Research Guides: COVID-19 Informational Guide: HELP-US Project

Health Education for Living during the Pandemic – United States (HELP-US) Project

Project Summary
This is a collaborative project between the University of Memphis Community of Researchers, and the Memphis Public Libraries. The purpose of this project is to provide access to COVID-19 related information to an underserved population, in the Memphis Area. The proposal goal is to implement a virtual education program. Aligned with the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (SEA Region) mission, this project aims to: • Increase awareness and use of COVID-19 and other health information resources. • Provide training in the use of health sciences information resources. • Support the information needs of health professionals who serve underserved and special populations. • Partner with organizations to increase awareness and use of freely available authoritative health information. • Increase health literacy for participants. By April 30, 2021, we will develop and implement the “train the trainers” HELP-US Virtual Health Information and Education Program. The project will be promoted using diverse strategies including websites, social network platforms, and a UofM libguide. Advertisement flyers will be posted at local libraries, community centers, and on the University of Memphis’ informational boards.

Memphis Public Libraries

Memphis Public Libraries Website

CoRS Training

Mental Health During COVID-19
This activity is developed by the University of Memphis, the Community of Researchers (CoRs)-Health Spaces & Technology Research Community (HSTRC), the National Network of Libraries of Medicine All of Us Project, and the Memphis Public Libraries.
The CoRs-HSTRC assessed the health needs of the Memphis population, and preliminary results, present a great need to provide information and training about mental health during the COVID -19 pandemic. The good news is that we have resources available to help our communities and that libraries keep providing relevant information and activities like this one.

Team-CoRS 2021

Christine Bertz
Dr. Bertz designs research proposals and evaluations with a particular focus on projects that aim to improve the quality of STEM teaching and learning. She has led numerous evaluations at CREP, and has served as Principal Investigator for several multi-year evaluations of inquiry-based STEM innovations in partnership with the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC). Her personal research interests include exploring the value of informal science education experiences on student engagement with STEM academics and careers. She is trained in WCAG 2.0 accessibility compliance, and leads CREP's social media team.
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Dr. Bertz holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Mississippi and has over fifteen years of experience designing and conducting research projects. Her background includes work in animal physiology, ecological conservation, botany, and water quality, and she has served as adjunct faculty at Southwest Tennessee Community College as well as an instructor at the University of Mississippi. In addition to her work at CREP, she serves in a volunteer capacity on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Invasive Plant Council, and has been a regional invited speaker to non-profit and conservation organizations.

Education
Ph.D., Biology, The University of Mississippi
M.S., Biology, Texas Christian University
B.S., Biology, Rhodes College
Irma Singarella
Dr. Irma Singarella provides leadership and direction for the overall operations of the Health Sciences Library, since August 2017. As a member of the faculty, she participates in research activities, the University Libraries Collection Development program, and serves as a subject liaison. She provides users' assistance and research support to faculty and students. Some of her academic appointments are: Community of Researchers Scholars: Health Spaces and Technology Research Community Member (2019-Current); Liaison Librarian: Lowenberg College of Nursing and School of Communication Sciences and Disorders (2017-Currrent).
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She earned her undergraduate degrees in Humanities and Social Sciences, and has two master’s degrees, including Public Administration, and Library and Information Sciences. She also holds a doctoral degree (Ed.D.) in Administration and Supervision in Education and a Post graduate certificate in Learning Technologies and Distance Education from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus. She was a fellow at the National Library of Medicine/AAHSL Leadership Program (2009) and she received a Level II Designation in the Consumer Health Information Specialization Program of the Medical Library Association.

Research Interest:

Her research areas include: Mobile technology and information services; Health sciences libraries' online resources usage and patterns, Health Literacy and underrepresented populations, and Mentorship among academic librarians.
Kathryn Hicks
Dr. Kathryn Hicks completed her PhD in anthropology at Northwestern University in 2008. Her dissertation research examined norms of social support in the Bolivian city of El Alto, particularly forms of economic or instrumental support, and evaluated interactions between women’s marital status and access to social support in predicting health outcomes such as immune function and body composition. Dr. Hicks joined the Department of Anthropology at The University of Memphis in the fall of 2008. As a compliment to the research projects described below, she is currently writing about the importance of political economic and evolutionary approaches for understanding inequalities in risk and experiences of chronic disease.
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Expertise and Interests
Biological and Medical Anthropology, human-environmental interactions, developmental systems theory, political economy, social justice, health inequities, environmental health, Andes, US.

Research Projects
Dr. Hicks has worked on a number of projects in the Memphis area including an evaluation of the social and nutritional impacts of the South Memphis Farmers Market with Dr. Katherine Lambert-Pennington. She is currently collaborating with Rita Harris of the Sierra Club and anthropology students to document the history of environmental racism and environmental justice organizing in Memphis. Dr. Hicks and her students have engaged in service-learning with other faculty and a number of local non-profit and community organizations on an evaluation of community perceptions of a proposed extension to the Shelby Farms Greenline, neighborhood perceptions of environmental inequality in SW Memphis, and an assessment of fresh food availability in local corner stores. Students from her classes have also volunteered at the local Sierra Club’s annual grassroots environmental justice conference.

