Medical Specialties Commons^™

Needs And Gaps In Resident Trainee Education, Clinical Patient Care, And Clinical Research In Cosmetic Dermatology: Position Statement Of The Association Of Academic Cosmetic Dermatology, Kira Minkis, Diana Bolotin, M Laurin Council, Anna Bar, Ronda S Farah, Nour Kibbi, Rachel Y N Miest, Jeffrey S Orringer, Arisa Ortiz, Kathleen C Suozzi, Neelam A Vashi, Simon S Yoo, Joerg Albrecht, Travis W Blalock, Alison J Bruce, Min Deng, Shraddha Desai, Milad Eshaq, Lori A Fiessinger, Erica Ghareeb, Tanya Greywal, Adelaide A Hebert, Deirdre Hooper, Maria Hordinsky, Jenny C Hu, Atieh Jibbe, Jayne Joo, Kristen M Kelly, Sonya Kenkare, Shilpi Khetarpal, Lauren C S Kole, A Shadi Kourosh, Helena Kuhn, Kachiu C Lee, Roberta Lucas, Janiene Luke, Mariam Mafee, Tiffany T Mayo, Zeena Y Nawas, Edit B Olasz Harken, Michelle V Pearlstein, Vesna Petronic-Rosic, Carolyn A Robinson, Megan N Rogge, Sami K Saikaly, Olivia L Schenck, Cynthia A Schlick, Ladan Shahabi, Desmond M Shipp, Melissa Shive, Sirunya Silapunt, Erik J Stratman, Ronald Sulewski, Amanda K Suggs, Leila Tolaymat, Kimberley H M Ward, Mara Weinstein Velez, Joshua Zeichner, Bianca Y Kang, Sarah A Ibrahim, Rachel E Christensen, Noor Anvery, Mckenzie A Dirr, Naomi Lawrence, Murad Alam

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cosmetic dermatology is a key subspecialty of academic dermatology. As such, academic centers are expected to demonstrate excellence in the teaching of cosmetic dermatology skills to trainees, the clinical delivery of cosmetic dermatology services to patients, and the performance of clinical research that advances knowledge and uncovers new therapies in cosmetic dermatology. The Association of Academic Cosmetic Dermatology (AACD), a newly formed medical professional society, includes as its principal aims the support of all of these areas. AACD is comprised of group of board-certified dermatologists who teach cosmetic and laser dermatology at US dermatology residency programs. An expert panel constituted …

Anti-Ro/Ssa Antibodies In Atrioventricular Block: Innocent Bystander Or Mechanistic Driver?, Joshua A Keefe, Xander H T Wehrens

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Contemporary Changes In Etiology For Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Liver Transplantation, Cameron Goff, Anjiya Shaikh, Karthik Goli, Hashem B El-Serag, Fasiha Kanwal, George Cholankeril

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Robotic Surgery And Hospital Reimbursement, Nicholas H Yim, Jacob Mccarter, Tareck Haykal, Ali M Aral, Jessie Z Yu, Edward Reece, Sebastian Winocour

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The field of plastic surgery remains at the forefront of technological and surgical innovation. However, the promising applications of robotics in plastic surgery must be thoughtfully balanced with hospital finances and reimbursements. Robotic systems have been studied extensively across multiple surgical disciplines and across diverse health care systems. The results show that there may be equal or better patient outcomes than alternatives. In an era where fiscal responsibility in health care is a top priority, thoughtful budgeting and spending must be considered and revisited frequently to attain sustainable organizational models that ensure appropriate use of robotic technology.

