A federal research grant awarded to Dr. Shapiro, above, will address treatment gaps in broken wrists among Spanish-speaking populations, spotlighting critical efforts to bridge healthcare divides.(Photo: UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery)
SAN FRANCISCO (April 19, 2024) — The UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is pleased to announce that Lauren Shapiro, MD MS, an orthopaedic hand surgeon and medical researcher, has been awarded a prestigious K23 grant to address a significant gap in healthcare provision for Spanish-speaking patients with distal radius fractures, commonly known as broken wrists. This injury is prevalent both in the United States and globally, contributing significantly to the overall burden of morbidity.
“This research represents a crucial step toward addressing the disparities in healthcare faced by Spanish-speaking patients with distal radius fractures,” said Dr. Shapiro. “By developing culturally adapted outcome measures, we aim to ensure that these patients receive more accurate assessments and tailored treatments, ultimately improving their overall care and outcomes.”
The crux of the issue lies in the assessment of treatment outcomes using Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), which evaluate the physical function and symptom burden of patients. However, many current PROMs lack cultural and linguistic relevance for Spanish-speaking patients, leading to potential inaccuracies in measuring their physical function and consequently influencing treatment decisions and patient outcomes.
To bridge this gap, Dr. Shapiro's research aims to develop and validate culturally adapted PROMs tailored specifically for Spanish-speaking patients with distal radius fractures. Collaborating with esteemed experts including Dr. Patricia Katz, Dr. Alicia Fernandez, and Dr. Theodore Miclau, the project will undertake a comprehensive approach. It includes assessing the suitability of existing PROMs, adapting them to fit the cultural context of Spanish-speaking populations, and rigorously testing the efficacy of the newly developed measures. The knowledge gained from this work is not limited to Spanish-speaking patients with wrist fractures; it will inform the adaptation of PROMs for patients of other backgrounds and those with other injuries, contributing generally to the improvement of PROMs and disparities in healthcare.
“This groundbreaking research will not only shed light on the influence of language and culture on healthcare outcomes, but it will also pave the way for improved treatment strategies for Spanish-speaking patients with broken wrists, not only in the United States but worldwide,” said Dr. C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Department Chair.
Administered by the NIH/NIAMS, the purpose of the K23 award is to provide individuals who have a clinical doctoral degree with an intensive, supervised, patient-oriented research experience. The K23 provides support and 'protected time' for these individuals considered to be on the path to a productive, independent clinical research career. Dr. Shapiro's K23 grant funding is $841,140 over a five-year period.