Browsing by Author "Wojciechowska, Klaudia"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Engaging end-users to understand the usefulness and applicability of data visualization tools: A systemic review.
    (2022-07-29) Wojciechowska, Klaudia; Messmore, Niki
    BACKGROUND: As part of the response efforts to the opioid epidemic, various local and state health departments are developing opioid data dashboards containing visualizations, descriptive information, and downloadable data or reports. Such dashboards can potentially improve our understanding of the opioid epidemic, facilitate community planning, promote evidence-based decision making, and support monitoring and evaluation. However, government resources are primarily devoted to collecting and using data for analysis, rather than for communication or orienting communities toward action. A major challenge for staff preparing data products is the uncertainty about the end users and their desired usage of data. This project studies the degree of success to which data producers have engaged data consumers to understand the usefulness and applicability of their data visualization tools. METHODS: A literature review was conducted to assess end-user experience of visualizations of opioid-related data sets. Peer-reviewed journal articles were found via PubMed. Only studies published between 2015 and 2022 were included. Literature searches involved keywords such as “data dashboards”, “public health data”, and “public health data visualizations”. RESULTS: At the time of this lit review, there are no studies that assess end-user experience of opioid data visualizations. As such, the scope of the research was broadened to examine whether data producers have gauged community feedback on their public health data visualization products, regardless of the focus of the data. For many studies, researchers concluded that soliciting end-user feedback for the creation of data visualization products is of the utmost importance. When dashboards are designed with the input of end users, the tools improve their workflow because they create new capabilities to explore data dynamically. Too often dashboards emphasize quantitative data, without a foundational understanding of the needs, numerical literacy, and available time and ability of the intended audience.
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    In the Weeds: Identifying the Underlying Etiology in a Patient with Suspected Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy
    (2024-03-22) Wojciechowska, Klaudia; Denning, Ellen; Bice, Caroline; Nadeem, Manahil; Robles, Maria
    BACKGROUND Many cases of Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM) go undetected or are underdiagnosed. Patients are typically young athletes who experience decreased cardiac output, syncope with exercise, or sudden death. The disease is diagnosed with echo but cannot be certain unless a gene mutation is identified. This creates challenges for those who do not fit the classic profile nor have an identified gene mutation. METHODS A 57 y.o. black female presented with a heart murmur. A referral was made to cardiology where imaging results pointed to HOCM, but due to a history of hypertension (HTN) and missing medical records, an underlying etiology of hypertrophy secondary to HTN could not be ruled out. Genetic testing for HOCM was negative despite the patient’s extensive family history of cardiac disease. Due to these conflicting findings, a cardiac MRI was performed. While HTN could not be ruled out as a contributing factor, HOCM was placed as the leading differential. RESULTS The fragmentation of the patient’s medical records meant that the duration of the murmur and HTN is unknown. In addition, each cardiology provider had different interpretations of the radiologic imaging. The led to difficulties obtaining a diagnosis of HOCM vs HCM due to HTN. Given that the patient did not fit the classic demographic presentation of HOCM, it is possible that the diagnosis was not initially considered. By the time a full work-up had been conducted, her HTN had been poorly controlled for years and therefore delineating the root cause of HOCM was difficult. Lastly, the patient tested negative for the 24 gene mutations linked to HOCM, despite an extensive family history of cardiac disease. This highlights that there are likely more unknown mutations and there is a need for improved diagnostic criteria independent of genetic tests. CONCLUSION This case demonstrates the importance of keeping an expanded differential diagnosis, maintaining coherent and comprehensive medical records, and pursuing prompt diagnoses.
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    Visual Analytics for Data-Driven Understanding of the Substance Use Disorder Epidemic
    (2024-04-26) Qaurooni, Danial; Herr, Bruce W; Zappone , Sarah Renee; Wojciechowska, Klaudia; Börner , Katy; Schleyer , Titus
    The substance use disorder epidemic has emerged as a serious public health crisis, presenting complex challenges. Visual analytics offers a unique approach to address this complexity and facilitate effective interventions. This paper details the development of an innovative visual analytics dashboard, aimed at enhancing our understanding of the substance use disorder epidemic. By employing record linkage techniques, we integrate diverse data sources to provide a comprehensive view of the epidemic. Adherence to responsive, open, and user-centered design principles ensures the dashboard's usefulness and usability. Our approach to data and design encourages collaboration among various stakeholders, including researchers, politicians, and healthcare practitioners. Through illustrative outputs, we demonstrate how the dashboard can deepen our understanding of the epidemic, support intervention strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented measures. The paper concludes with a discussion of the dashboard's use cases and limitations.
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    Visual Analytics for Data-Driven Understanding of the Substance Use Disorder Epidemic
    (Sage, 2024) Qaurooni, Danial; Herr, Bruce W., II; Zappone, Sarah Renee; Wojciechowska, Klaudia; Börner, Katy; Schleyer, Titus; Medicine, School of Medicine
    The substance use disorder epidemic has emerged as a serious public health crisis, presenting complex challenges. Visual analytics offers a unique approach to address this complexity and facilitate effective interventions. This paper details the development of an innovative visual analytics dashboard, aimed at enhancing our understanding of the substance use disorder epidemic. By employing record linkage techniques, we integrate diverse data sources to provide a comprehensive view of the epidemic. Adherence to responsive, open, and user-centered design principles ensures the dashboard's usefulness and usability. Our approach to data and design encourages collaboration among various stakeholders, including researchers, politicians, and healthcare practitioners. Through illustrative outputs, we demonstrate how the dashboard can deepen our understanding of the epidemic, support intervention strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented measures. The paper concludes with a discussion of the dashboard's use cases and limitations.