Transplanting Hepatitis B Surface Antigen-Positive Livers In The United States: Outcomes And Opportunities, Anshul Bhatnagar, Sameer Prakash, Peter Lymberopoulos, Cameron Goff, Anjiya Shaikh, Donghee Kim, Aijaz Ahmed, Carl Berg, Susanna Naggie, Fasiha Kanwal, George Cholankeril, Tzu-Hao Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Livers from donors with positive hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg+) have been used to expand the donor pool; however, outcome data are limited. We aim to evaluate survival following liver transplant (LT) from HBsAg+ donors. Using the United Network for Organ Sharing registry, we identified HBsAg+ donors used for LT from 2009 to 2020. We used Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazards regression to compare post-LT survival in hepatitis B virus-negative recipients who utilized HBsAg+ donors to propensity-matched cohorts who utilized other types of donors. From 2009-2020, 70 patients received HBsAg+ livers, and 58 of them did not carry a …

High Risk Lung Nodule: A Multidisciplinary Approach To Diagnosis And Management, Babith J Mankidy, Ghasemirad Mohammad, Kelly Trinh, Anoop P Ayyappan, Quillan Huang, Steven Bujarski, Mohammad S Jafferji, Ravi Ghanta, Alexander N Hanania, Donald R Lazarus

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pulmonary nodules are often discovered incidentally during CT scans performed for other reasons. While the vast majority of nodules are benign, a small percentage may represent early-stage lung cancer with the potential for curative treatments. With the growing use of CT for both clinical purposes and lung cancer screening, the number of pulmonary nodules detected is expected to increase substantially. Despite well-established guidelines, many nodules do not receive proper evaluation due to a variety of factors, including inadequate coordination of care and financial and social barriers. To address this quality gap, novel approaches such as multidisciplinary nodule clinics and multidisciplinary …

Blunted Adaptive Immune Responses And Acute Exacerbations Of Copd: Breaking The Code, Ken R Bracke, Francesca Polverino

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Leveraging Omics To Predict Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations: The "Immunome", Francesca Polverino, Ravi Kalhan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Development And Validation Of The Houston-Best, A Barrett's Esophagus Risk Prediction Model Adaptable To Electronic Health Records, Theresa Nguyen Wenker, Joel H Rubenstein, Aaron P Thrift, Hardeep Singh, Hashem B El-Serag

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Improving The Diagnostic Process For Patients With Possible Bladder And Kidney Cancer: A Mixed-Methods Study To Identify Potential Missed Diagnostic Opportunities, Yin Zhou, Hardeep Singh, Willie Hamilton, Stephanie Archer, Sapphire Tan, James Brimicombe, Georgios Lyratzopoulos, Fiona M Walter

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Patients with bladder and kidney cancer may experience diagnostic delays.

Aim: To identify patterns of suboptimal care and contributors of potential missed diagnostic opportunities (MDOs).

Design and setting: Prospective, mixed-methods study recruiting participants from nine general practices in Eastern England between June 2018 and October 2019.

Method: Patients with possible bladder and kidney cancer were identified using eligibility criteria based on National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for suspected cancer. Primary care records were reviewed at recruitment and at 1 year for data on symptoms, tests, referrals, and diagnosis. Referral predictors were examined using logistic regression. …

Health Information Seeking In The Digital Age: A National Survey Of Women With Disabilities, Susan Robinson-Whelen, Rosemary B Hughes, Jeanne L Alhusen, Leanne Beers, Charles G Minard, David Davidson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Access to high quality and accessible online health information (OHI) is critical for reducing disparities, overcoming barriers, and improving the health of women with disabilities. This study aimed to understand women with physical disabilities' use of the Internet to access OHI, most often searched health topics, perceived usefulness of OHI, and self-reported eHealth literacy and challenges in OHI seeking.

METHODS: We conducted a national online survey with 508 women with physical disabilities who used the Internet.

