Amanda E Sokan

Interests

Teaching

GerontologyHealth AdministrationHealth Law,Law and EthicsCultural Competence in Healthcare

Research

Nexus of gerontology and healthcare, including: Elder rights and justice, elder abuse and mistreatment, cultural competence, LGBT aging, Long-term care, aging and healthcare navigation, health promotion and well-being, dementia caregivers, falls prevention in older adults, provider relationships, and workforce planning. Teaching gerontology/aging.

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Journals/Publications

• Davis, T. E., Sokan, A. E., & Mannan, A. (2023).

  Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Students in Institutions of Higher Education. 

  . Higher Education Studies, 13(2).
• Chen, Z., Yuan, N., Sokan, A., Felix, M., Wager, M., & O'Neill, L. (2021). In Their Own Words: A Study on COVID-19-Related Concerns and Perceptions of Risk Among Older University Employees. Innovation in Aging, 5(Supplement_1), 65-65. doi:10.1093/geroni/igab046.249
• Phillips, L., Chen, Z., Insel, K., Fain, M., Sokan, A., & Harwood, J. (2021). Measuring Covid-related Ageism. Innovation in Aging, 5(Supplement_1), 1011-1012. doi:10.1093/geroni/igab046.3625
• Sokan, A., & Davis, T. (2021). Older Adults and the Impact of COVID-19: Lessons Learned from a Two-State Study. Innovation in Aging, 5(Supplement_1), 719-720. doi:10.1093/geroni/igab046.2687
• Sokan, A., Tanniru, M. R., Sokan, A., Hariri, S., & Agarwal, N. K. (2021). An Agile Digital Platform to Support Population Health-A Case Study of a Digital Platform to Support Patients with Delirium Using IoT, NLP, and AI.. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(11), 5686. doi:10.3390/ijerph18115686
  More info

