While everyone enjoys a sweet treat from time to time, it’s important to remember the negative impacts of sugar on oral health – especially this time of year! Dental cavities, also known as caries, are the most common chronic disease…
Did you know that October is Squirrel Awareness Month? At KDHRC, our mascot Earl the Squirrel reminds us that curiosity, agility, and preparation are not just traits of squirrels; they are qualities that drive intrepid research and meaningful impact. Earl…
Maternal health in the United States remains a serious public health problem. Maternal deaths are two to three times higher than in other high-income countries,1 and most of these deaths are preventable. In 2022, the U.S. maternal mortality rate was…
As a women-founded and -led company focused on savvy approaches to complex problems, KDHRC cares deeply about breast cancer education and prevention. Breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer diagnosed in women, after skin cancer, with approximately…
Wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers are becoming powerful tools for understanding and improving health. Our latest research brief, “Exploring the Role of Wearable Devices in Promoting Behavior Change and Monitoring Health Outcomes,” highlights how these devices track sleep,…
Did you know KDHRC also provides IRB services? KDHRC provides commercial Institutional Review Board services to social-behavioral researchers and institutions, organizations, and companies ready to launch their research studies and investigations. Since 2007, our Institutional Review Board (IRB) has been…
The last research brief for our Oral Medical Care Coordination in the U.S. series is out! As a reminder, our first three research briefs in the series covered Awareness (increasing recognition, knowledge, and understanding), Workforce Development and Operations (highlighting interprofessional…
In honor of America's 249th Independence Day, here are five fun facts about Independence Day along with some public health tips to keep you and your family safe: In 2024, the U.S. spent nearly 470 million dollars on imported fireworks…
This week’s research brief for our Oral Medical Care Coordination in the U.S. series is out! As a reminder, our first research brief in the series started with the Awareness pillar (increasing recognition, knowledge, and understanding) while our second research…
Another research brief for our Oral Medical Care Coordination in the U.S. series is out! As a reminder, our first research brief in the series started with the Awareness pillar, focusing on the importance of increasing recognition, knowledge, understanding, and…
KDHRC recently published a new research brief series entitled Oral Medical Care Coordination in the U.S. This research brief series breaks down our report on a systematic literature review and our recommendations for future oral medical care frameworks. Oral Medical…
Last fall, KDHRC shared, “Oral Medical Care Coordination: A Systematic Literature Review and Guide Forward,” a report that we created in collaboration with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD). This report provides a systematic literature review on oral…
June is men’s health month. By raising awareness, we can empower men to make smart health decisions and improve long-term outcomes. Here are five fast facts to remember: Men are less likely to seek medical care. Studies show that men…
With summer in full swing, KDHRC is here to break down some common sunscreen misconceptions. Here are three myths with corresponding facts about sunscreen! Myth #1: I don't need sunscreen because my skin tans, but it never burns. Fact…
Did you know May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month? As KDHRC continues to develop the Personalized Approaches to Habits - Sleep (PATH-S), a gamified phone app to encourage teens with asthma to improve their sleep, we want to remind…
May is Lupus Awareness Month and, at KDHRC, we’re honored to stand with individuals living with lupus and those who support them. KDHRC is proud to work alongside dedicated partners to expand awareness, education, and support for lupus communities. In…
As we continue to enjoy the spring weather of May, it’s also the start of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month! The KDHRC staff are serious about all aspects of health, including physical movement and wellness. With a fully remote…
Last month, our Senior Account Manager Jordan Hartley and Account Manager Morgan Fleming traveled to New Orleans to engage with peers in the tobacco prevention field at the Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco. They focused on sessions exploring…
On March 11, 2025, KDHRC hosted a 3-hour webinar titled Postpartum Health: Navigating Barriers to Mental and Physical Well-Being Among High-Risk Populations. Experts and attendees discussed the challenges and issues surrounding maternal mortality and identified critical gaps in maternal health…
In collaboration with ProVention Health Foundation, KDHRC recently published a research brief on the Health and Lifestyle Training (HALT) program that increases accessibility to quality prediabetes and diabetes prevention information using a fully remote, asynchronous approach that reduces barriers to…
The U.S. is currently facing one of the most intense flu seasons in the last 15 years, with flu activity surging across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), doctor’s visits for flu-like symptoms have…
Happy Valentine’s Day! On this love- and heart-focused day, we want to highlight the KDH Research & Communication-developed program CARDIAC, or Cardiac Rare Disease and Conditions. CARDIAC is designed to address the gap of information about Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM)…
In collaboration with our amazing partners at the American College of Rheumatology, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and the University of Rochester Medical Center, KDHRC published evaluation findings from an Office of Minority Health- (OMH) funded project to engage…
We’re excited to share a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Guardians Receiving Information through Navigators (GRIN), our online professional development course designed to prepare community health workers (CHWs) to provide oral health outreach to low-income Black parents and guardians…
This past year, KDHRC published a wide range of Informing Public Health research briefs, sharing insights on key issues that impact our communities, such as youth vaping trends, challenges faced by caregiver, and the potential roles of artificial intelligence in…
KDHRC is proud to partner with Alelo in creating a groundbreaking conversational artificial intelligence (AI) avatar to train community health workers (CHWs) through the Monitoring and Outreach for Maternal Safety (MOMS) Postpartum course. MOMS equips CHWs to support postpartum minority…
