Summaries of Independent Scientist (K) Awards

DeSalvo, Karen

Institution: Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Grant Title: Determining the Merit of Self-Rated Health for Risk Prediction
Grant Number:  K08 HS015701
Duration: 3 years (2006-2009)
Total Award: $358,600

Project Description: This project had three aims:

1. Directly compare the performance of general self-rated health (GSRH), assessed at a single time point to other commonly used risk prediction tools for the prediction of health utilization and expenditures.
2. Assess the ability of changes in GSRH to predict future health resource needs.
3. Develop quantitative models that describe influences to changes in GSRH responses.

Career Goals: Dr. DeSalvo is Chief, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at the Tulane University School of Medicine; Co-Director, Center for Health Equality Research, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine; Executive Director, Tulane University Community Health Center at Covenant House; and Special Assistant to the University President for Public Medical Services, Tulane University. She received her MD from Tulane School of Medicine and her MPH from the Tulane School of Public Health. After her residency in General Medicine, Dr. DeSalvo went on to earn her MSc in Clinical Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. She has become an expert on health care needs of vulnerable populations in Louisiana and contributed to several policy reports about the state of health following Hurricane Katrina.

Progress to Date: This grant has been completed. GSRH was demonstrated to be equally robust as a prediction tool for mortality and expenditures compared to more complex tools more widely used. Though longitudinal changes in GSRH provided added information to cross sectional measures for the purpose of stratifying populations, changes in GSRH did not materially improve prediction, suggesting a single measure is sufficient.

Highlights and Specific Accomplishments:

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJ) Generalist Faculty Scholar Award, 2002.
• Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) Research mentorship Award, 2003.
• Top Internist, New Orleans Magazine, 2003.
• Women of the Year, City Business, 2006.

K-Generated Publications:

Sanne S, Munter P, Kawaski L, DeSalvo K, et al. Hypertension knowledge among patients from an urban clinic. Ethnicity and Disease 2008. 18:42-7.

Muntner P, DeSalvo KB, et al. Trends in prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of cardiovascular disease risk factors among patients with a history of myocardial infarction and stroke. American Journal of Epidemiology 2006. 15:163(10):913-20.

DeSalvo KB, Hyre AD, et al. Post-traumatic stress disorder and difficulty coping in New Orleans residents following Hurricane Katrina. Journal of Urban Health 2007. 84(2):142-52.

DeSalvo KB, Sachs B, Hamm LL. Health care infrastructure in post-Katrina New Orleans: A status report. American Journal of Medical Sciences 2008. 336(2):197-200.

DeSalvo KB, Jones T, et al. Health care expenditure prediction with a single item, self-rated health measure. Medical Care 2009. 47(4):440-7.

Flanders S, Centor R, Weber V, McGinn T, DeSalvo K, Auerbach A. Challenges and opportunities in academic hospital medicine: Report from the academic hospital medicine summit. Journal of General Internal Medicine 2009. 24(5):636-41.

Leon KA, Hyre AD, Ompad D, DeSalvo KB, Muntner P. Perceived stress among a workforce six months following Hurricane Katrina. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 2007. 42(12):1005-11.

Sanne S, Muntner P, Kawasaki L, Hyre AD, DeSalvo KB. Hypertension knowledge in urban blacks. Ethnicity and Disease 2008. 18(1):42-7.

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