Roanoke-Chowan Community College

Abstract Project TRIP is an innovative individualized transportation program for low-income adults in rural eastern North Carolina (eNC), that aims to increase access to healthcare and reduce health disparities. This paper presents results from a 3-year grant which sought to evaluate TRIP and expand it to a neighboring eNC county. The concurrent mixed methods findings from the process/implementation, outcome/effectiveness, and economic evaluation, and qualitative interview data with TRIP stakeholders (N=40) will be presented. Findings include relationships between pre and post TRIP enrollment health data indicating improvements in health outcomes and decreases in health care utilization, including estimated costs savings of Project TRIP. Qualitative interview data will be discussed in substantiating the quantitative evaluation data. Interviews with stakeholders in the TRIP replication and expansion county site will also be presented including pilot test data in that county. The presentation will conclude with implications for sustainability and further expansion of TRIP.

In the United States, Latino farmworkers are disproportionately at risk for death from heat-related illnesses. To elicit Latino farmworker perceptions on their fluid intake and heat stress, a qualitative descriptive, community-informed research study was conducted in eastern North Carolina. A total of 28 Mexican farmworkers participated in one of 4 focus groups. Using content analysis and guided by Intersectionality theory, themes and subthemes were identified. The first theme was Absence of Protection, represented by 2 subthemes: (1a) Intense Climate Considerations; and (1b) Workplace Exploitation. The second theme, Freedom to Drink, included 2 subthemes: (2a) Distance and Distaste; and (2b) Culture of Farm Work. Farmworkers perceived extreme outdoor temperatures as the greatest workplace barrier to staying hydrated and reported water accessibility and quality issues. Farmworker fluid intake was influenced by interlocking social categories and power systems. Policy recommendations that prevent farmworker heat-related illness and promote hydration are discussed.

ABSTRACTThe Youth Health Literacy Project targeted middle and high school students in a rural county who were enrolled in health and physical fitness classes. Students were instructed on good, reliable health information websites using the Internet. The authors also loaned each student an Amazon Kindle Fire tablet to gauge the student’s grasp of health literacy information. A pretest and posttest measured the effectiveness of the instruction.

Remote patient monitoring that tracks vital signs of patients with chronic diseases is offering more-frequent contact between the patient and the primary care provider, providing earlier detection of potential problems, and allowing real-time alerts, resulting in a proactive, affordable option for best-practice health care.

Children with Asperger syndrome may frequently exhibit problems in the areas of social, behavioral, academic, motor, and sensory skills. Interventions are most effective if they are consistently implemented, use concrete information and visual structures, and utilize the assistance of parents, teachers, peers, and therapists.