  For an organization to be customer centric and service oriented requires that it use each encounter with a customer to create value, leverage advanced technologies to design digital services to fulfill the value, and assess perceived value-in-use to continue to revise the value as customer expectations evolve. The adaptation of value cycles to address the rapid changes in customer expectations requires agile digital platforms with dynamic software ecosystems interacting with multiple actors. For public health agencies focused on population health, these agile digital platforms should provide tailored care to address the distinct needs of select population groups. Using prior research on aging and dynamic software ecosystems, this paper develops a template for the design of an agile digital platform to support value cycle activities among clinical and non-clinical actors, including population groups. It illustrates the design of an agile digital platform to support clients that suffer from delirium, using digital services that leverage Internet of Things, natural language processing, and AI that uses real-time data for learning and care adaption. We conclude the paper with directions for future research.
• Ilori, T. O., Viera, E., Wilson, J., Moreno, F., Menon, U., Ehiri, J., Peterson, R., Vemulapalli, T., StimsonRiahi, S. C., Rosales, C., Calhoun, E., Sokan, A., Karnes, J. H., Reiman, E., Ojo, A., Theodorou, A., & Ojo, T. (2020). Approach to High Volume Enrollment in Clinical Research: Experiences from an All of Us Research Program Site. Clinical and translational science, 13(4), 685-692.
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  Clinical trials and cohort studies are required to meet target recruitment of study participants within stipulated timelines, especially when the priority is to include populations traditionally unrepresented in biomedical research. By the third quarter of 2019, the University of Arizona-Banner Health Provider Organization (UA-Banner HPO) has enrolled > 30,000 core participants into the All of Us Research Program (AoURP), the research cohort of the Precision Medicine Initiative. The majority of enrolled participants meet the criteria for individuals under-represented in biomedical research. The enrollment goals were calculated based on a target of 20,000 as set by the National Institutes of Health and our health provider organization achieved enrollment numbers between 17% and 86% above the targeted daily enrollment. We evaluated enrollment methods and challenges to enrollments encountered by the UA-Banner Health Provider Organization into the AoURP. Challenges to enrollment centered around the need for high-touch engagement methods, time investment necessary for stakeholder inclusion, and the use of purely digital enrollment methods especially in populations under-represented in biomedical research. These challenges occurred at the level of the individual, provider, institutions, and community, and cumulatively impacted participant enrollment. Successful strategies for engagement and enrollment leveraged provider partners as advocates for the program. For high-volume enrollment in clinical research, it is important to engage leaders in the healthcare setting, patient providers, and tailor engagement and enrollment to potential participant needs. We emphasize the need for precision engagement and enrollment methods tailored to individual needs.
• , A. o., Denny, J. C., Rutter, J. L., Goldstein, D. B., Philippakis, A., Smoller, J. W., Jenkins, G., & Dishman, E. (2019). The "All of Us" Research Program. The New England journal of medicine, 381(7), 668-676.
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  Knowledge gained from observational cohort studies has dramatically advanced the prevention and treatment of diseases. Many of these cohorts, however, are small, lack diversity, or do not provide comprehensive phenotype data. The All of Us Research Program plans to enroll a diverse group of at least 1 million persons in the United States in order to accelerate biomedical research and improve health. The program aims to make the research results accessible to participants, and it is developing new approaches to generate, access, and make data broadly available to approved researchers. All of Us opened for enrollment in May 2018 and currently enrolls participants 18 years of age or older from a network of more than 340 recruitment sites. Elements of the program protocol include health questionnaires, electronic health records (EHRs), physical measurements, the use of digital health technology, and the collection and analysis of biospecimens. As of July 2019, more than 175,000 participants had contributed biospecimens. More than 80% of these participants are from groups that have been historically underrepresented in biomedical research. EHR data on more than 112,000 participants from 34 sites have been collected. The All of Us data repository should permit researchers to take into account individual differences in lifestyle, socioeconomic factors, environment, and biologic characteristics in order to advance precision diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
• Sokan, A. E., & Davis, T. E. (2019). What about Aging? Perspectives from High School Teachers and Students on Integrating Aging into the High School Curriculum. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 40(4), 480-490. doi:10.1080/02701960.2019.1652822.
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  ABSTRACTMost educational programs on aging target college students in disciplineswhich might provide services or work with older adults, such asmedicine or social work, to the exclusion of students in high school. Thepurpose of this study is to better understand high school students andteacher’s attitudes and perceptions regarding aging. Focus groupswere conducted to collect data for this study. A total of 35 teachersand 55 students participated in the study. Findings indicate that attitudesabout aging are both positive and negative, however, there isa consensus among both teachers and students that incorporatingaging into the high school curriculum would be beneficial. Teachersare in need of strategies to incorporate aging education into the highschool curriculum, as there are many barriers. Results from this studycan be used to aid in the development of educational modulesdesigned to incorporate aging content into the curriculum.
• Mileski, M., McIlwain, A. S., Kruse, C. S., Lieneck, C., & Sokan, A. (2016). The Effectiveness and Need for Facility Based Nurse Aide Training Competency Evaluation Programs. The ABNF journal : official journal of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty in Higher Education, Inc, 27(1), 16-9.
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  It has become crucial for nursing facilities to rapidly train future nurse aides and remove any barriers to their matriculation into the field of care. Facilities feel the organizational burden of insufficient staffing and need to lever all effective programs to train future employees. The facility-based, Nurse Aide Training Competency Evaluation Programs (NATCEP) serve as a viable option to help fill shortages in the professional medical workforce. Data were analyzed from the National Nursing Assistant Survey to provide an overview of the benefits of using facility-trained nurse aides, versus those trained elsewhere, including their own perceptions of training and abilities. These findings also show the importance of facility based training programs for nurse aides on a global level. Providing training on site increases the efficiency and proficiency of nurse aides, making the transition to caregivers an easier for students, employers and residents.

Presentations

• Chen, Z., & Sokan, A. E. (2023, June).

  Translational Research in Public Health: Experience Aging, Aging Research. 

  . Young Global Leaders: An Integrated Lab Experience Summer Program.
• Sokan, A. E. (2023, April).

   Elder Abuse and Mistreatment: What You Should Know, Why You Should Care, and What You Can Do About It. 
  
  

  . 19th Annual Michael A. Creedon Memorial Lecture, A.T. Still University, AZ.. A.T. Still University, Mesa, AZ. 5850 East Still Circle Mesa, AZ 85206: Center for Resilience in Aging, A.T. Still University, Mesa, AZ..
• Sokan, A. E. (2023, March).

  Role of Spirituality in African American Health

  . Faith Leaders Panel, MEZCOPH Black History Month Series.. Drachman Hall, MEZCOPH, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ: DEI - MEZCOPH.
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  Panel Discussion
• Sokan, A. E., & Chen, Z. (2023, June).

  Translational Research in Public Health: Aging and Public Health.

  . Young Global Leaders: An Integrated Lab Experience Summer Program. The University of Arizona, Mel & Enid Zuckeman College of Public Health, Drachman Hall, 1295 N. Martin Ave., Tucson AZ: Global Health Institute, The University of Arizona, Mel & Enid Zuckeman College of Public Health,.
• Sokan, A. E. (2022, June 15).  Myths, Stigmas, and Barriers in LGBTQ+ Health . Webinar– All of Us Research Program – Uarizona-Banner. Online: All of Us Research Program – Uarizona-Banner.
  More info

  Webinar, two panelists discussing  Myths, Stigmas, and Barriers in LGBTQ+ Health. Each panelist delivered a presentation on the topic. 
• Sokan, A. E. (2021, March 24-26).

