Hi, Janet:
Your post resonated with me and being at the first- and second-generation research stage. I don't think I realized there was such limited research on NAFLD; I know transplant is a resource-rich area with so much emphasis on social work and one's social circumstances that I assumed there was a lot already published on it. Given all of that and the disparities in the transplant world, I think you have an area ripe for further work.
I think the types of interventions described by Jones and Gottlieb are ideal for NAFLD and diseases like hepatitis B. As a medical student, I participated in a number of hepatitis B outreach events in non-medical settings, and while only single exposures, I felt like there was some benefit. There is definitely benefit in having some of the stigma and ability to overcome cultural beliefs in these settings -- and with non-medical providers -- that could make a real difference in outcomes.
Your post resonated with me and being at the first- and second-generation research stage. I don't think I realized there was such limited research on NAFLD; I know transplant is a resource-rich area with so much emphasis on social work and one's social circumstances that I assumed there was a lot already published on it. Given all of that and the disparities in the transplant world, I think you have an area ripe for further work.
I think the types of interventions described by Jones and Gottlieb are ideal for NAFLD and diseases like hepatitis B. As a medical student, I participated in a number of hepatitis B outreach events in non-medical settings, and while only single exposures, I felt like there was some benefit. There is definitely benefit in having some of the stigma and ability to overcome cultural beliefs in these settings -- and with non-medical providers -- that could make a real difference in outcomes.