LeeRoy Bronner, PhD¹, Yvonne L. Bronner, ScD, RD², Carol Bryant Payne, RN, MSN³, Samuel Little, PhD⁴, Robinson Fulwood, PhD, MSPH⁵, Lenee N. Simon, MPH⁵, Michael B. Ahmadi, MPH, CHES⁵, Reyma Woolford, MSW⁶, Dennis McRae⁷, Juanita Greene⁸, Shaquana Divers, MHA², and Odessma Dalrymple, BS¹. (1) School of Engineering, Morgan State University, 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Schaefer Engineering, Baltimore, MD 21201, 443-885-3238, lbronner@erols.com, (2) Public Health Program, Morgan State University, 343 Jenkins Hall, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251, (3) U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 10 S. Howard Street, 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, (4) Office of Resident Services-Healthy Hearts in Housing, Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC), 417 E. Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, (5) Office of Prevention, Education, and Control, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 31 Center Drive, MSC 2480, Rm. 4A-10, Bethesda, MD 20892, (6) Housing Authority of Balitmore City (HABC), 201 N. Aisquith Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, (7) Healthy Hearts in Housing, Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC), 501 Dolphin Street, Baltimore, MD 21217, (8) Healthy Hearts in Housing, Housing Authority of Balitmore City (HABC), 501 Dolphin Street, Baltimore, MD 21217

Healthy Hearts in Housing is a community-based education project funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) Enhanced Dissemination and Utilization Center initiative. The purpose of this portion of the formative research is to develop a methodology that includes conceptual modeling and the use of the Internet for monitoring and reporting the research process. The base for this methodology is the application of Software Engineering Principles to the process of engineering solutions for Public Health problems. This methodology has been developed to aid in the problem definition and solution conceptualization models in the formative stage of a research study. Also, a previously developed software tool has been used to support this methodology. The tool is an electronic computer model used through all phases of the research process. Development of the computer model is an iterative process where the model developed at problem definition time is refined, but not replaced, through the analysis, design, implementation and evaluation phases. The model is designed to aid the Public Health researcher in all phases of the research process. One of the primary purposes of the model is to monitor the processes as the project progresses. This will make it possible for each investigator to stay abreast of the project where such things as budget, research processes and monthly or quarterly reports are monitored. For greater flexibility during the research process, the computer model is developed into a web-based application and installed on the Internet. This makes accessing interim outcomes more readily available to enhance program outreach opportunities as well as increase the timely dissemination of the results of the project. Not only will access to information be available to all members of the program research team, but also to members of the community who can benefit immediately from the outcomes of the research.

Learning Objectives: Following this presentation, the participants will be able to

• Describe how software engineering principles can be used to develop process models for evaluation of community-based research studies.
• Describe how the internet can be used for research collaboration and dissemination of research results.

Keywords: Epidemiology, Community Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.