle,
socioeconomic status, cultural and religious
backgrounds, education level, racism,
discrimination, bias, and marginalization.
In Philadelphia, the Center has established
relationships with public and private
schools, healthcare clinics and providers,
the Philadelphia Departments of Health
and Housing, the Hospital of the University
of Pennsylvania, The Children’s Hospital of
Philadelphia, and local community advisory
boards. “In order to be successful with these
groups, it is important to understand the
various cultural issues and traditions that
impact health-related behaviors and tailor
the evidenced-based program accordingly,”
says Dr. Jemmott.
Also conducting research in a cultural
context, Assistant Professor of Nursing
Lisa M. Lewis, PhD, RN, is working in
West Philadelphia to determine the impact
spirituality has on hypertension care and
control in the African American community.
“Cardiovascular disease is the number
one cause of death for African Americans
and the prevalence of hypertension in that
community is more than 40 percent,” says
Dr. Lewis. “Unfortunately, many African
Americans often do not seek healthcare
because they do not trust providers or may
have had negative experiences in the past.
We have to bring healthcare to them, in
places where they are comfortable.” While
patients have reported they pray for doctors
and nurses, Dr. Lewis has also discovered
Cultivating
the Next Generation
of Scientists
Roberta L. Waite, EdD, MSN,
APRN, a postdoctoral research
fellow in the CHDR, investigates
depression in women who are
HIV positive and Adult Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
among ethnic minority populations,
particularly African American
women. “The Center has been
instrumental to my research and
scholarship endeavors in developing
my writing for peer-reviewed
journals and in developing proposals
for grants,” she says. “The Center has
also been helpful in supporting my
connection with colleagues having
similar research interests. These
relationships will continue after the
completion of my fellowship.”
september 2007 | 17