Shu-Fang “Ann" Shih, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Health Administration, the Bachelor of Science in Health Services and the PhD in Health Related Sciences programs, has been awarded a collaborative grant funded by the Child Health Research Institute for their research project titled "Mapping Primary Care and Behavioral Health Resources and Social Determinants of Health in School Communities: A Geospatial and Multi-Level Analysis."

Shih will be leading the team to fill critical knowledge gaps by adopting a system-structural approach to inform the development of strategies to improve child health care, promote child health, and advance child health equity. 

"Schools are critical physical and social environments for children, and should be strategically recognized as health hubs to promote child health and health equity, given their pivotal role and deep connections to families and communities," said Shih. 

This health systems research employs an ecological framework, utilizing geospatial science and multi-level analysis to identify disparities in access to essential child healthcare services, particularly among children who are racial/ethnic minorities, low-income, and living in resource-constrained areas.

"The results will inform equity-centered resource planning and allocation and provide insights for health-oriented cross-sector alignment among public health, healthcare, education, and social services," Shih added.

The VCU College of Health Professions looks forward to sharing more updates on this important work in the near future.