Advanced Illness and Multimorbidity (AIM) Research Program

描述(由申请者提供)：这个修订后的NIA学术职业领袖奖的总体目标是在UAB开发一个研究项目，解决晚期疾病和多病(AIM)，这是老年学和姑息治疗的自然联系。晚期疾病(患有严重的、无法治愈的进展性疾病)和多发病(同时存在一种以上的病理生理状况)通常在老年患者中并存。AIM共同影响了许多老年人的生活质量，往往导致与医疗保健系统的互动增加，并缩短了独立生活和寿命。人们越来越多地关注多发性疾病，但对生命末期多发性疾病的最佳治疗知之甚少。由于经历AIM的老年人数量正在增加，因此更好地了解AIM和支持AFM患者的干预措施有可能改善老年人的护理和生活质量。UAB已经拥有一大批有才华的研究人员，他们正在研究与特定疾病或老年综合征相关的临床问题。一项研究计划将病情相互关联，并解决与晚期疾病和多发病相关的疾病负担，这将填补我们目前对老年人护理的理解中的重要空白。为此，AIM研究方案的目标包括：1)开展高级疾病护理研究，以改善对老年人，特别是AIM患者的护理过程和结果；2)通过扩展和整合针对受训者、初级和过渡教师的AIM学术培训，在UAB的学校和中心建设研究能力；3)促进AIM研究方案的长期可持续性，以促进整个大学的教师发展、合作和生产性研究的机会；以及4)培养AIM研究方案的拟议主任Christine Ritchie博士的教学和领导技能。AIM研究计划的目标将直接针对老龄研究中未得到满足的需求，通过解决跨疾病、老年综合征和护理环境的交叉和相互关联的问题，这些问题突出了晚期疾病的经验。通过这一跨学科研究计划，更好地了解高级疾病护理面临的挑战和解决方案，可能会显著改善老年人接受和体验的卫生保健质量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall goal of this revised NIA Academic Career Leadership award is to develop a research program at UAB addressing Advanced Illness and Multimorbidity (AIM), the natural nexus of geriatrics and palliative care. Advanced illness (the state of having a serious, incurable, progressive disease) and multimorbidity (the simultaneous existence of more than one pathophysiologic condition) often co-occur in geriatric patients. Together, AIM impact quality of life for many older adults, often leading to increasing interactions with the health care system, and curtailing independent living and longevity. Increasing attention is being devoted to multimorbidity, but less is known about optimal management of multimorbidity at the end of life. Because the number of older adults experiencing AIM is increasing, better understanding of AIM and interventions to support patients with AfM has the potential to improve care and quality of life for older adults. UAB already has a large pool of talented researchers investigating clinical issues related to specific diseases or geriatric syndromes. A research program interrelating conditions and addressing illness burden related to advanced stage diseases and multimorbidity will fill important gaps in our current understanding of care for older people. To that end, the objectives of the AIM Research Program include the following: 1) To conduct research in Advanced Illness Care to improve processes and outcomes of care for older people, especially those with AIM; 2) To build research capacity in the Schools and Centers at UAB through expansion and integration of academic training in AIM for trainees, junior and transitional faculty; 3) To facilitate long term sustainability of an AIM Research Program that fosters opportunities for faculty development, collaboration and productive research across the University; and to 4) To foster the pedagogical and leadership skills of the proposed Director of the AIM Research Program, Dr. Christine Ritchie. The AIM Research Program objectives will directly target unmet needs in aging research by addressing cross-cutting and interrelated issues across diseases, geriatric syndromes and settings of care that are highlighted by the experience of advanced illness. Improved understanding of the challenges and solutions to advanced illness care through this interdisciplinary research program will potentially result in profound improvements in both the quality of health care received and experienced by older adults.