  A Silent Threat to Technology Adaptations to Address the Needs of Older Adults? , March 2021

  . International Conference on. Public Health (ICPH) 2021, Navrachana University Centre for Public Health (NUCPH). Navrachana University Centre for Public Health (NUCPH), Gujarat India: NavrachanaUniversity in Collaboration with MEZCOPH, The University of Arizona.
• Sokan, A. E., Yuan, N. P., Felix, M., Wager, M., O'Neill, L. M., & Chen, Z. (2021, November). In their own words: A focus group study on COVID-19-related concerns and perceptions of risk among older employees at a large university. Gerontological Society of America 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting. Virtual.
• Sokan, A. E., Yuan, N. P., Felix, M., Wager, M., O'Neill, L. M., Chen, Z., & et., a. (2021, November). In Their Own Words: A Study on COVID-19-Related Concerns and Perceptions of Risk Among Older University Employees.. Gerontological Society of America annual conference.. Virtual: GSA.

Poster Presentations

• Chen, Z., O'Neill, L. M., Wager, M., Felix, M., Sokan, A. E., & Yuan, N. P. (2021, October). Strategies to promote the health and well-being of older University employees during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from focus group interviews. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Expo. Denver, CO (hybrid).
• Davis, T. E., & Sokan, A. E. (2021, November). Developing an Educational Program on Aging for High School Students.. Gerontological Society of America annual conference. Virtual: GSA.
• Robles, D., Yang, Y., Wager, M., Kang, P., Sokan, A. E., Yuan, N. P., & Chen, Z. (2021, October). The effect of 6-week virtual tai chi and qigong intervention on sleep quality and wellbeing among university older employees. American Public Health Association Virtual Annual Meeting & Expo. Denver, CO (hybrid).
• Sokan, A. E., & Davis, T. E. (2021, November). Older Adults and the Impact of COVID-19: Lessons Learned from a Two-State Study.. Gerontological Society of America annual conference.. Virtual: Gerontological Society of America annual conference..
• Sokan, A. E., Fain, M. J., Phillips, L. R., Harwood, J. T., & et., a. (2021, November). Measuring Covid-related Ageism.. Gerontological Society of America annual conference. November, 2021. Virtual: GSA.

Other Teaching Materials

• Sokan, A. E., & Davis, T. E. (2021.

  Manual for an Educational Program on Aging for High School Students. July 2021.(Developed for an implementation and evaluation pilot)

  . Funding: Dean's Fund - School of Health Professions, Rutgers University.
  More info

  Manual with four core modules, developed to help high school teachers infuse aging content in high school curricula. Goal: To increase aging awareness amongst high school students. Educational Program on Aging for High School Students. July 2021.(Developed for an implementation and evaluation pilot)

Others

• Sokan, A. E. (2023, December).

   2022 – 2023 Standards for Success Quality Assurance Report. HUD Multifamily Housing Service Coordinator Program, Ballard Place (Adult Independent Living). 

  . QA/Evaluation Report, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Housing Authority. December 2023 (HUD SFS MFSC Grant)..
  More info

   2022 – 2023 Standards for Success Quality Assurance Report. HUD Multifamily Housing Service Coordinator Program, Ballard Place (Adult Independent Living). Lexington-Fayette Urban County Housing Authority. December 2023 (HUD SFS MFSC Grant).
• Sokan, A. E., Phillips, L. R., & Harwood, J. T. (2023, February).

   University of Arizona: Cultural Influences on Creating and Sustaining an Age-Friendly University (AFU): A Study Report. 

  . Study Report: Submitted to UAHS Innovations in Healthy Aging, UArizona.
  More info

  Sokan, A.E., Phillips, L., & Harwood, J. University of Arizona: Cultural Influences on Creating and Sustaining an Age-Friendly University (AFU): A Study Report. February 19, 2023. (Innovations in Healthy Aging Grant).Funding source: Innovations in Healthy Aging Grant.
• Chen, Z., Sokan, A. E., Butt, H., Kenning, H., Yang, Y., Yuan, N. P., Fain, M. J., Phillips, L. R., O'Neill, L. M., Verhougstraete, M., Insel, K. C., Robles, D., Wager, M., & Jason, K. (2021, November). Impact of COVID-19 on Older Employees of a Large State University: Findings From a Mixed-Methods Study.. Symposium - Gerontological Society of America annual conference.
  More info

  Symposium