Division of Health Research and Evaluation
The UICOMR Department of Family and Community Medicine is engaged in innovative and diverse research to advance the health of individuals, families and rural communities.
Led by Manorama M. Khare, PhD, MS, the division of Health Research and Evaluation (HRE) provides the foundation for research activities conducted by faculty, clinicians and students. HRE conducts a wide scope of research and provides services, particularly in the areas of community-based research, rural health, mental health, and broad-based evaluation. Supported by local, state and federal grants, as well as private foundations, faculty disseminate their findings in peer-reviewed journals and academic conferences nationwide.
HRE staff members have extensive expertise and experience in planning, implementing, analyzing, and evaluating a wide array of community-based and rural research. Within our core staff, we have well-established and experienced research teams with both content and methodological expertise. HRE draws on the multidisciplinary faculty to engage in multi-disciplinary quantitative and qualitative research.
Currently, HRE has several ongoing research projects in the areas of chronic disease and obesity prevention, health inequities, and COVID-19-related health disparities. These include projects that target rural and underserved populations as well as program evaluations with local, state and international partners.
Two of the newest HRE projects include:
- Manorama Khare, PhD, is conducting the evaluation component of Rockford Ready, a project funded by the Office of Minority Health of the Department of Health and Human Services that addresses health literacy and health disparities associated with COVID-19, specifically in African-American and Latinx populations.
- Kristine Zimmermann, PhD, is working to initiate a mixed methods study on promotion of health behaviors, particularly physical activity, among rural pregnant persons in Illinois.
HRE researchers also conduct external evaluations for a variety of programs with long-term partners, including the Illinois Department of Public Health. Collaborations with IDPH include:
- Illinois WISEWOMAN Program
- Illinois Comprehensive Cancer Control Program
- CDC 1815: Diabetes and Stroke Prevention Programs
Division of Health Research and Evaluation Team
For more information, contact Dr. Manorama Khare
Phone: 815-395-5762
E-mail: [email protected]
OR
Linda Burkart
Phone: 815-395-5805
E-mail: [email protected]