two people preparing a healthy meal

Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management and Complex Care

In search of answers for those who need them most.

The Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management and Complex Care brings together a community of internationally renowned nurse scientists, scholars, clinicians and educators dedicated to advancing our knowledge and response to the issues of complex care, self-management and health promotion among vulnerable and aging populations. Our team works together to positively impact the health of adults of all ages and care management spanning all settings.

Mission

Our mission is to positively impact the health of adults of all ages through bench-to-population-based transdisciplinary research in six broad areas of inquiry: acute and chronic conditions, cognition, health equity, health promotion, social determinants of health and symptom science.

Goals

Our goals are to:

  • Lead policy and practice initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting the health and well-being of vulnerable populations;
  • Foster a new generation of transdisciplinary scholars and clinicians; and
  • Engage individuals, caregivers and community partners in achieving desired health outcomes.
Jodi McDaniel
Jodi McDaniel
Associate Professor, Director
mcdaniel.561@osu.edu

Message from the Director

Welcome to the Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management and Complex Care. Our Center scientists, educators and clinicians have a special focus on vulnerable populations. We address the interplay of cognitive impairment and critical or chronic illnesses, seeking to determine best approaches for self-management and health promotion. We address the healthcare needs and wellness of refugee and immigrant populations. Ultimately, we aspire to generate new knowledge and rapidly disseminate this knowledge so that our aging and vulnerable populations can reap its benefits.

Research and Scholarship

nursing hugging patient in a wheelchair from behind

Acute and Chronic Conditions / Multimorbidity

Faculty are committed to improving health-related outcomes and quality of life across the continuum of care for people with acute and chronic conditions and their family caregivers.
nurse helping elderly woman eat breakfast

Cognition

Through interdisciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge methodologies, faculty are driving progress in identifying risk factors, developing novel interventions, and enhancing our knowledge of dementia's multifaceted challenges.
group of diverse people

Health Equity and Marginalized Populations

Faculty are committed to advancing health equity and reducing health inequities through innovative and community-engaged research.
women talking at a health fair

Health Promotion

Faculty are at the forefront of advancing self-management and health promotion science through collaborative efforts with local communities.
back of homeless man pushing a bicycle with a bag of belongings balanced on top

Social Determinants of Health

Faculty research focuses on investigating the intricacies of social determinants of health (SDOH) and their impact on health disparities and healthcare inequities across various demographic groups.
clinician taking notes during meeting with patient

Symptom Science

Faculty lead the field of symptom science research, focusing on advancing our understanding of the complex interplay between biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to the experience of various symptoms, such as pain, fatigue and emotional distress.

Congratulations

SHERYL S JUSTICE, PHDCategory icon

SHERYL S JUSTICE, PHD

Recently awarded a College of Nursing intramural seed grant. Dr. Justice’s research focuses on non-pharmaceutical antibiotic-sparing approaches to prevent and treat urinary tract infections (UTIs). The pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli that cause UTIs initially reside in the gastrointestinal tract contaminate the bladder to cause disease.  In her pilot study entitled “E. coli Nissle for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infection”, she will determine the ability of a probiotic strain of E. coli to remove the pathogenic strains from the gastrointestinal tract and reduce the rate of recurrent UTI.  
Yesol Yang, PhDCategory icon

Yesol Yang, PhD

Awarded the inaugural grant from the Donna Boniva Sanders and Mary Patricia Armstrong Nursing Cancer Research Endowed Fund. Dr. Yang’s research investigates how the responses of breast cancer survivors to negative situations impact their executive functioning. Yang’s pilot study, “Exploring Sensitivity to Uncertainty and Cognitive-Emotional Challenges in Young Breast Cancer Survivors,” will begin in early 2025 and will recruit more than 40 young breast cancer survivors at the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center over a two-year span.
Mary Beth Happ, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSACategory icon

Mary Beth Happ, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA

A recipient of a new R01 subaward from Emory University titled “Informal Caregiving Networks of Older Adults with Dementia.”
Christina Dyar, PhDCategory icon

Christina Dyar, PhD

Recently awarded a prestigious National Institute of Mental Health R01 grant for her project titled "Bisexual Adolescents' and Young Adults' Risk for Depression and Suicidal Ideation: Developmental Trajectories, Risk and Protective Factors, and Underlying Mechanisms." This 5-year, $3.6 million study is poised to make significant contributions to advancing adolescent mental health.