RESULTS: Respondents utilized a wide variety of OHI resources. They searched a broad array of health and disability-related topics, with bowel/bladder and finding …

Anesthetic Management Of Renal Cell Carcinoma With Level 3 Inferior Vena Cava Extension In A Patient With Severe Coronary Artery Disease, Kyle R Gashler, Alan K Ritchie, Ryan Hood, Stephanie O Ibekwe

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

A 49-year-old male with untreated type 2 diabetes and a family history of coronary artery disease (CAD) presented with right flank pain and profound progressive dyspnea on exertion to the emergency department of Ben Taub Hospital, a tertiary county hospital. Workup revealed right renal cell carcinoma with metastatic extension into the inferior vena cava (IVC). In addition, the patient had significant CAD with 95% occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery amenable to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). After multidisciplinary discussions involving cardiovascular anesthesiology, cardiology, urology, and cardiothoracic surgery, it was estimated that the mortality benefit of immediate tumor …

Disparities In Antifibrotic Medication Utilization Among Veterans With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Bhavika Kaul, Joyce S Lee, Laura A Petersen, Charles Mcculloch, Ivan O Rosas, Venkata D Bandi, Ning Zhang, Alison M Dedent, Harold R Collard, Mary A Whooley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Two antifibrotic medications, pirfenidone and nintedanib, are approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Little is known about their real-world adoption.

Research question: What are the real-world antifibrotic utilization rates and factors associated with uptake among a national cohort of veterans with IPF?

Study design and methods: This study identified veterans with IPF who received care either provided by the Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System or non-VA care paid for by the VA. Patients who had filled at least one antifibrotic prescription through the VA pharmacy or Medicare Part D between October 15, 2014, and December 31, …

Hunger Extends Lifespan By Modulating Histone Proteins, Hailan Liu, Hongjie Li, Yong Xu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Utilization Rates Of Sglt2 Inhibitors Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Failure, And Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Insights From The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Aliza Hussain, David Ramsey, Michelle Lee, Dhruv Mahtta, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, Vijay Nambi, Christie M Ballantyne, Laura A Petersen, Adrienne D Walker, Waleed T Kayani, Javed Butler, Leandro Slipczuk, Joseph G Rogers, Biykem Bozkurt, Sankar D Navaneethan, Salim S Virani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated significant cardiovascular benefit with use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and heart failure (HF) irrespective of ejection fraction. There are limited data evaluating real-world prescription and practice patterns of SGLT2 inhibitors.

Objectives: The authors sought to assess utilization rates and facility-level variation in the use among patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), HF, and T2DM using data from the nationwide Veterans Affairs health care system.

Methods: The authors included patients with established ASCVD, HF, and T2DM seen by a primary care provider between January 1, 2020, …

Noncanonical Binding Of Transcription Factors: Time To Revisit Specificity?, Md Abul Hassan Samee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Transcription factors (TFs) are one of the most studied classes of DNA-binding proteins that have a direct functional impact on gene transcription and thus, on human physiology and disease. The mechanisms that TFs use for recognizing target DNA binding sites have been studied for nearly five decades, yet they remain poorly understood. It is classically assumed that a TF recognizes a specific sequence pattern, or motif, as its binding sites. However, recent studies are consistently finding examples of noncanonical binding, that is, TFs binding at sites that do not resemble their sequence motifs. Here we review the current literature on …

Disparities In Antifibrotic Medication Utilization Among Veterans With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Bhavika Kaul, Joyce S Lee, Laura A Petersen, Charles Mcculloch, Ivan O Rosas, Venkata D Bandi, Ning Zhang, Alison M Dedent, Harold R Collard, Mary A Whooley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Two antifibrotic medications, pirfenidone and nintedanib, are approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Little is known about their real-world adoption.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the real-world antifibrotic utilization rates and factors associated with uptake among a national cohort of veterans with IPF?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This study identified veterans with IPF who received care either provided by the Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System or non-VA care paid for by the VA. Patients who had filled at least one antifibrotic prescription through the VA pharmacy or Medicare Part D between October 15, 2014, and December 31, …

Exploring Gastrointestinal Health In Mecp2 Duplication Syndrome, Davut Pehlivan, Muharrem Ak, Daniel G Glaze, Bernhard Suter, Kathleen J Motil

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS) is a rare neurogenetic syndrome caused by duplications of MECP2 at the Xq28 region. Although constipation and gastrointestinal reflux are reported in MDS, a comprehensive characterization of gastrointestinal health has not been fully explored.