Dr. Hicks has also continued her work in highland Bolivia since coming to Memphis. In collaboration with Dr. Nicole Fabricant of Towson University, she is exploring perceptions of climate change, social movement action and environmental policy in the cities of El Alto and La Paz, and the role of Bolivians in multilateral climate change negotiations.
Seokwon Jin
Dr. Jin's research has focused on advancing health equity by eliminating disparities in health behaviors, including cancer screening and Internet addiction (e.g., pathological online gaming, gambling, and social networking) among vulnerable populations. Despite the high burden of cancer and problematic Internet use for these populations, cancer screening rates remain significantly lower than the national targets among older adults of color; the prevalence of Internet addiction has dramatically increased among marginalized adolescents and younger adults. His current research interest is in reaching medically underserved populations and promoting their health behaviors by technology-based interventions.

Education
PhD Social Work - University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN - 2013
MSW Social Work - University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN - 2011
MA Gerontology - Ball State University, Muncie, IN - 2008
MA Social Welfare - Kyung Hee University, Seoul, S. Korea - 2006
BA German Linguistics & Literature - Yonsei University, Seoul, S. Korea - 1995
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https://www.memphis.edu/socialwork/faculty_staff/index.php
Sohye Lee
Dr. Sohye Lee joined the Loewenberg College of Nursing faculty in 2017. She earned her BSN degree from Ajou University in South Korea and her PhD in nursing from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Lee’s main research interests are to develop and test cardiovascular risk reduction programs using peer support and technology for underserved minority populations. She has a clinical background in cardiovascular nursing and has volunteer experience at the women’s only cardiac support group in the Minneapolis Heart Institute. During her doctoral program, she targeted obesity as one of the risk factors of cardiovascular disease and developed a weight-management program that combined mobile technology and social support for African American women. In addition, she worked as a senior research coordinator at the University of Minnesota to develop and test a new model to reduce risks for heart disease and stroke for African American men. She also worked as a graduate research assistant to test mobile text messaging intervention for breast cancer screening for Korean American immigrant women.
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Since joining as an Assistant Professor in 2017, Dr. Lee has continually worked for minority’s chronic disease prevention and health promotion to reduce health disparities. She recently received a small internal grant from the LOCN to explore the underserved women’s perspectives on healthy ifestyle behaviors and has published many peer-reviewed articles, poster presentations, and invited speaker presentations. Dr. Lee has a passion for teaching evidence-based practice and nursing research for BSN and PhD students. She also teaches Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing in the BSN program and Quantitative Methods in the PhD program.
Susan Elswick
Susan Elswick obtained her Master of Social Work at University of Tennessee in 2006 and her Doctor of Education in Instructional and Curriculum leadership with a specialty in Applied Behavior Analysis at the University of Memphis in 2011. Served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work Memphis Campus from 2008-current. Served as a clinical assistant professor at the University Of Memphis Department Of Social Work Memphis from 2012-2015. She served as assistant professor and BA Program Director from 2015-current at the University of Memphis Department of Social Work.
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Dr. Susan Elswick has over 15 years of clinical mental health experience that includes community mental health, case management, residential programming, ABA-based programming, school-based programming, parent coaching, integrated behavioral health, infant mental health, and home-based services. Dr. Elswick is the CEO/ Founder of Behavior Services of the MidSouth LLC. Her research interests include assessment and intervention for children with both academic and behavioral difficulties, the use of Response to Intervention in multiple settings, improving outcomes for students through effective teacher training and supports, the use of evidence-based interventions and services to correct maladaptive behaviors in order to improve outcomes for children and families, the use of expressive art therapies/ experiential therapies in the field of social work practice, and the use of informatics and technology in the field of social work.
Y'Esha Williams
Dr. Williams received her BA in Biology from the University of Mississippi (2008). She received her MSN (2012) and PhD in Nursing Research (2016) from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Williams has been an assistant professor at the Loewenberg College of Nursing since 2016. Before that, she worked as a Charge Nurse at Parkwood Behavioral Health Hospital.

Before becoming a nurse, she pursued her passion for teaching as a high school Biology and Anatomy and Physiology teacher. She was tasked with assisting her students to pass their State Examinations, encourage them to appreciate the value of a quality education and achieve life goals. She was able to help them understand that regardless of their socioeconomic status, there should not be monetary limitation placed upon their ambitions and educational advancements. From there her teaching philosophy was born.
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Dr. Williams strongly believes, in order to be successful in the classroom, instructors should be aware of their personal biases and resolve them in order to be fair-minded and impartial to all students. She also believes that students have the right to a quality education and instructors are responsible for inspiring and motivating their students. Additionally, a learning environment should have high standards and positive student outcomes, and a diversified faculty, student body and curriculum is vital for the every changing patient and provider demographics. Teaching has been very rewarding to Dr. Williams because she is helping to mold future nurses all while watching as students mature from novice to competent caregivers.

At current, Dr. Williams is very engaged with research and her areas of interest include obesity, depression, and physical activity in African American mother-child dyads. Moreover, she is interested in contraceptive options in African American teenagers, and promoting healthy sexual behavior amongst all.

Dr. Williams is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the Southern Nursing Research Society.