Quality of Life Experts
Eileen Collins
Expert on: Quality of life in chronic disease through physical activity
Dr. Eileen Collins is the Dean of the College of Nursing and professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science. Her research focuses on improving quality of life in persons with chronic disease through physical activity. She works with pulmonary patients on breathing retraining and physical activity interventions. She has strong research expertise in the measurement and conduct of randomized clinical trials.
Cynthia Fritschi
Expert on: Diabetes, self-care behaviors, real-time data collection
Dr. Cynthia Fritschi is an associate professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science. Her research has focused on the relationships between physical function, physical activity and system experiences among obese, sedentary adults with Type 2 diabetes. The overarching goal of her research is to develop real-world physical activity interventions in aging, urban adults with or at risk for cardiometabolic diseases to maximize metabolic health, enhance quality of life, and attenuate the risks for early disability associated with being sedentary.
Dr. Fritschi has conducted behavioral intervention studies in which she assesses the effects of using real-time continuous physical activity and glucose monitoring to examine the psychological, behavioral, and glucose outcomes in aging adults with Type 2 diabetes.
Mary Hannan
Expert on: Lifestyle behaviors, particularly physical activity, in kidney disease
Dr. Mary Hannan is an assistant professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science. The goal of her research is to improve health and quality of life for adults with kidney disease through participation in healthy lifestyle behaviors. She develops lifestyle interventions, particularly physical activity interventions, that seek to improve health and quality of life for adults with kidney disease.
Onome Henry Osokpo
Expert on: Self-care, care transitions, and health disparities in adults with complex health/social needs
Dr. Onome Henry Osokpo is an assistant professor in the Department of Population Health Nursing Science. His research aims to reduce health disparities, advance health equity, and mitigate adverse social determinants of health with a particular focus on improving self-care and transitions of care for vulnerable adult populations, including Black/African immigrants and their caregivers. Dr. Osokpo’s research goal is to understand and address the multilevel barriers to health care, including sociocultural (language), economic, behavioral, and system (organizational) barriers that adversely impact the health and outcomes of vulnerable adults with chronic disease and complex health and social needs.
Eleanor Rivera
Expert on: Systems-level approaches to transform patient care
Dr. Eleanor Rivera is an assistant professor in the Department of Population Health Nursing Science. Her research program is focused on systems-level approaches to transform patient care, to be more successful in improving patient health and well-being for people living with chronic conditions by delivering patient-centered care. She has a sustained focus on populations experiencing health disparities, particularly older adults, racial/ethnic minorities, and Veterans, with a program of research dedicated to emphasizing patient perspectives and lived experience. Dr. Rivera emphasizes collaboration with community partners to ensure that her research is patient-led and responsive to the local community. While she is interested in the impact of chronic disease self-management across many disease populations, currently her research is primarily focused on patients living with chronic kidney disease.