Addressing Racial Disparities in Stroke: The Wide Spectrum Investigation of Stroke Outcome Disparities on Multiple Levels (WISSDOM )

Abstract

<p class="Default">Racial-ethnic disparities in stroke recovery are well-established in the United States but the underlying causes are not well-understood. The typical assumption that racial-ethnic disparities in stroke recov­ery are explained by health care access inequities may be simplistic as access to stroke-related rehabilitation, for example, does not adequately explain the observed disparities. To approach the problem in a more comprehensive fashion, the Wide Spectrum Investigation of Stroke Outcome Disparities on Multiple Levels (WISSDOM) was developed to bring together scientists from Regenerative Medicine, Neurology, Rehabilitation, and Nursing to examine disparities in stroke “recovery.” As a result, three related projects (basic science, clinical science and population science) were de­signed utilizing animal modeling, mapping of brain connections, and community-based interventions. In this article we describe: 1) the goals and objectives of the individual projects; and 2) how these projects could provide critical evidence to explain why racial-ethnic minorities traditionally experi­ence recovery trajectories that are worse than Whites.</p><p class="Default"><em>Ethn Dis. </em>2018;28(1):61-68; doi:10.18865/ed.28.1.61.</p>

Advancing the symptom science model with environmental health

“…EJ is defined as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies” (EPA, ). Nurses have played an important role in developing EJ body of knowledge and linking it to health disparities (Adams et al, ; Amiri & Zhao, , ; Flaskerud et al, ; Lee et al, ). EJ research aims to identify the relationship between the disproportionate burden of environmental risks associated with those underrepresented in decision‐making, racially diverse, marginalized, and disadvantaged populations.…”

Differences in plasma levels of long chain and very long chain ceramides between African Americans and whites: An observational study

“…We recruited 60 community dwelling subjects, who were between the ages of 30–75 years of age, without a history of stroke, as part of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Strategically Funded Research Network funded Wide Spectrum Investigation of Stroke Outcome Disparities on Multiple Levels (WISSDOM) study [26]. All subjects self-reported that they were not currently pregnant (if female) and did not have a history of dementia, a diagnosis of substance abuse, or the presence of a terminal illness with life expectancy of ≤ 1 year.…”

Crafting Community-Based Participatory Research Stroke Interventions

“…[30][31][32] The Wide Spectrum Investigation of Stroke Outcome Disparities on Multiple Levels (WISSDOM) Center 30 grant, funded through the American Heart Association (AHA) Strategically Focused Research Network Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke, explored stroke outcome disparities among persons with stroke residing in the Low country region of South Carolina and located within the stroke belt, a collection of states in the southeastern United States with the highest rates of stroke and other cardiometabolic diseases. 30,33,34 The CINGS (Community-Based Intervention Under Nurse Guidance After Stroke) study was a primary research emphasis within WISS-DOM and focused on family and community factors during the development and implementation of stroke interventions guided by nurses in conjunction with community health workers. The study, following local Institutional Review Board approval, used qualitative and quantitative methods during a multi-phased community-based participatory approach.…”