Happy New Year! KDHRC is excited about the impactful work we will undertake this year and the opportunity to explore new endeavors. In the spirit of New Year’s resolutions, the American Public Health Association (APHA) has launched their 2025 Winter…
KDHRC Highlights from the Southeast CHW Networking Summit KDHRC participated in the third Annual Southeast Community Health Worker (CHW) Networking Summit, a two-day event held in midtown Atlanta. This gathering brought together CHWs and allies from 11 states, including Georgia,…
KDHRC partnered with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) to conduct a systematic literature review of oral medical care coordination for whole person care. Poor oral health is associated with a range of systemic conditions including cardiovascular disease,…
KDHRC is proud to announce we have been awarded funding for Phase II of our Small Business Innovation Research program entitled “Intervention to Help Orient Men to Excel (IN-HOME). IN-HOME addresses the pressing need for a culturally appropriate, evidence-based online…
KDHRC’s “Informing Public Health” research brief series aims to disseminate innovative, objective, and timely information to solve public health and social issues. KDHRC recently published a new research brief titled Flavor Danger: Exploring Toxin Exposure During ENDS Use. Electronic nicotine…
Earlier this month, KDHRC Account Associate Morgan Fleming traveled to Chicago, Illinois for the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) 23rd Annual Mid-Year Training Institute. As an avid conference presenter and attendee, Morgan was impressed with the variety in workshop…
Did you know that Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) is opening a new hospital in September 2024? The Arthur M. Blank Hospital, which will be located in North Druid Hills, will have 19 stories and more than 446 beds to…
The sun is not the only thing shining bright this summer – so is KDHRC! We are proud to announce we were awarded funding for Phase I of our SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) program entitled “Personalized Approach to Habits-…
Last month, Program Manager Dexter Cooper and Senior Research Manager Nikki Wanty attended the Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) Community Meeting. Each year, the Lupus Therapeutics and Lupus Research Alliance holds an annual two-day LuCIN Community Meeting, and this year’s…
Earlier this month, Morgan Fleming, an Account Associate at KDH Research & Communication, presented new research at the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA) Conference in Jekyll Island, GA. During her 30-minute roundtable discussion, Morgan shared our analysis of how parents…
Nicole Wanty, KDHRC’s senior research manager, attended the Patient Advocates for Lupus Studies (PALS) 2.0 training in Palm Springs, CA from March 20-22, 2024. The PALS program is a peer-to-peer program to increase diversity and participation in lupus clinical trials…
Did you know that KDHRC releases new, exciting research briefs each month on topics as varied as youth vaping behavior, wearable fitness devices, and artificial intelligence? Our Informing Public Health research series summarizes our research advances across our areas of…
On February 7 and 8 2024, KDHRC had the privilege of attending the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors’ (NACDD) Open House and Annual Public Health Program Success Showcase. At the Open House, KDHRC was able to reconnect with many…
In exciting news to kick off project work in the new year, KDHRC has been awarded funding for Phase II of our SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) program Guardians Receiving Information through Navigators (GRIN). GRIN is a health-equity oral health…
In September, Project Manager Dexter Cooper attended the Meharry Oral Systemic Integration Summit hosted by the Meharry Medical College’s School of Dentistry in Nashville, TN. At this meeting, a diverse group of attendees, including those representing the dental profession, academia,…
Happy Flounder’s Day! No, that is not a typo. Today, we’re celebrating the founding of KDHRC. Yes, we recognize that KDHRC’s mascot is a squirrel, not a fish. But somewhere along the way, FOUNDER turned into FLOUNDER! So, what is…
This month, ACR Open Rheumatology published a new paper authored by several KDHRC staffers: Andrew Simkus, Nikki Wanty, Annie McNeill, and Kristen Holtz. In this article, KDHRC and our colleagues assessed outcomes on the Lupus Therapeutics’ Patient Advocates for Lupus…
In May 2023, Lupus Therapeutics and Lupus Research Alliance held a two-day Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) Community Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. The meeting was for stakeholders including researchers, pharmaceutical companies, community leaders, and people living with lupus to…
Did you know tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children in the U.S.? It afflicts nearly one in four Americans ages 3 to 5 and is preventable. The prevalence of tooth decay increases from 21 percent among…
Want to stay updated on the latest and greatest public health news? Or have you ever wanted to know why ice hockey fans throw objects on the ice? KDHRC has got you covered! KDHRC is excited to announce the reinvigoration…
On May 03, 2023, KDHRC co-hosted a day-long meeting in Atlanta, Georgia with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Oral Health. The goal of the meeting was to…
Research has consistently shown that female adolescents have experienced worse pandemic related stress than males. While a multitude of social, biological, and behavioral factors help explain gender differences in pandemic related mental wellness, we wondered whether parents’ interpretations of their…
Holtz, K., Simkus, A., Fleming, M., Wanty, N., & Twombly, E. How self-ratings of risk-taking, self-control, and leadership relate to youth vaping onset Youth with higher vape usage had significantly higher self-ratings of risk taking than youth who had not…
Wanty, N.I., Cooper, D.L., Simkus A., Twombly, E.C., McCalla, S., Holtz, K.D., et al (2022). A provider-based approach to address racial disparities in lupus clinical trial participation An online educational course to train medical providers to refer Black and Latino…
Holtz, K., Simkus, A., Fleming, M., Wanty, N., & Twombly, E. (2022). Sleep deprivation and adolescent susceptibility to vaping in the United States Adolescent sleep deprivation is associated with susceptibility to vaping, which suggests new approaches for prevention. Click here…
Holtz, K., Simkus, A., Fleming, M., Wanty, N., & Twombly, E. How exposure to influencers promoting vapes on social media relates to degree of use among adolescents Youth with higher vape usage report significantly greater exposure to influencers promoting vapes…