Since 2017, CAFP has been featuring the scholarly work of students, residents and fellows – the next generation of family physicians – from the state’s two medical school and four post-graduate family medicine training programs. The presentations include case studies, pilot programs, CQI projects, and small studies on topics relevant to primary care. This year, presentations of the posters and slideshows can be viewed at the display tables in the exhibit hall, and the files themselves can be accessed through the links below. We also hope you will join us at 4pm Tuesday for a reception to celebrate the work being done at our programs and to encourage community physicians to stay connected with us.

We encourage you to visit the exhibit tables and to download and peruse these presentations – whether it’s a case study of a condition you might see in your office or a CQI project you may wish to adapt for your own evidence-driven practice.

If you like something or want to launch a discussion about it, tweet about it using hashtag #CAFP22ResearchDay.

None of our presenters have any declared conflicts of interest.

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

Quinnipiac University / Frank Netter School of Medicine
Multi-Site Analysis Reveals Age-Associated Disparity in Screening Mammography Adherence During Covid-19 Pandemic
Zachariah S. Demarais B.S., David Hyndman B.S., Joseph Carbonaro, B.S., Jonah Cremin-Endes B.S., Josiah Douglas B.S, Alexander Herr B.S.
A study to identify demographic disparities across five primary care clinics in Connecticut regarding adherence to USPSTF screening mammography guidelines.

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The Impact of Covid-19 on Early Childhood Vaccination Rates at Fair Haven Community Health Care
Ashley N. Ward, BS (Frank H. Netter School of Medicine) and Laurel B. Shader, MD (Pediatric Department Chair, Fair Haven Community Health Care)
Determining the rate of un- and under vaccinated pediatric patients at Fair Haven Community Health Care (FHCHC) in the 12 months before and after the initial COVID-19 lockdown, as well as in the 12 months following widespread vaccine availability.

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Starting a Street Medicine Clinic for Primary Care Providers
Mercedes Forster and Megan Leubner
We started a moveable clinic to serve a food pantry, soup kitchen and needle exchange with a backpack and a laptop.

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BPA Substitutes and Obesity
Shane Varghese and Julianne Hall, PhD
Although BPA-free products are more common now than in the past, concerns remain about the endocrine-disrupting properties of the bisphenol compounds that replace it. This review investigates the relationship between these BPA-substitutes and obesity by exploring the epidemiology and pathophysiology.

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Evaluating an Asynchronous Online Mental Health Curriculum for Teenagers
Marisa Pietrandrea, B.S. & Phillip Simon, M.A.L.S., B.F.A.
This study, done in collaboration with the CT Kids Talent Agency, investigates whether a new online curriculum that uses visual storytelling is an effective method for increasing teenagers’ knowledge on the topic of mental health and changing their attitudes towards those with mental illness.

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The contributions of body mass index to brain atrophy in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis
Evan Thomson1, Zaenab Dhari, MD1,2, Jennifer A. Ruiz, DPT1, 2, Lori Laddaran1, Derek Paradis1, John Garcia1, MPH, MSc3, Ashley Paro1, Linday O. Neto, MPH1, 2, Marco Pisa, MD4, Gabriele C. De Luca MD, DPhil4, & Elizabeth S. Gromisch, PhD1,2,3
1 Department of Medical Sciences, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT
2 Mandell Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital, Trinity Health of New England, Hartford, CT
3 Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT
4 Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University Hospital, Oxford, UK
High BMI is independently associated with increased risk of disease progression in relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis.

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Impact of Septoplasty and Turbinate Reduction, Functional Rhinoplasty, and FESS on Snoring
Evan C. Thomson, BS1, Michal Plocienniczak, MD2, and Michael Cohen, MD2
1 Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, 2Department of Otolaryngology, Boston Medical Center
Measuring the effect of sinonasal surgery on snoring outcomes using at home smartphone application monitoring.

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Rapid Review: Vitamin D Supplementation in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies
Rebecca Easly-Merski, BA; Dr. Abayomi Akanji, MD.PhD
Vitamin D deficiency prior to treatment of hematologic malignancies is associated with poor outcomes and supplementation may have the potential to improve outcomes in certain hematologic ones. Randomized controlled trials are needed to fully investigate Vitamin D’s potential as a therapeutic supplement.

