Community Action Research: An Opportunity to Create Change

Your voice is important to us! There are several opportunities for YOU to get involved in advancing research that will help us learn more about how COVID-19 and other health issues are impacting Jackson County — and how overall health can be improved. Please consider participating in a community health study of importance to you. Take a look at all of the research opportunities below, contact the research team, and sign up to today. Together, let’s do this for all of us and protect the health of Jackson County.

And, you will be compensated for your time for participating in any of these studies.

OHJC Health Beliefs and Behaviors Survey

A community-wide survey is being conducted at OHJC vaccination and health screenings events. This survey focuses on topics like: COVID-19 vaccination beliefs and behaviors, health screenings received, and health issues experienced by people in Jackson County.

Come out to an OHJC vaccination and screening event, and please consider taking the OHJC Health Beliefs and Behaviors Survey. Kansas City, MO residents age 12 and older can complete this survey.
You will be compensated for their time. For more information, please call 816-235-1091.

Please check out the wide range of other research studies that may be of interest to you below. Contact the research team and get involved.

Youth Exercise, Nutrition, and Vaccine Knowledge

This study provides exercise activities along with food and vaccine information with youth and their families to understand how to increase physical activity, healthy eating and vaccinations.

Lead researchers
Joey Lightner, PhD lightnerj@umkc.edu
Amanda Grimes, PhD grimesa@umkc.edu

Access KCTeen Program

This study will survey teens (ages 14-18) on their health needs and opinions about the new AccessKCTeen program, which connects teens to mental health, sexual health and other care through the Children’s Mercy Mobile Unit.

Lead researchers
Melissa Miller mmiller@cmh.edu
Erin Hembrick, PhD eahurley@cmh.edu

COVID-19 and Long-term Health Impacts

This study will assess the many different way COVID-19 impact health over times and the treatment needs/barriers with persons who have had COVID-19.

Lead researchers
Jared Bruce, PhD
Kelsey Sponsel, MOT kmsmwv@umkc.edu
Taylor Bradish, MS trb9wc@umkc.edu

Contact
Taylor Bradish trb9wc@umkc.edu

First Aid for Mental Health

This study will provide training in the Psychological First Aid and Recovery programs and will assess the impact of the training.

Lead researchers
Joah Williams, PhD williamsjoah@umkc.edu
Erin Hembrick, PhD hambricke@umkc.edu

COVID-19 Vaccination Communication

This study provides exercise activities along with food and vaccine information with youth and their families to understand how to increase physical activity, healthy eating and vaccinations.

Lead researchers
Yugi Lee, PhD leeyu@umkc.edu
Ye Wang, PhD wanye@umkc.edu

Connecting People to Care Interviews

This study involves a phone interview to learn what was helpful and not helpful about receiving help from a community health worker to get resources.

Lead researchers
Helena Laroche, MD; hhlaroche@cmh.edu

Talking to Your Baby

This is a study about how parents can sing and talk in special ways to help their infant babies learn and use words.

Lead researchers
Kai Ling Kong, PhD kkong@cmh.edu
Brenda Salley, PhD brendasalley@ku.edu

Active KC

This study is a free text message-based physical activity program for adults and children to be more active.

Lead researchers
Jordan Carlson, PhD; jacarlson@cmh.edu

For more information, visit ActiveKC’s website https://www.ciparesearchteam.org/activekc

SPARCS Skills Training and Mental Health

This study provides training to promote and enhance skills to address mental health with youth and adults.

Lead researchers

Brianna Jaeger-Woods, PhD bwoodsjaeger@emory.edu

Tiffaney Renfro btwilli7@emory.edu

WeListen: AI-Assisted COVID-19 Vaccinations Communication and Promotion

30 to 60 minutes online focus groups via a smartphone app will be used to learn about attitudes and beliefs about COVID-19 vaccinations.

Lead researchers
Yugyung Lee, Computer Science & Electrical Engineering, UMKC leeyu@umkc.edu (816-235-5932)

Ye Wang, Communication Studies, UMKC WanYe@umkc.edu

Erin Willis, Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design, University of Colorado Boulder, Erin.Willis@Colorado.EDU

Brent Never, Public Affairs, UMKCbrent.never@umkc.edu