Special Interest Groups
HSR&D Special Interest Groups are comprised of researchers who share an interest in a particular topic. They help to encourage collaboration and networking among researchers and to inform new and ongoing areas of research. Current interest groups are listed below. If you are interested in forming a new interest group or would like to have an existing interest group represented on this page, please contact Karen Bossi at karen.bossi@va.gov.
- Caregiving Research
- Mixed Methods
- Pain Research Working Group (PRWG)
- Rural Veterans' Health Interest Group
- VA Emergency Management Research Interest Group
- VA Health Equity Research Interest Group
- VA Statisticians' Association (VASA)
- VA Women's Health Research Interest Group
- VA/DoD Collaborative Research Initiative
Name: Special Interest Group on Caregiving Research
Description:
Caregivers play a critical role in the day-to-day support for chronically ill OEF/OIF and other Veterans. Research on caregiver support is an important part of the Long-Term Care and Caregiving priority research area within the HSR&D eRA RFA. The purpose of the SIG on Caregiving Research is to stimulate quality research and to provide a structure for VA caregiving researchers to share information and develop collaborative projects.
Principal Contact:
John D. Piette, PhD
Center for Clinical Management Research
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
jpiette@umich.edu
Membership Information:
The SIG on Caregiving Research is open to new members. Those interested can contact Kathy Swalwell (Kathy.Swalwell@va.gov) to be added to the group's listserv and to receive access to the group's website (please be sure to include your name, e-mail, and VA or academic affiliation). The link to the SIG on Caregiving Research website is: http://sites.google.com/site/caregivingresearch/.
Name: Mixed Methods Special Interest Group
Description:
This group is for HSR&D researchers who are interested in Mixed Methods and qualitative research. Anyone affiliated with HSR&D is invited to join. We meet yearly at the National Meeting, hold periodic conference calls and Cyber Seminars, and host an online group website.
Principal Contacts:
Laura J. Damschroder, MPH
laura.damschroder@va.gov
Jane Forman, ScD
janeform@umich.edu
Membership Information:
The Mixed Methods SIG is open to new members. To join, click the link below, or send an e-mail request to Laura Damschroder. A "Gmail" account is not necessary to join; you can create a Google account using your VA or other email address. http://groups.google.com/group/hsrd-mm-sig
Name: Pain Research Working Group (PRWG)
Description:
The Veterans Health Administration Pain Research Working Group (PRWG) was developed to support one of the key objectives of the VHA National Pain Management Strategy, namely "Identifying research opportunities and priorities in pain management and facilitating collaborative research efforts." Four specific objectives of the PRWG have been articulated:
- Establishment of a network of VHA pain-relevant scientists and scholars;
- Increase number of VHA funded investigator-initiated and multi-site pain-relevant research projects;
- Development of an agenda for health systems/health policy research designed to support the National Pain Management Strategy goals; and
- Development of a VHA research policy agenda designed to establish pain-relevant research as a priority.
Principal Contact:
Robert D. Kerns, PhD
Robert.kerns@va.gov
Membership Information:
Membership is open to VA and DoD investigators, and collaborating non-VA/non-DoD investigators with interests in pain and pain management, and related fields. To join, please contact Robert Kerns via email. Interested persons may also visit the national VHA Pain Management website at www.va.gov/pain_management.
Name: Rural Veterans' Health Interest Group
Description:
Our group seeks to better understand health and healthcare challenges, and to improve health status and healthcare access for rural veterans. Funded through VA's Office of Rural Health, three Rural Health Resource Centers representing Eastern (White River Junction), Central (Iowa City), and Western (Salt Lake City) U.S. regions serve as educational repositories and work with facilities and VISNs within their respective regions to test and evaluate field-based pilot projects aimed at improving healthcare for rural veterans.