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Development and Pilot Testing of an Evidence-Based Psychosocial Assessment
Katherine M. Trymbulak, BA and Grace Damio, MS, CD/N
A core function of the Comadrona program in addressing the social determinants of health that are integrally linked to health inequities experienced by low-income communities of color. The goal of this study is to review and refine an evidence-based psychosocial assessment tool to enhance the capacity of this health program to maintain optimal service provision as a complement to clinical care.

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UConn Medical School

Non-Disclosure of Complementary and Integrative Medicine Use in Older Adults
Julia Golden BS, Lisa Kenyon-Pesce MPH, Julie Robinson PhD, Mary P. Guerrera MD
Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to determine the extent to which older patients use CAM modalities, the extent to which those who use them reveal the information to their PCP, and what characteristics predicted disclosure.

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Incorporating Palliative Care in Primary Care
Julia Levin, M1 UConn SOM; Hugh Blumenfeld, MD, PhD
Palliative care is an important aspect of taking care of patients for all health care professionals, regardless of specialty. A new primary palliative care curriculum has been developed to teach students in an interprofessional program about this important issue and provide them with the knowledge and skillset to better care for chronically ill patients.

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Primary Care Physicians’ Perspectives on the Promotion of Flourishing in Patients; A Pilot Study
Anita Luxkaranayagam, BS; Dr. Adam Perrin, MD; Dr. Hugh Blumenfeld, MD, PhD
If a patient screens negative for depression or anxiety, should a primary care physician do more to improve the patient’s well-being? We aim to understand what physicians know about the concept of “flourishing” and whether it has a place in the primary clinical care setting.

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RESIDENT PRESENTATIONS

Middlesex Family Medicine Residency Program
Evaluating and Increasing High School Athletes’ Understanding of how Recovery Improves Performance and Reduces Injury Risk
Gianpaola Rufo, DO, John Williams, MD, Xavier High School
This study assesses the effect of an education module on student athlete perceptions of the value of recovery protocols.

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Stamford Hospital Department of Family Medicine
Graves Disease in Pregnancy
Katherine Mathew, MD
A case report detailing Graves disease in pregnancy and key components of its management.

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Leukemia Presenting as Large Splenic Infarct
Matthew Scott, DO
An uncommon presentation of common malignancy in primary care.

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UConn Family Medicine Residency Program
Exercise Prescription at Asylum Hill Family Medicine
Alexandra Galel MD, Emeka Okwudili, MD, Silky Kataria MD MPH, Laura Chaplin DO, Nosheen Sandhu MD, Sravya Uppalapatti MD, Felix Vergilis DO, Tom Agresta MD, Laura Bujold DO, Fonda Gravino MD, Eugene Orientale MD, Andrea Gillis MD, Robert Anderson BS, Emil Coman PhD
A CQI Project designed to consistently provide patients with a Home Exercise Prescription was assessed after one year, with room and recommendations for improvement.

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Increasing Pre-exposure Prophylaxis and Post-exposure Prophylaxis Through Expanding Knowledge and Provider Comfortability to Target HIV Prevention
Nirali Patel DO MD, Samuel Lawyer DO, Silky Kataria MD, MPH, Kenia Mansilla-Rivera MD, Elizabeth Lorick MD, Kiran Lorick MD, Robert Anderson BS, Emil Coman PhD
A CQI project to increase the number of high-risk patients utilizing PrEP and PEP antiviral therapy.

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Expanding Guideline-Directed Statin Usage in Diabetic Patients
Nirali Patel DO MS, Jared Kozal MD, Elizabeth Darson MD, Andria Matthews MD MPH, Adelaide Sefah MD, Carli Wallace MD, Aakash Kaushik MD, Christina Corpus DO, Oyinda Tunde-Byass MD, Kenia Mansilla-Rivera MD, Timothy Lishnak MD, Robert Anderson BS, Emil Coman PhD
A CQI to ensure that patients with diabetes are on a statin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

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