Clin-STAR Awardee Spotlight
Pamela Dunlap, DPT, PhD
University of Pittsburgh
Physical Therapy
Clin-STAR Transdisciplinary Aging Research Pilot Grant - 2023
Effectiveness and Predictors of Evidence-Based Care Use among Older Adults with Peripheral Vestibular Disorders
The long-term goal of the project is to improve the quality of care and health outcomes for older adults with peripheral vestibular disorders by optimizing the delivery of evidence-based rehabilitation care. Vestibular disorders are common among US adults and the prevalence increases with age. Common symptoms include dizziness and loss of balance, which are linked to greater risk for falls in the older adult population. Evidence-based care for vestibular disorders include physical therapy interventions but are currently underutilized in clinical practice. Using claims and electronic medical record data, we will examine the effect of physical therapy use on healthcare utilization and fall injuries and identify predictors of physical therapy use among older adults with vestibular disorders. The results from the study will be used to inform future work to identify implementation strategies to improve upon the uptake of evidence-based care among older adults with peripheral vestibular disorders.Pilot Mentor
Yuri Agrawal, MD, MPH
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Research Interests: Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery
Age-related condition studied in pilot:
- Balance
- Vestibular disorders
Impact of pilot:
- Translation
Clin-STAR Grantee Interview
How did you first find out about Clin-STAR and the pilot grant program?
I learned about Clin-STAR and the pilot grant program from one of my mentors, Dr. Jennifer Brach, who is part of the Clin-STAR Leadership Core.
What inspired you to pursue aging research and how does your perspective as a non-geriatrician specialist contribute to your research activity?
I first became interested in aging research as I was completing a mentored research training experience during my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. As I entered clinical practice as a physical therapist, I enjoyed working clinically with individuals who had balance disorders, many of whom were older adults. Through my clinical experiences, I found that there were many individuals with balance disorders who were delayed in receiving evidence-based treatment including physical therapy interventions. These foundational clinical and research experiences led me to my current research question where I seek to understand the barriers to receiving evidence-based treatment for balance and vestibular disorders among older adults with the long-term goal of improving the quality of care for this population.
In your view, what does Clin-STAR mean to the field and what does it mean for you to receive a Clin-STAR pilot grant now?
I am honored and excited to receive the Clin-STAR pilot grant. I think that Clin-STAR provides early career researchers an avenue to pursue important research questions while partnering with an expert in a different field, providing a unique opportunity for mentorship in aging research.
What’s exciting about your research’s potential impact to your career, field, and patients?
The research study has the potential to impact the quality of care that individuals with balance and vestibular disorders receive. The results from this work will be used to directly inform future research to identify the best way to improve upon evidence-based care use among individuals with balance and vestibular disorders.
How have you collaborated with your mentor or co-investigators?
Our team includes Drs. Agrawal, Freburger, and Terhorst. I have not yet had the opportunity to work with Dr. Agrawal directly and am excited that this pilot award will provide me with that experience. I have worked with Drs. Freburger and Terhorst on other pilot projects and look forward to continuing to benefit from their mentorship on health services research and analysis of large data sets.