Social Needs Screening and Chronic Diseases Study (WE CARE)

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, WORCESTER · Mar 25, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The WE CARE Chronic Disease Study is a research project aimed at understanding how a special screening and referral program can help reduce health issues related to chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and asthma, especially among minoritized communities. The program focuses on screening for social factors that affect health (called social determinants of health) and seeks to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, receives the care they need to manage these conditions effectively.

To participate in this study, individuals must either be adults or children with diagnosed chronic diseases. Specifically, children under 18 must have asthma, while adults 18 and older should have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or depression. Participants will be selected from those receiving care at specific Family Medicine clinics based on their medical records. If you or a loved one meets these criteria, you may have the opportunity to take part in this important study, which aims to make healthcare more equitable and impactful for those with chronic conditions.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adults and children with diagnosed chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, asthma, or depression) who receive Family Medicine care at one of the study sites.
• • Children (\<18 years of age) with a diagnosis of asthma.
• • Adult patients (18 years or older) with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and/or depression.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • In adults (\>18 years of age), those without one or more of the following diagnoses as recorded by ICD-10 codes in their EHR: hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, or depression.
• • In children (\<18 years of age), those without a diagnosis of asthma.