Research

Leigh Tenkku, PhD, MPH, is the Director of the Research Division. The Research Division began in 2001, with an Academic Administrative Units in Primary Care Training Grant. This funding formalized the research division within the department by providing portions of the researchers' salaries and by establishing protected time for division meetings and seminars. The grant also provides funding for support staff who will assist the researchers in developing their interests, finding funding sources for those interests, and conducting studies.

Our Mission
Our mission is to conduct research in the following areas:

• Substance Abuse Prevention
• Maternal Reproductive Care
• Mental Health Care
• Behavioral Management of Headache Pain
• End of Life Care and
• Behavioral Medicine in Community and Primary Care Settings

The overarching goal is to improve health outcomes, especially for medically underserved populations.

Vision
Our vision is to become a highly regarded primary care and community based research department, confronting the above research areas and health issues to achieve better health outcomes. To accomplish this we will develop collaborative research projects with other schools, institutes and agencies in our region that have similar missions. These include, but are not limited to:

• SLU Schools of Public Health, Nursing, Allied Health and Social Service
• Missouri Institute of Mental Health
• SLU-AHEC Program Office
• East Central Missouri Area Health Education Center
• The city and county of St. Louis health departments
• The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

 

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