Pilot Projects: UCLA

1. Variations in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioners' Diagnosis and Treatment of Postmenopausal Women Experiencing Hot Flashes

Investigators: Dawn M. Upchurch, PhD (Department of Community Health Sciences, UCLA School of Public Health); Gail A. Greendale (Department of Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology); Michael R. Irwin, MD (Neuropsychiatric Institute).

Purpose: The overall goal of the pilot project was to better understand how TCM practitioners' diagnose and treat postmenopausal hot flashes and to use this information in the development of a larger scale experimental study. The specific aims of the study were to: 1) Convene a Panel of TCM Experts to develop a set of diagnostic and treatment criteria for Kidney Yin deficiency among postmenopausal women experiencing hot flashes; 2) Evaluate the degree of agreement among acupuncturists in their diagnosis of women with postmenopausal hot flashes and the extent to which the agree with the "gold standard" established by the Panel of Experts.

2. Creation of Health States to Convey Cancer Treatment Options to Older Patients

Investigators: Arash Naeim, MD, PhD (Geriatric-Oncology); Anne Coscarelli, PhD (Psychology).

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to convene focus groups to (1) understand the experiences older women with breast cancer had with adjuvant breast cancer therapy; (2) validate a priori definitions and scenarios of adjuvant therapy, goals of treatment and outcomes of treatment; (3) determine if participant experiences about adjuvant therapy were similar to the explanations provided by their physician about the goals, benefits, side effects of treatment.

3. Strategies to Improve Swallowing Behavior and Fluid Intake of Nursing Home Residents with Dysphagia

Investigators: Janet Mentes, RN, PhD (Nursing); Janet Bauer, DDS (Dentistry); Susan Spackman, DDS (Dentistry); Julie Jones, SLP (Speech Pathology).

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to (1) describe contributors of swallowing difficulties in nursing home residents through the use of an interdisciplinary assessment team consisting of a dentist, speech pathologist and nurse; (2) pilot test a phased intervention consisting of: a) 3-week oral care regimen, and b) 4-week biofeedback-assisted exercises encouraging an effortful swallow, on the swallowing ability and fluid intake in residents who have documented swallowing problems; and (3) evaluate participants' and NH staff's satisfaction with the intervention regimen.

4. Improving Pain Detection among Nursing Home Residents with a Staff Management Model

Investigators: Barbara M. Bates-Jensen PhD, RN (Nursing); Sandra F. Simmons PhD, (Psychology); Cathy Alessi, MD, Bruce Ferrell, MD (Medicine); Mary Cadogan, DrPH, RN, GNP (Nursing).

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to gather preliminary data on the implementation of the Pain Detection Interview and physician communication protocol using the integrated training and management model for translating this research intervention into nursing home practice.

5. Epidemiology of Family Conferences in Geriatric Inpatient Medical Care

Investigators: Iris Cohen Fineberg, Ph.D., M.S.W., and Neil Wenger, M.D., M.P.H.

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to characterize the epidemiology of family conferences in geriatric inpatient medical care. The project goals are to determine prevalence of family conference use, to describe structural characteristics of these conferences (e.g. length, location, participants), to describe the roles of professionals from multiple disciplines in conferences, and to compare perceptions of multiple health care providers, family members and patients about the purpose and success of conferences.