IU GERIATRICS electronic news for September 2002

The IU Geriatrics Program and the IU Center for Aging Research congratulate Dr. Neil Oldridge and Dr. Colleen McHorney for their recent awards.

AWARDS

Neil Oldridge, PhD, has been awarded the Peter Beckman Medal from the German Society for Prevention and Rehabilitation of Cardiovascular Disease for lifetime achievement in research in cardiac rehabilitation.

Colleen McHorney, PhD, recently received a HSR&D Research Career Scientist Award. RCS awards are for established, independent investigators who have distinguished themselves through scientific achievement and who contribute to the VA research program by training and mentoring junior VA scientists; functioning as a resource for the research community; serving on VA research or other committees; and/or collaborating with clinician investigators.

PUBLICATIONS

Oldridge N, Perkins A, Hodes Z. Comparison of three heart disease specific health-related quality of life instruments. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis 2002;58(1):10-18.

Carn G, Koller DL, Peacock M, Hui SL, Evans WE, Conneally PM, Johnston CC Jr, Foroud T, Econs MJ. Sibling Pair Linkage and Association Studies between Peak Bone Mineral Density and the Gene Locus for the Osteoclast-Specific Subunit (OC116) of the Vacuolar Proton Pump on Chromosome 11p12-13. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002 Aug;87(8):3819-24.

Subramanian U, Weinberger M, Eckert G, L'Italien, Lapuerta P, Tierney W. Geographic Variation in Health Care Utilization and Outcomes in Veterans with Acute Myocardial Infarction. J Gen Intern Med 2002;17:604-11.

Damush TM, Weinberger M, Clark DO, Tierney WM, Rao JK, Perkins SM, Verel K. Acute low back pain self-management intervention for urban primary care patients: rationale, design and predictors of participation. Arthritis Care and Research 2002 August15;47(4):372-9.

Dodel R, Hampel H, Depboylu C, Lin S, Gao F, Schock S, Jackel S, Wei X, Buerger K, Hoft C, Hemmer B, Moller HJ, Farlow M, Oertel WH, Sommer N, Du Y. Human antibodies against amyloid beta peptide: A potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Ann Neurol 2002 Aug;52(2):253-6

Tierney WM, McKinley ED. When the physician-researcher gets cancer: understanding cancer, its treatment, and quality of life from the patient's perspective. Med Care 2002 Jun;40(6 Suppl):III20-7. Comment in: Med Care 2002 Jun;40(6 Suppl):III28-30.

PRESENTATIONS

Michael Murray, PharmD, MPH presented "Drug Related Problems in the Elderly--Epidemiology, Interventions, and Biostatistical Considerations" at the 18th International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology August 18-21 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The conference was sponsored by the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology. With members in 53 countries, ISPE provides an international forum for sharing knowledge and scientific approaches to foster the science of pharmacoepidemiology.

Malaz Boustani, MD, MPH, presented "Fall Prevention Program in Residential Care/Assisted Living Facilities: A Dream or Reality?" at the Mast Symposium: Charting a Safe Course in the Care of the Elderly on August 20 in Raleigh, NC. The symposium was sponsored by the Wake Area Health Education Center whose mission is to meet the state's health and health workforce needs by providing educational programs.

Gregory Gramelspacher, MD presented "Medicine, Ethics and Front-Page News" as Visiting Professor on September 3 during Grand Rounds at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Jackie Sullivan, RN, GNP has been appointed chairperson of the Research Committee of the National Conference of Gerontological Nurse Practitioners and began responsibilities at the 21st Annual Convention of the conference in Chicago this month. The NCGNP was founded in 1981 with the intention of offering the first continuing education conferences designed specifically to meet the needs of GNPs and currently represents nearly 3,500 certified GNPs in the country and many family and adult NPs in geriatric practice.

Glenda Westmoreland, MD, MPH, is on the Program Committee for the 19th Annual Meeting of the Midwest Society of General Internal Medicine held September 26-28 in Chicago.

Christopher Callahan, MD, has accepted an invitation to become a member of the Academic Advisory Board of the Junior Faculty Scholars Program for Research on Health Outcomes in Geriatrics 2003. The program is sponsored by Pfizer/American Geriatrics Society Foundation for Health in Aging. During his 3-year term Chris will assist in preparation, selection, and follow-up of program grants.

Steve Counsell, MD, Medical Director, Senior Care at Wishard, provided opening comments along with Virginia Caine, MD, Medical Director, Marion County Health Department (MCHD), and Duane Etienne, President & CEO, CICOA The Access Network at the recent HOPP Conference 2002 attended by over 600 area seniors. The Healthy Older People's Program (HOPP) was started by MCHD in 1985. This year's conference was entitled, "Allegiance to Health: Looking Good...Feeling Good".

UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS

Attend the Midwest SGIM meeting and hear colleague Usha Subramanian, MD, MS when she presents "Enhancing Computer-Based Heart Failure Guidelines with Health Status and Symptom Data" on September 27th during the 8:00-9:20 am plenary session.