Wendy Miller
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All chronic diseases, including epilepsy, require self-management on the part of the patient. Self-management in epilepsy is particularly complex, and influences important outcomes such as social functioning and quality of life. Dr. Wendy Miller’s research focuses on finding new ways to improve the daily self-management and quality of life for people living with epilepsy. For example, Dr. Miller created the Life Changes in Epilepsy Scale that is being used locally, nationally, and internationally by healthcare providers to determine areas in the lives of their patients that need intervention. Also, through her collaboration with other researchers, the American Epilepsy Society updated its guidelines for discussing Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) with patients with epilepsy and/or their parents/caregivers. Prior to this achievement, accurate information about SUDEP, which is a leading cause of death for people with epilepsy, was not discussed with them.
More recently, Dr. Miller worked with other researchers to capture patient concerns using Big Data machine learning methods. This technology provided a plethora of data that was used to find quality of life issues that had not previously been addressed. Consequently, Dr. Miller created myAURA, a web-based intervention that uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to provide users with individualized, theory-based self-management enhancing content that does not require a human interventionist. This platform has been used during the COVID-19 pandemic to help patients self-manage their epilepsy and to also inform researchers about the ways in which the pandemic has affected self-management of chronic diseases.
Dr. Miller’s work to generate new knowledge and create better interventions for people with epilepsy is another great example of how IUPUI’s faculty members are TRANSLATING their RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE.