Andre L. Washington

Return-to-Work Outcome Rates of African American Versus White Veterans Served by State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies: A Randomized Split-Half Cross-Model Validation Research Design

The purpose of this study was to identify disparities in successful return-to-work outcome rates based on race, gender, and level of educational attainment at closure among veterans with a signed Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE). A randomized split-half cross-model validation research design was used to develop and test a series of logistic regression models for goodness of fit across two samples (i.e., screening and calibration) of case records (N = 11,337) obtained from the national Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)-911 database. The final predictive multinomial logistic regression model indicated that (a) the odds of White veterans successfully returning to work were nearly 1½ times the odds of African American veterans returning to work and (b) African American female veterans had the lowest probability for successfully returning to work. Moreover, findings indicated that African American veterans’ successful return-to-work rates in 5 of the 10 RSA regions were below the national benchmark. Recommendations for policy development and future research directions are presented.

Research Capacity Building: A Historically Black College/University-Based Case Study of a Peer-to-Peer Mentor Research Team Model.

Purpose: To evaluate a peer-to-peer mentor research team model (PPMRTM) in building investigators’ research skills (i.e., research methods and grant writing) at a historically Black college/university (HBCU) in the United States. Method: Three different theories (i.e., planned change, critical mass, and self-efficacy), contemporary study findings, and our personal experiences as HBCU-based investigators provided a useful framework for developing the PPMRTM and corresponding intervention components. Three faculty members (herein referred to as fellows) and 5 mentors participated in the study. A concurrent equal status mixed methods design was used to triangulate data collected from 2 different sources: (a) a mixed methods (i.e., qualitative and quantitative) Web-based survey and (b) telephone interviews. The data were analyzed using SPSS Version 22 and NVivo Version 10.0. Results: The findings indicated that mentors and fellows were satisfied with the mentorship relationship, the program design, and its processes. Fellows submitted, for the first time in their career, a research proposal to the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research Minority Serving Institution-Field Initiated Program (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance [CFDA 84.133]; G-4 research or G-5 development) for competitive funding consideration. This was a core goal of the program. They also indicated that their confidence to conduct research improved. Conclusions: The results suggest that the PPMRTM could represent a promising conceptual framework for conducing mentorship at HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions to improve early career research scientists’ research skills.

Career Development Factors for Minority Disability and Health Research Leaders: A Key Informant Study

Purpose: This study examined and documented minority disability and health research leaders’ experiences and perspectives on career development challenges and success strategies. Methods: A sample of 15 African American, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Latino, and Asian research leaders as key informants participated in the inquiry. Research team members and external project advisory panel members collaboratively developed the interview protocol consisting of 8 questions designed to elicit information about career development factors. Trained interviewers conducted semistructured telephone interviews to collect data. Verbatim transcripts of the audiotapes and participant demographics were the primary data that were analyzed using NVivo (Version 10.0). Results: Individual sociocultural challenges (e.g., cultural barriers, language/communication issues, family life issues, and limited collaboration opportunities), institutional research environmental concerns (e.g., bureaucracy, alienation, insufficient research support funds, and discrimination), and federal research agency policy and systems context–induced issues (e.g., limited mentorship opportunities, inadequate supply of minority research leaders and role models, unhealthy competition, and lack of equal opportunity) emerged among key informants’ perspectives as important barriers. Identified success strategies included the need for early career investigators to build, expand, and use support networks, establish multidisciplinary collaborations, develop strong work ethic, enhance research skills (e.g., methodological and grant writing), and obtain capable mentorship. Conclusions: The aforementioned factors should be considered in the creation of new career development models and paradigms aimed at diversifying the scientific workforce.

A Disability and Health Institutional Research Capacity Building and Infrastructure Model Evaluation: A Tribal College-Based Case Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this multimethod study was to evaluate the institutional research capacity building and infrastructure model (IRCBIM), an emerging innovative and integrated approach designed to build, strengthen, and sustain adequate disability and health research capacity (i.e., research infrastructure and investigators’ research skills) at tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) and other minority-serving institutions. Methods: A qualitative case study design was used to evaluate the model based on the perspectives of three different study participant groups (i.e., faculty members, staff/administrators, and students). Semistructured interviews, document review, and observation were used to collect data. Results: The IRCBIM showed promise in improving learning and retention outcomes, creating a pipeline for producing new Indigenous researchers and contributing toward their graduate schools success, and building institutional research environment and prestige. The challenges category addresses overall issues deemed to impede and limit the institution’s disability and health research capacity. Conclusions: The findings support IRCBIM as a promising institutional research capacity building approach. Such sustained efforts, coupled with synergistic long-term federal research agency (i.e., National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research) sponsorship, could empower TCUs to make “new knowledge” contributions to improving employment, community living and participation, and health outcomes among tribal community members with disabilities.

Research Productivity in Rehabilitation, Disability, and Allied Health Programs: A Focus Group Perspective on Minority-Serving Institutions.

Purpose: The article outlines select individual and institutional factors that could contribute to rehabilitation, disability, and health research productivity among minority-serving institutions (MSIs; i.e., historically Black colleges/universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and American Indian tribal colleges/universities). Method: We conducted 1 focus group with 12 faculty members from MSIs to identify their perceptions on research productivity factors. Both purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to recruit participants. Data were audio-recorded and transcribed. An open coding approach was used to generate themes and codes, and the analysis was completed using NVivo (Version 10). Results: Focus group discussion led to the identification of several factors that influence rehabilitation, disability, and health research productivity at MSIs. Such identified factors included, but were not limited to, heavy teaching and service loads, time management issues, lack of collaboration, limited mentors, insufficient financial resources, inadeqaute administrative and research culture, and insufficient state and donor funding. Focus group participants also suggested relevant topics and sources as informational materials for improving scientific productivity. Conclusion: The findings point to the need for MSIs to make greater financial and intellectual investments in their research infrastructure and culture. Moreover, federal research agencies should also consider making greater research capacity building and research and development funding investments at these institutions.

Key Informant Perspectives on Federal Research Agency Policy and Systems and Scientific Workforce Diversity Development: A Companion Study.

Purpose: In the previous analysis of key informant perspectives on minority research leaders’ career development factors, we identified individual and sociocultural, institutional, and federal research agency (i.e., National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research; National Institutes of Health; Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research; Office of Disability, Aging, and Long-Term Care Policy) policy and systems-induced challenges. An analysis of their viewpoints about what policy and systems-induced facilitators can be considered as actionable for increasing the pool of seasoned minority researchers was not undertaken. Here in this companion study, data collected on 15 key informants’ perspectives regarding policy initiatives and strategies that can be considered by these agencies to diversify the behavioral, social science, clinical, and biomedical scientific workforce were analyzed. Methods: This companion analysis employed the same methods as reflected in the previous study. Results: Select federal research agency policy and systems-induced factors (i.e., research career pathways, social justice context, designated funding streams, and interprofessional multidisciplinary collaborations) emerged as important. Conclusions: The findings can inform the development of new or modified federal research agency sponsored field initiated strategies and internal policy and systems that could lead to an increased supply of seasoned minority investigators.

Immigration trends’ impacts on state vocational rehabilitation agency minority application rates: An empirical forecast model demonstration study

BACKGROUND: Incessant migration trends of persons of color to the United States warrant the identification of promising forecast models to help state vocational rehabilitation agencies (SVRAs), policy makers, researchers, and advocates inform strategic plans, policy formulation, and research agenda development. OBJECTIVE: This study demonstrated and assessed the efficacy of two different multivariate empirical forecast models’ (i.e., Vector Autoregressive [VAR] model and Multivariable Grey Model [MGM]) ability to accurately predict immigration (Blacks [e.g., Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon], American Indians or Alaskan Natives [e.g., Canada, Mexico], Asians [e.g., China, India, Vietnam, Korea, Japan], Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders [e.g., the Philippines], and Latinos [e.g., Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Cuba, Dominican Republic] trends’ impact on new unduplicated application rates among minorities. METHOD: Nine years of Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)-911 case record data (fiscal year [FY] 2006 thru 2014) on SVRA applications and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 1-year estimates (calendar year 2006 thru 2014) on foreign born persons were entered into the VAR model and MGM to test their predictive performance. RESULTS: The MGM was demonstrated to be superior to the VAR model in predictive accuracy. The MGM three-year forecast projected an upward curve trend trajectory in the percentage of new Black or African American, American Indian or Alaskan Natives, Asians, and Latino SVRA applicants for FYs 2015 thru 2017. CONCLUSION: The MGM can be considered for use by SVRAs as a promising tool to help them respond appropriately to the needs of new immigrants and other minority group members.