Principal Contacts:
Eastern Region:
Director: Ryan Lilly (ryan.lilly@va.gov)
Deputy Director: Alan West, PhD (alan.west@va.gov)
Central Region:
Director: Peter Kaboli, MD (peter.kaboli@va.gov)
Western Region:
Director: Byron Bair MD, MBA (byron.bair@va.gov)
Deputy Director: Nancy Dailey, RN (nancy.dailey@va.gov)
Membership Information:
The Interest Group is open to new members. For more information, please contact one of the individuals listed above or visit our web site at http://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/.
Name: VA Emergency Management Research Interest Group
Description:
The VA Emergency Management Research Interest Group fosters communication and collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers interested in emergency management research. The Group supports VA's Fourth Congressionally-mandated Mission: emergency preparedness and response in support of VA, the Department of Defense, and the Nation. VA serves as a backup to the Department of Defense health system in times of war or other emergencies and as support to communities following natural disasters, emergencies, and domestic terrorist incidents. The Group provides a forum to exchange knowledge, disseminate research findings, inform policy, and network with those sharing common interests in advancing research knowledge relevant to emergency management.
Principal Contact:
Aram Dobalian, PhD, JD
aram.dobalian@va.gov
Membership Information:
This interest group is open to new members. If you are interested in joining, please send an email to aram.dobalian@va.gov.
Name: VA Health Equity Research Interest Group
Description:
This interest group is for VA HSR&D investigators engaged in health equity research. The goal of this group is to enhance disparities research and foster collaboration and coordination of health equity research in order to build a more integrated equity research portfolio that will facilitate development of interventions to reduce disparities and enhance implementation of research into practice in VA.
Principal Contacts:
Linda R. Lipson, MA
Linda.Lipson@va.gov
Membership Information:
The Interest Group is open to new members who are VA researchers interested in research related to health disparities and health equity.
Name: VA Women's Health Research Interest Group
Description:
The VA Women's Health Research Interest Group is committed to advancing research to improve the health and healthcare of women Veterans through sharing of research findings and educational opportunities, networking, collaboration, and development of VA research priorities and strategies to expand women's health research in the future. The Women's Health Group meets at the HSR&D National Meeting and also supports HSR&D Central Office in activities related to the women's health research portfolio, including providing expertise for briefings and special conferences.
Principal Contacts:
Linda R. Lipson, MA
Linda.Lipson@va.gov
Elizabeth Yano, PhD
Elizabeth.Yano@va.gov
Membership Information:
The Interest Group is open to new members who are VA researchers interested in women's health research and the health and healthcare of women Veterans. If you are interested in joining the VA Women's Health Researcher Listserv, go to http://www.research.va.gov/programs/womens_health/listserv.cfm and complete the information in the box on the right of the page.
Name: VA Statisticians' Association (VASA)
Description:
VASA formed in 2005 in order to improve communication, networking, and interaction among statisticians within VA. Our mission is to:
- Promote and disseminate statistical methodological research relevant to VA studies;
- Facilitate communication and collaboration among VA-affiliated statisticians;
- Promote good statistical practice;
- Increase participation and visibility of VA statisticians at national meetings such as the VA HSR&D and ASA Joint Statistical Meetings; and
- Increase participation of statisticians in VA research merit review.
Principal Contacts:
Whitney Showalter
whitney.showalter@va.gov
Dr. Andrew Zhou
andrew.zhou@va.gov
Membership Information:
VASA is open to new members. VA-affiliated statisticians are encouraged to join the group by sending their contact information and affiliation. Similarly, VASA welcomes ideas and suggestions regarding its activities, website content, or other topics. To join or for more information, simply contact either Whitney or Andrew at the e-mail addresses above.
Name: VA/DoD Collaborative Research Initiative
Description:
VA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) has implemented a VA/DoD Collaborative Research Listserv to foster communications and collaborative research among Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) researchers.
Principal Contact:
VA/DoD Collaborative Research Initiative
vadodcri@va.gov
Membership Information:
The VA/DoD Collaborative Research Initiative is open to new members. To join the listserv, please send an e-mail to vadodcri@va.gov to obtain an enrollment form. Completed enrollment forms should then be returned to the same e-mail address.