Research Interests

Parents, Children and Healthy Family Digital Media Use

Upcoming statewide project

The FOsteRing Wise and HeAlthy ScReen MeDia Use in Families (FORWARD Families) - Parents and Healthy Family Digital Media Use Gap project aims to evaluate how much parents know about digital media use recommendation for children. The project will also assess parental priorities related to family digital media use messages and their perception of possible impacts of digital media use in their children. 

Pediatric Providers and Healthy Family Digital Media Use

Ongoing statewide project

The FOsteRing Wise and HeAlthy ScReen MeDia Use in Families (FORWARD Families) - Physician Experience Assessment aims to better understand current practices in digital media use counseling/advising by pediatricians to children and families. Numerous good and bad impacts on child health outcomes have been associated with exposure to digital media. Among these are increased family and social engagement, as well as obesity, behavioral problems, sleep disturbances, developmental, and cognitive delays. Therefore it is important to understand what works to help families make positive changes in their digital media use habits. 

Increasing our Understanding of Medication Dosing in Children

Ongoing national project

For many medications that are prescribed to children in the U.S., information on the best dose, safety, and effectiveness is not known.  The goal of this study is to understand what the body does to the medication (also known as pharmacokinetics) by collecting samples from children who are already receiving these medications as part of their usual care.  Children less than 21 years old can participate.  The data collected from this study will provide valuable medication dosing and safety information for children in different age groups, as well as special populations.

TRANSFORMING Child Health Registry - A research readiness database

Ongoing statewide project

The goal of the Registry is to share information and opportunity with all families, including rural and underserved families in South Carolina about research to improve child health.   To sign up, families complete a short survey through an electronic link or on a paper survey during their doctor visit. The survey is available in both English and Spanish. Families are then contacted with information about research opportunities across the state and receive informational newsletters every few months.  The Registry is a stepping stone to information about all TRANSFORM SC projects.

Making Health Care Easier to Access Survey

Completed statewide project

The Analysis of Challenges Compromising succESSful adherence (ACCESS) To Care survey is being sent to people who signed up for the TRANSFORM-SC registry to better understand why many people schedule a doctor's appointment, but then are unable to show up for the appointment.  We will use the answers from the survey to help understand the needs of our patients and to create some ideas on how to make attending doctors' appointments easier for the children and families of South Carolina.