Evaluation of a Text Messaging Intervention to Support Self-Management of Diabetes During Pregnancy Among Low-Income, Minority Women: Qualitative Study.

Background: Given the growing burden of diabetes in underserved communities and the complexity of diabetes self-management during pregnancy, the development of interventions to support low-income pregnant women with diabetes is urgently needed.

Objective: This study aims to develop and pilot test a theory-driven curriculum of SMS text messaging for diabetes support and education during pregnancy.

Methods: This was a prospective pilot investigation of a novel SMS text messaging intervention offered to pregnant women with pregestational or gestational diabetes mellitus and publicly funded prenatal care.

Leveraging Digital Platforms to Scale Health Care Workforce Development: The Career 911 Massive Open Online Course.

Background: Health care is the fastest growing occupational sector in the United States, but students from low-income and underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds often lack mentorship and basic information about health care careers and pathways.

Objectives: We developed the Career 911 massive open online course (MOOC) to help students from diverse backgrounds to explore and build career portfolios to enter health-related professions.

Methods: We describe the evolution since 2014 of the Career 911 MOOC and lessons learned.

Improving Health Care Career Pipeline Programs for Underrepresented Students: Program Design that Makes a Difference.

Background: Health care career pipeline training programs are one solution to increasing the number of minority and underrepresented health care providers. The Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative (ChicagoCHEC) Research Fellows Program, a tri-institutional effort between the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), and Northwestern University (NU), provides a holistic, 8-week summer research fellowship that facilitates self-reflection, professional development, and exposes and guides the novice undergraduate and postbaccalaureate student toward a health care career inclusive of research and scientific discovery.

Objectives: The number of underrepresented students achieving health care careers is minimal.

'There's nothing you can do … it's like that in Chinatown': Chinese immigrant women's perceptions of experiences in Chicago Chinatown healthcare settings.

Chinese American women living in linguistically isolated communities are among the least likely to utilize healthcare services. Qualitative research methods can help identify health system vulnerability points to improve local healthcare delivery for this population. We conducted 6 focus groups among 56 Chinese-speaking adult women in Chicago's Chinatown between July and August 2014 to explore their perceptions of experiences receiving medical care and interacting with healthcare providers in Chinatown healthcare settings.

Chinese Immigrant Women's Attitudes and Beliefs About Family Involvement in Women's Health and Healthcare: A Qualitative Study in Chicago's Chinatown.

Healthcare utilization and health-seeking behaviors of Chinese American immigrant women may be influenced by longstanding cultural perspectives of family roles and relationships. An understanding of Chinese immigrant women's perceptions of family social support in health and how these beliefs manifest in healthcare utilization and help-seeking behaviors is critical to the development of culturally appropriate health interventions. Focusing on a sample of Chinese women in Chicago's Chinatown, this qualitative study seeks to describe women's attitudes and beliefs about spouse and adult children's involvement in women's health and healthcare.

Characterizing Literacy and Cognitive Function during Pregnancy and Postpartum.

 The objective of this study was to characterize health literacy and cognitive function in a diverse cohort of pregnant women.  Pregnant and postpartum women underwent in-depth assessments of health literacy/numeracy and the cognitive domains of verbal ability, working memory, long-term memory, processing speed, and inductive reasoning. Differences by demographic characteristics and gestational age were assessed using chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression.

Social and Environmental Barriers to Nutrition Therapy for Diabetes Management Among Underserved Pregnant Women: A Qualitative Analysis.

Objective: To identify social and environmental barriers to nutrition therapy for diabetes management during pregnancy among a population of low-income, minority pregnant women.

Design: Prospective, in-depth, semi-structured interviews performed serially during pregnancy and continued until thematic saturation was reached.

Setting: Urban academic medical center.

"I Was Tired of All the Sticking and Poking": Identifying Barriers to Diabetes Self-Care Among Low-Income Pregnant Women.

Objective: Diabetes in pregnancy is a significant problem for low-income, minority women. We sought to evaluate barriers to diabetes self-care during pregnancy in an underserved population.

Methods: Twenty-nine in-depth, semi-structured interviews were performed over 10 women's pregnancies to identify barriers to successful diabetes management, using cognitive load theory to frame interview questions.

Community-campus partnership in action: lessons learned from the DuPage County Patient Navigation Collaborative.

Background: Using community-based participatory research (CBPR), the DuPage County Patient Navigation Collaborative (DPNC) developed an academic campus-community research partnership aimed at increasing access to care for underserved breast and cervical cancer patients within DuPage County, a collar county of Chicago. Given rapidly shifting demographics, targeting CBPR initiatives among underserved suburban communities is essential.

Objectives: To discuss the facilitating factors and lessons learned in forging the DPNC.