Browsing by Author "Han, Amy"

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    Analysis of COVID-19 Case Demographics and Disease Outcomes in Gary, Indiana
    (MDPI, 2023-09-07) Sabir, Maryam; Al-Tarshan, Yazan; Snapp, Cameron; Brown, Martin; Walker, Roland; Han, Amy; Kostrominova, Tatiana
    Background: The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the prevalence of existing health disparities in Black communities in the U.S. The current study evaluates COVID-19 data collected in Gary, Indiana, from June 2020 to June 2021. We hypothesized that the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths were influenced by race and income. Methods: In collaboration with the Gary Health Department (GHD), we analyzed demographic data on COVID-19-positive cases. Results: Compared to Gary's non-Black population, age- and population-adjusted rates of hospitalizations and deaths in the Black population were 3-fold (p < 0.0001) and 2-fold (p < 0.05) higher, respectively. This is despite a higher infection rate (p < 0.0001) in the non-Black population. The median household income of a zip code was negatively correlated with COVID-19 hospitalizations (R2 = 0.6345, p = 0.03), but did not correlate with infections and deaths. Conclusions: The current study demonstrates clear health disparities of income and race in the context of COVID-19-related infections and outcomes in the city of Gary. Indiana University School of Medicine Northwest and GHD officials can collaborate to utilize these data for the reallocation of resources and health education efforts in Gary's highly populated, low-income, and predominantly Black neighborhoods. It should also prompt further investigation into national health resource allocation.
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    Analysis of COVID-19 Case Demographics and Disease Outcomes in Gary, Indiana
    (MDPI, 2023-09-07) Sabir, Maryam; Al-Tarshan, Yazan; Snapp, Cameron; Brown, Martin; Walker, Roland; Han, Amy; Kostrominova, Tatiana; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Background: The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the prevalence of existing health disparities in Black communities in the U.S. The current study evaluates COVID-19 data collected in Gary, Indiana, from June 2020 to June 2021. We hypothesized that the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths were influenced by race and income. Methods: In collaboration with the Gary Health Department (GHD), we analyzed demographic data on COVID-19-positive cases. Results: Compared to Gary's non-Black population, age- and population-adjusted rates of hospitalizations and deaths in the Black population were 3-fold (p < 0.0001) and 2-fold (p < 0.05) higher, respectively. This is despite a higher infection rate (p < 0.0001) in the non-Black population. The median household income of a zip code was negatively correlated with COVID-19 hospitalizations (R2 = 0.6345, p = 0.03), but did not correlate with infections and deaths. Conclusions: The current study demonstrates clear health disparities of income and race in the context of COVID-19-related infections and outcomes in the city of Gary. Indiana University School of Medicine Northwest and GHD officials can collaborate to utilize these data for the reallocation of resources and health education efforts in Gary's highly populated, low-income, and predominantly Black neighborhoods. It should also prompt further investigation into national health resource allocation.
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    Exploratory Analysis of COVID-19 Case Demographics in Gary, Indiana
    (Indiana University, 2020) Snapp, Cameron; Trimoski, Bill; Brown, Martin; Han, Amy; Kostrominova, Tatiana; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
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    Impact of Race and Industry on Stroke Incidence in Northwest Indiana – A Report to Advocate for Targeted Community-Based Interventions
    (2025-04-25) Cash, Miranda M.; Abdullah, Sahar A.; Han, Amy
    Impact of Race and Industry on Stroke Incidence on Patients in Northwest Indiana – A Report to Advocate for Targeted Community-Based Interventions Miranda M. Cash¹*, Sahar A. Abdullah¹*, Amy Han, PhD2 Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest1, Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry2 Background & Hypothesis: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the US and studies have shown racial/ethnic disparities in stroke, including in Hispanics/Latinos: the fastest growing segment of the US population. St. Catherine Hospital is located in East Chicago, Indiana and the majority population is Hispanic/Latino (54.8%) and is disproportionately at risk of stroke with a death rate of 79 per 100,000 people. With such disparities in stroke mortality across Northwest Indiana, especially among minority patients, we aim to report which zip codes show particular associations in stroke incidence and report possible social determinants of health (SDoH) between White, Black/African American, and Hispanic/Latino patients that receive treatment at St. Catherine Hospital. Project Methods: Powers Health System provided data from St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, Indiana from January 2022 - March 2024 collecting socio-demographic data from 304 patients residing in the greater Northwest Indiana area. We calculated odds ratios to investigate associations in stroke outcome, race, and zip codes. Results: In Whiting, IN, stroke is less likely to occur in Hispanics/Latinos compared to Whites. In South Chicago, stroke is more likely to occur in Hispanics/Latinos compared to Blacks/African Americans. Based on U.S Census Bureau metrics, residents of South Chicago face more negative SDoH than residents of Whiting. Potential Impact: Northwest Indiana has the largest steel making facility in North America; this study aims to provide St. Catherine Hospital with a better understanding of which patients may be at particular risk of stroke based on SDoH (type of employment, pollution levels, and population density) that contribute to increased stroke incidence. Targeted community outreach efforts, such as policy change, patient education/training, and a stroke support group at St. Catherine Hospital, are future steps to increase positive SDoH.
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    Methods for Medical Student Research Projects
    (2024-05-20) Dolan, Levi; Han, Amy
    Symposium participation by invitation, no abstract submitted.
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    Regional Disparities in the Social Determinants of Stroke Severity
    (2025-04-25) Barnard, Jacobus; Lin, David; Armstrong, Grace; Calumpang, Neon; Cash, Miranda; Han, Amy
    Social determinants of health (SDOH) are known factors of stroke risk and outcomes. We aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of stroke risk-specific SDOH on stroke severity by investigating the patient population served by a regional healthcare system. We conducted a retrospective bivariate analysis of data from patients’ American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines–Stroke (AHA GWTG-S) Case Record Forms collected at three stroke centers between January 2022 and May 2024. We compared the patient ordinal modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores to the predictor variables of age, sex, race, Hispanic ethnicity, ZIP code, payment sources, and mode of arrival. When age-adjusted, Black or African American patients had higher mean NIHSS scores and higher rates of Minor Stroke Symptoms than White patients (p<0.01, p<0.01). ZIP Codes with higher mean NIHSS stroke scale scores correlated significantly with ZIP Codes defined by lower median household income (r=-0.61, p<0.01), lower education attainment (r=-0.71, p<0.001), and higher percentages of minority group populations (r=0.50, p<0.02). Patients with higher mean scores across all measures were those associated with using Medicare versus private insurance (p<0.0001) and those arriving at the hospital via EMS versus private transport (p<0.01). This research addresses the significance of surveying region-specific social determinants of health for insight into targeted interventions. Initiatives such as expanding stroke awareness education and increasing preventative screenings in the community may reduce disparities in stroke severity and improve outcomes in underserved areas.