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Pediatric Informatics: Computer Applications in Child Health (Health ...

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Chapter 34<br />

<strong>Pediatric</strong> Research and <strong>Informatics</strong><br />

Harold P. Lehmann, Paul A. Law and Allen Y. Tien<br />

Objectives<br />

To articulate the types of research impacted by <strong>in</strong>formatics<br />

To identify new types of research that can be performed only with <strong>in</strong>formatics<br />

<strong>in</strong>novations<br />

To articulate the phases of the research cycle and how <strong>in</strong>formation technology<br />

supports them<br />

34.1 Introduction: The Agenda and Scope of <strong>Pediatric</strong><br />

Research<br />

<strong>Pediatric</strong> research seeks to improve and optimize child health through scientific<br />

exploration and translation of the products and results of research <strong>in</strong>to cl<strong>in</strong>ical<br />

practice. With advances <strong>in</strong> research methods and technology, scientists are progressively<br />

able to address new and persistent problems <strong>in</strong> cl<strong>in</strong>ical medic<strong>in</strong>e, quality<br />

improvement, health services, public and population health and bio<strong>in</strong>formatics as<br />

well as <strong>in</strong> new doma<strong>in</strong>s. Current federal <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> speed<strong>in</strong>g knowledge translation<br />

from laboratory to cl<strong>in</strong>ical practice to improve outcomes has led to the study of the<br />

improvement and optimization of the research process itself, and how translation<br />

and adoption of best practices occurs with<strong>in</strong> the health community. As health care<br />

research and technologies to save and prolong life evolve, even more questions<br />

arise regard<strong>in</strong>g the wisdom, responsibility, and the equity of their use, to protect<br />

children and their rights and the rights of their families.<br />

The doma<strong>in</strong> of pediatric research is wide: from newborns to adults, from genetics<br />

to environment, from well children to the critically ill. Units of analysis can<br />

range from <strong>in</strong>dividuals to families to communities and populations. Areas of study<br />

encompass all th<strong>in</strong>gs that affect children, their growth, health, and development<br />

from <strong>in</strong> utero exposures to home, school, playground, and even society.<br />

C.U. Lehmann et al. (eds.), <strong>Pediatric</strong> <strong>Informatics</strong>: <strong>Computer</strong> <strong>Applications</strong> 439<br />

<strong>in</strong> <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Health</strong>, <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Informatics</strong>,<br />

© Spr<strong>in</strong>ger Science + Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Media, LLC 2009

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