In addition to Dr. Kempe, COR’s core faculty and staff includes Elaine Morrato, DrPH, an epidemiologist serving as senior methodologist; Lori Crane, PhD, MPH, a methodology expert on program evaluation and questionnaire design; Miriam Dickinson, PhD, a biostatistician with expertise in health services research; Matthew Daley, MD , an experienced pediatric health services researcher, particularly in immunization delivery, vaccine safety, and preventive dental care; and Christina Kim, MD, a pediatric health services researcher focused on obesity prevention and immunization delivery.
Consistent with the NIH roadmap emphasizing interdisciplinary models of research, COR projects rely on multidisciplinary collaborations among clinicians, epidemiologists, health services researchers, behavioral scientists, and statisticians at The Children’s Hospital, Colorado Health Outcomes Program, and University of Colorado Denver. In addition, COR collaborates with The Children's Hospital Outcomes Program; the Jules Amer Community Pediatrics Program; the AAP; the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Kaiser Permanente; Denver Health Medical Center; a network of six private pediatric practices; and Bright Beginnings, a statewide, community-based nonprofit that serves over 15,000 Colorado families.
Focus Areas in Preventive Care for Children
Vaccine Preventable Diseases
In the United States, childhood immunizations of seven vaccines prevent over 14 million cases ... [More about vaccine preventable diseases]
Comparative Effectiveness and Healthcare Quality
The Institute of Medicine defines comparative effectiveness research (CER) as generation and synthesis of evidence that compares ... [More about comparative effectiveness and healthcare quality]
Oral Health
Although tooth decay is nearly 100% preventable, it is the leading chronic infectious disease affecting children... [More about oral health]
Obesity/Nutrition
For the first time in history, children in the United States may have a lower life expectancy than their parents... [More about obesity and nutrition]
Children with Special Needs
One out of 8 children has special health care needs. More than 90% of children... [More about children with special needs]
Mental/Behavioral/Developmental Health
The World Health Organization reported that mental illness accounts for over 15% of the burden of disease... [More about mental/behavioral/developmental health]
Asthma/Pulmonary Health
One out of ten children has asthma and asthma is the third leading cause of hospitalization among children... [More about asthma/pulmony health]
Maternal/Fetal Health
The United States ranks 29th among industrialized nations in infant mortality rates... [More about maternal/fetal health]
Injury/Violence
In the United States, unintentional injuries are the number one cause of death for children... [More about injury/violence]