Vulnerable Populations Research Core

The Vulnerable Populations Research Core (VPRC) works with the other cores of the Cizik Nursing Research Institute to develop and support projects dedicated to reducing health disparities, promoting health equity, and supporting projects involving populations vulnerable to exploitation and stigmatization.

This core supports the entire research lifecycle, from IRB protocol development to data collection, strongly emphasizing ethical standards, respect for persons, preservation of autonomy, and trauma-informed practices. By integrating bilingual research assistants and qualitative method experts, the VPRC includes populations traditionally excluded from research, thus broadening the scope and impact of nursing research.

Department Directory

Daphne Hernandez, PhD, MSEd, FAAHB

Vulnerable Populations Research Core

Goals

1. Empower and safeguard vulnerable populations in research endeavors: The VPRC is committed to championing the ethical and respectful inclusion of highly vulnerable groups – such as individuals experiencing poverty/economic hardship, homelessness, cognitive impairments, substance use issues, and victimization due to violence – in health research. Our goal is to ensure that projects and investigators are thoroughly supported in their efforts to engage these populations in ways that prioritize their respect, autonomy, and unique needs. We aim to foster an environment of empathy and creativity in problem-solving, allowing for the maintenance of rigorous research standards without compromising the dignity, autonomy, or specific requirements of these groups. This goal emphasizes the importance of inclusive research practices that recognize and address the barriers to participation faced by these populations.
2. Bridge clinical and community insights: Establish the VPRC as a pivotal bridge that connects clinical research with community-based insights, facilitating a deeper understanding of the health disparities and challenges faced by vulnerable populations. This involves fostering collaborations between researchers, community organizations, and the populations themselves to ensure that research is grounded in real-world experiences and needs.
3. Cultivate research excellence in health equity: Develop and support a cadre of researchers who are not only skilled in cutting-edge research methodologies but are also deeply committed to health equity. This goal focuses on mentoring and training researchers, especially students and early career investigators to conduct ethically sound and impactful research that contributes to reducing health disparities and advancing health equity.

Activities

• The human subjects analyst within the VPRC works closely with research teams prior to IRB submission to review IRB protocols and ensure they meet compliance with federal and institutional regulations, while upholding standards of care and population-specific best research practices. The analyst facilitates “high-risk review” panels to provide feedback to the investigator and IRB on the balance of benefits, harms, standards of care, and knowledge to be gained. The analyst maintains a repository to provide examples of IRB protocols, consent forms, recruitment flyers.
• Trained and supervised research assistants who assist with data collection are trained on how trauma can influence survey responses, recruitment, and retention. Our research assistant team includes personnel who speak Spanish and Vietnamese, the two most prevalent international languages spoken in Houston. The bilingual research assistants can translate research materials as well as recruit participants and conduct research studies in these languages.
• Core faculty provide qualitative methods support facilitated by a master’s-prepared licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with the clinical background to use a trauma-informed approach. Services include review of semi-structured and focus group interview guides as well as data collection, transcription coding, data analysis, and writing up results. The LCSW can deliver standardized testing, such as cognitive interviews, and determine participants’ capacity to consent. The VPRC can also provide data collection supplies such as tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, microphones, adaptors, and audio and video recorders for qualitative interviews.
• To help investigators enroll and retain hard-to-reach participants, the VPRC maintains a repository of prior participants in research studies who have agreed to be contacted in future studies and conduct community outreach through direct community interactions and partner community organizations.
• The VPRC also provides advice on building and supporting research teams with varied research experiences working with vulnerable populations. This includes working with community members and community advisory boards. To ensure that the next generation of research scientists are being trained, the VPRC will provide support to teams that include students and early-career investigators by providing mentoring guidance and professional development support.