Six research projects were funded through the Community Health Advocacy program to generate solutions focused on the following areas:
The CHA program is a partnership between OSF HealthCare and The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).
Digital Stability and Outreach to Advance Screening Equity
Focusing on improving mammography screening rates, this project investigates how digital communication instability affects outreach to Medicaid‑insured and uninsured women. The study evaluates layered outreach strategies—such as text messaging paired with patient navigation—and develops digital stability metrics to better predict and support successful screening. Insights will inform scalable digital resilience approaches to strengthen preventive care access in communities facing high mobile‑device churn and connectivity challenges.
Shared Voices in Respite Care
This project explores how cancer patients and their caregivers make respite care decisions together, and how alignment in their preferences affects well‑being. By studying 60 patient–caregiver pairs, the team will assess how shared priorities, communication, and decision‑making influence stress, quality of life, and satisfaction. Insights from the study will guide the development of tools to support shared decision‑making and increase the use and sustainability of respite care in home‑based cancer support.
Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG) Therapy: An Ethnographic Inquiry
This project explores tabletop role‑playing games (TTRPGs) as an innovative form of mental health therapy, using ethnographic methods to observe real‑world sessions and gather patient and clinician insights. TTRPG‑based therapy offers a flexible, culturally adaptable, and low‑stigma alternative to traditional talk therapy, creating a safe space for identity exploration and social skill development. Findings from this study will help build an evidence base to guide future research, validate therapeutic outcomes, and advance equitable, narrative‑driven mental health solutions.
Digital Literacy: A Framework for Patient & Institutional Adaptability
Centered on reducing digital health literacy disparities, this project introduces a dual-index framework to assess both individual readiness for digital care and institutional capacity to deliver it equitably. Using surveys, EHR data, audits, and stakeholder feedback, the team will validate the indices and test an AI‑guided intervention model to improve patient engagement and system adaptability. The results aim to help healthcare organizations design more inclusive, patient‑centered digital care strategies that enhance outcomes and reduce disparities.
Informing Development of a Perinatal Mental Health Screening Tool
This project develops and tests PRISM, a digital tool designed to support mental health education and screening for pregnant and postpartum patients. By tailoring content to diverse cultural and religious contexts and refining the tool through feedback from patients and nurses, the team aims to ensure its usability and effectiveness. Ultimately, PRISM will streamline screening and referrals, improving access to respectful, timely mental health support and better outcomes for mothers and their children.
Equity in Cancer Care: Identifying Barriers for Vulnerable Populations
With a focus on improving preventive cancer care, this project investigates the communication and access barriers that prevent vulnerable populations from receiving essential education, screening, and vaccination for HPV‑related cancers. By partnering with clinics and community organizations, the study will gather insights from patients and providers to identify respectful, inclusive approaches that support early intervention. The findings will guide future education strategies that help clinicians deliver care that is both medically sound and sensitive to patients’ values and beliefs.
Harnessing Mobile Technology to Diagnose Migraine in Rural Communities (II)
Building on earlier success, this project expands the use of the MIGRO mobile app in primary care clinics to improve timely and accurate migraine diagnosis. Phase 2 will test the tool in real‑world settings, gather patient and provider feedback, and refine its clinical usefulness. By integrating MIGRO into routine visits, the project aims to reduce diagnostic delays and help more patients access appropriate care for migraines and related headache conditions.
Generalization and Deployment of a Passive, Engageable Lumbar Exoskeleton
This project focuses on reducing lower back pain among healthcare workers by developing a passive, wearable lumbar exoskeleton designed specifically for clinical tasks. By tailoring the device to the physical demands of caregiving roles, the effort aims to provide safer lifting support, reduce injury risk, and help retain staff in physically demanding care environments.
Peoria's Path to Cervical Cancer Prevention
Seeking to improve cervical cancer outcomes in the Tri‑County region, this project identifies barriers such as low HPV vaccination rates, limited screening access, and stigma that contribute to higher local incidence and mortality. Phase 1 will gather insights from community members and clinicians to inform culturally relevant strategies, while Phase 2 will implement targeted efforts such as vaccination campaigns and mobile screening programs. Together, these activities aim to boost prevention, increase screening and vaccination rates, and reduce disparities among underserved populations.
Noninvasive Detection and Stratification of HCC with Liquid Biopsy
This project advances noninvasive diagnosis and stratification of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by combining a CRISPR‑based detection system with photonic resonator absorption microscopy to identify CTNNB1 mutations in circulating tumor DNA. By linking these mutations with imaging features and treatment outcomes, the study aims to improve early detection and guide personalized therapies. The research also explores gender and ethnic disparities in HCC to support more equitable cancer care.
Improving Information Access to Advance Health Equity for IL Residents
Focused on reducing health disparities tied to unmet social determinants of health, this project develops the 1‑Search system to give healthcare professionals fast, reliable access to critical care‑related information at the point of need. By integrating diverse content sources with generative AI, the system aims to close information gaps across interprofessional teams and support timely, well‑informed decision‑making. The ultimate goal is to enable clinicians to answer most clinical questions within minutes, improving care quality and advancing health equity for Illinois residents.
Central Illinois Child Health Initiative (CICHI): Cultivating Future Health
Aiming to strengthen childhood nutrition and food security in low‑income communities, this project expands access to fresh, affordable foods while improving nutrition literacy among families. By offering reduced‑price produce markets at Head Start and Out‑of‑School-Time sites and providing navigators to help families enroll in SNAP and WIC, the study will evaluate impacts on food security, nutrition habits, and fruit and vegetable intake for 440 children and caregivers. The project also examines sustainable models for healthy food markets, with outcomes guiding future efforts to support long-term nutrition and health equity.
AI Insights to Combat Community-Acquired Antimicrobial Resistance: AI-CAAR
This project uses AI‑driven predictive and spatial models to identify antimicrobial‑resistance (AMR) risks, including high‑risk communities, behaviors, and hotspots. By combining surveys, lab data, and input from communities and health systems, the team will guide targeted interventions and education to reduce AMR in vulnerable populations. The approach supports efforts to improve population health and address disparities while contributing to broader national and global AMR initiatives.
GuardianRx: Defending Against 'Flesh-Eating' Drugs with AI-Powered Insights
This project develops an AI‑powered system, guided by community input, to predict and track the emergence of dangerous drugs such as Krokodil and Xylazine—particularly those classified as “flesh‑eating drugs.” By combining social‑network data, Google Trends, and socioeconomic indicators, the tool aims to enable real‑time monitoring and support timely public‑health responses. The initiative ultimately works to reduce barriers to care and strengthen health education in communities served by OSF.
Simplifying Diabetes Self-care through Technology in T2DM Minority Adults
This project tests a six‑week pilot program, ADDEAL, designed to help minority adults with type 2 diabetes improve daily self‑management using real‑time or intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring. By giving participants immediate insight into how diet, activity, medication, and glucose levels interact, the study aims to strengthen self‑care skills and assess the program’s feasibility and acceptability. Findings will guide refinement of the intervention for a larger trial to improve diabetes outcomes in underserved populations.
Mapping Structural Drivers of Health in Cuba, Illinois
This project combines publicly available data with insights from Cuba, Illinois residents to build a clearer picture of the environmental and social factors shaping health in a rural community. Using an interactive card‑sorting tool to gather both quantitative and qualitative input, the team will map how individual experiences connect to broader structural trends. The findings aim to guide more targeted and effective support systems that address local health needs.