METHODS: We conducted a parent survey to explore the characteristics of gastrointestinal health in individuals with MDS using a secure online registry and compared differences in gastrointestinal symptoms between individuals with MDS and those with Rett syndrome (RTT).

KEY RESULTS: One hundred six surveys were analyzed. Symptoms commonly associated with constipation occurred in 72% to 89% of MDS individuals. Eleven percent …

Remote Robotic Surgery And Virtual Education Platforms: How Advanced Surgical Technologies Can Increase Access To Surgical Care In Resource-Limited Settings, Youmna A Sherif, Mohammed A Adam, Aimee Imana, Sarnai Erdene, Rachel W Davis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Advanced surgical technologies consist of remote and virtual platforms that facilitate surgical care and education. It also includes the infrastructure necessary to utilize these platforms (e.g., internet access, robotic systems, and simulators). Given that 5 billion people lack access to safe and timely surgical care, the appeal of these technologies to the field of global surgery lies primarily in its ability to eliminate geographical barriers and address surgeon shortages. This article discusses the use of virtual and remote technologies in resource-limited settings, the potential applications of these technologies, the possible barriers to their integration, and the impact these technologies may …

Deployment Of Cisplatin In Veterans With Oropharyngeal Cancer: Toxicity And Impact On Oncologic Outcomes, Ola Soliman, David C Wilde, Jan O Kemnade, Anita L Sabichi, George Chen, Albert Chen, Samantha N Little, Andrew T Huang, David J Hernandez, Vlad C Sandulache

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: Cisplatin forms the backbone of systemic chemotherapy treatment for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). The ideal cisplatin dosing regimen remains yet to be fully defined for achieving optimal efficacy and toxicity profiles in patients with comorbidity.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed oncologic and toxicity data for patients with OPSCC treated at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center between 2000 and 2020 who initiated curative intent, definitive chemo-radiation with one of three single agent regimens: high dose (HD) cisplatin, low dose (LD) cisplatin or cetuximab.

RESULTS: Patients with HPV-associated tumors and nonsmokers demonstrated improved overall and disease-free survival along …

Current Practices In Pediatric Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy: A Systematic Review-Guided Multinational Modified Delphi Consensus Study, Dana Y Fuhrman, Katja M Gist, Ayse Akcan-Arikan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) has become an integral part of the care of critically ill children. However, uncertainty exists regarding the current state of how CKRT is prescribed and delivered in children. The main objective of this study was to identify the current practices for pediatric CKRT.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the literature from 2012 to 2022 to identify data regarding CKRT timing of initiation, dosing, anticoagulation, fluid removal, and quality monitoring. Using this data, we then performed a two-round modified Delphi process using a multinational internet-assisted survey of prescribers of CKRT.

RESULTS: The survey …

Safety And Efficacy Of Underwater Versus Conventional Endoscopic Mucosal Resection For Colorectal Polyps: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Rcts, Saurabh Chandan, Jay Bapaye, Shahab R Khan, Babu P Mohan, Daryl Ramai, Dushyant S Dahiya, Mohammad Bilal, Peter V Draganov, Mohamed O Othman, Joaquin Rodriguez Sánchez, Gursimran S Kochhar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and study aims Conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (C-EMR) is limited by low en-bloc resection rates, especially for large (> 20 mm) lesions. Underwater EMR (U-EMR) has emerged as an alternative for colorectal polyps and is being shown to improve en-bloc resection rates. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the two techniques.

Methods Multiple databases were searched through November 2022 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing outcomes of U-EMR and C-EMR for colorectal polyps. Meta-analysis was performed to determine pooled proportions and relative risks (RRs) of R0 and en-bloc resection, polyp recurrence, resection time, and adverse events.

