- Researching COVID-19 Spatial Patterns in Colorado
Jieun Lee, Ph.D., an assistant professor of Geography, GIS, and Sustainability; and Ivan Ramirez, Ph.D., a visiting assistant professor of Health and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Colorado, Denver, explored COVID-19 incidents and deaths from March 14, 2020, to April 8, 2020, looking at social vulnerability and chronic health conditions. They used GIS tools to investigate the geography of the pandemic and published their findings in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health over the summer. Results demonstrate that positive COVID-19 cases and deaths emerged and intensified in mountain communities west of Denver and in urban areas along the Front Range. Eventually new centers of risk evolved in eastern Colorado.
- Researchers Study Digital Screening Intervention Tool
Despite disruptions caused by COVID-19, UNC researchers received approval for a second year of funding, totaling
$1 million over two years, to study the effectiveness of a risk-screening tool in reducing the incidence of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents and young adults. This phase of the project includes a clinical trial with at least 200 participants, ages 14-24.Stephen Wright, Ph.D., co-principal investigator and professor of Applied Psychology and Counselor Education, said, “The cliexa digital platform offers a brief screening tool to assess multiple areas related to patient care (e.g., sexual risk, depression, anxiety, resiliency) across medical and mental-health settings. This information can then be utilized by providers to follow up with appropriate testing, treatment and prevention efforts.” Early results were presented virtually at the National Reproductive Health Conference.
- Grant Helps Create Digital Archive for Artifacts
Andy Creekmore, Ph.D., an associate professor of Anthropology, received a $6,500 grant from the Colorado Statewide Internet Portal Authority (SIPA) Micro-Grant Program.
The grant is being used to make UNC’s collection of more than 3,000 Southwestern and Plains prehistoric and historic artifacts publicly accessible through Digital UNC with an online searchable and Google-indexed database.
“What we want to do is get photographs and descriptions of everything we have on Digital UNC so that anybody anywhere in the world knows we have it and can learn something about it,” Creekmore said. “If you’re a scholar or grad student and want to research these artifacts, you can come here. We really just want to share it broadly, which is kind of an ethical responsibility at a minimum.”