Results …

Kinase Inhibitor Pulldown Assay Identifies A Chemotherapy Response Signature In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Based On Purine-Binding Proteins, Junkai Wang, Alexander B Saltzman, Eric J Jaehnig, Jonathan T Lei, Anna Malovannaya, Matthew V Holt, Meggie N Young, Mothaffar F Rimawi, Foluso O Ademuyiwa, Meenakshi Anurag, Beom-Jun Kim, Matthew J Ellis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) constitutes 10%–15% of all breast tumors. The current standard of care is multiagent chemotherapy, which is effective in only a subset of patients. The original objective of this study was to deploy a mass spectrometry (MS)-based kinase inhibitor pulldown assay (KIPA) to identify kinases elevated in non-pCR (pathologic complete response) cases for therapeutic targeting. Frozen optimal cutting temperature compound–embedded core needle biopsies were obtained from 43 patients with TNBC before docetaxel- and carboplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. KIPA was applied to the native tumor lysates that were extracted from samples with high tumor content. Seven percent of all …

Androgen-Regulated Stromal Complement Component 7 (C7) Suppresses Prostate Cancer Growth, Zhicheng Zhou, Deyong Jia, Ohjoon Kwon, Shan Li, Huiyun Sun, Martine P Roudier, Daniel W Lin, Lawrence True, Colm Morrissey, Chad J Creighton, John K Lee, Li Xin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The complement system is a major component of the innate immune system that works through the cytolytic effect of the membrane attack complex (MAC). Complement component 7 (C7) is essential for MAC assembly and its precisely regulated expression level is crucial for the cytolytic activity of MAC. We show that C7 is specifically expressed by the stromal cells in both mouse and human prostates. The expression level of C7 inversely correlates with clinical outcomes in prostate cancer. C7 is positively regulated by androgen signaling in the mouse prostate stromal cells. The androgen receptor directly transcriptionally regulates the mouse and human …

Heterogeneity Of The Group B Streptococcal Type Vii Secretion System And Influence On Colonization Of The Female Genital Tract, Brady L Spencer, Alyx M Job, Clare M Robertson, Zainab A Hameed, Camille Serchejian, Caitlin S Wiafe-Kwakye, Jéssica C Mendonça, Morgan A Apolonio, Prescilla E Nagao, Melody N Neely, Natalia Korotkova, Konstantin V Korotkov, Kathryn A Patras, Kelly S Doran

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Type VIIb secretion systems (T7SSb) in Gram-positive bacteria facilitate physiology, interbacterial competition, and/or virulence via EssC ATPase-driven secretion of small ɑ-helical proteins and toxins. Recently, we characterized T7SSb in group B Streptococcus (GBS), a leading cause of infection in newborns and immunocompromised adults. GBS T7SS comprises four subtypes based on variation in the C-terminus of EssC and the repertoire of downstream effectors; however, the intraspecies diversity of GBS T7SS and impact on GBS-host interactions remains unknown. Bioinformatic analysis indicates that GBS T7SS loci encode subtype-specific putative effectors, which have low interspecies and inter-subtype homology but contain similar domains/motifs and therefore …

A Myofiber-Derived Secreted Factor For Muscle Regeneration, Fang Xiao, Zheng Sun

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Feasibility Of Delivering A Virtual 1-Day Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Workshop To Rural Veterans Through Community Partnerships, Lilian Dindo, Angelic Chaison, Merlyn Rodrigues, Ken Woods, Alicia Mark, Derrecka Boykin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: This single-arm, open pilot study examined the feasibility and initial efficacy of a 1-day virtual Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group workshop for distressed veterans.

Methods: We collaborated with veteran-serving community-based organizations to enhance outreach to veterans, especially those in rural areas. Veterans completed a baseline assessment and two follow-up assessments (1 month, 3 months) after workshop participation. Feasibility outcomes included reach (workshop recruitment and completion rates; veteran characteristics) and acceptability (open-ended survey question about satisfaction). Clinical outcomes included psychological distress (Outcome Questionnaire-45), stressor-related distress (PTSD Checklist-5), community reintegration (Military to Civilian Questionnaire), and meaning and purpose (PROMIS Short …

Crat Links Cholesterol Metabolism To Innate Immune Responses In The Heart, Hua Mao, Aude Angelini, Shengyu Li, Guangyu Wang, Luge Li, Cam Patterson, Xinchun Pi, Liang Xie

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chronic inflammation is associated with increased risk and poor prognosis of heart failure; however, the precise mechanism that provokes sustained inflammation in the failing heart remains elusive. Here we report that depletion of carnitine acetyltransferase (CRAT) promotes cholesterol catabolism through bile acid synthesis pathway in cardiomyocytes. Intracellular accumulation of bile acid or intermediate, 7α-hydroxyl-3-oxo-4-cholestenoic acid, induces mitochondrial DNA stress and triggers cGAS-STING-dependent type I interferon responses. Furthermore, type I interferon responses elicited by CRAT deficiency substantially increase AIM2 expression and AIM2-dependent inflammasome activation. Genetic deletion of cardiomyocyte CRAT in mice of both sexes results in myocardial inflammation and dilated cardiomyopathy, …

Ancestral Diversity In Lipoprotein(A) Studies Helps Address Evidence Gaps, Moa P Lee, Sofia F Dimos, Laura M Raffield, Zhe Wang, Anna F Ballou, Carolina G Downie, Christopher H Arehart, Adolfo Correa, Paul S De Vries, Zhaohui Du, Christopher R Gignoux, Penny Gordon-Larsen, Xiuqing Guo, Jeffrey Haessler, Annie Green Howard, Yao Hu, Helina Kassahun, Shia T Kent, J Antonio G Lopez, Keri L Monda, Kari E North, Ulrike Peters, Michael H Preuss, Stephen S Rich, Shannon L Rhodes, Jie Yao, Rina Yarosh, Michael Y Tsai, Jerome I Rotter, Charles L Kooperberg, Ruth J F Loos, Christie Ballantyne, Christy L Avery, Mariaelisa Graff

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: The independent and causal cardiovascular disease risk factor lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is elevated in >1.5 billion individuals worldwide, but studies have prioritised European populations.

METHODS: Here, we examined how ancestrally diverse studies could clarify Lp(a)'s genetic architecture, inform efforts examining application of Lp(a) polygenic risk scores (PRS), enable causal inference and identify unexpected Lp(a) phenotypic effects using data from African (n=25 208), East Asian (n=2895), European (n=362 558), South Asian (n=8192) and Hispanic/Latino (n=8946) populations.

RESULTS: Fourteen genome-wide significant loci with numerous population specific signals of large effect were identified that enabled construction of Lp(a) PRS of moderate (R

CONCLUSIONS: …

An Initial Trial Of Opt-In-Early: An Online Training Program For Caregivers Of Autistic Children, Yael G Dai, Rebecca P Thomas, Lynn Brennan, My-Linh Luu, Jamie Hughes-Lika, Molly Reilly, Paula Moreno, Brenda Obe, Kelli B Ahmed, Leandra N Berry, Robin P Goin-Kochel, Molly S Helt, Marianne L Barton, Thyde Dumont-Mathieu, Diana L Robins, Deborah A Fein

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Early intervention can help children learn language and improve social communication. However, many barriers, including the expense of services and an insufficient number of providers, prohibit families from accessing services when their children are young. We developed a comprehensive online program for caregivers of autistic children. The program, Online Parent Training in Early Behavioral Intervention (OPT-In-Early), uses text and video demonstrations to teach caregivers effective methods for improving their children's language, social, and adaptive skills (e.g. using utensils, toilet training), and reducing their children's disruptive behavior. Sixty-three parents from three states participated in the study. Half of the parents received …