Christina R. Whitehouse, PhD
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Christina R. Whitehouse 鈥04, 鈥16 PhD, AGPCNP-BC, CDCES, FADCES, is esteemed nationally and internationally as a nurse scientist, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner and a certified diabetes care and education specialist. Her work has improved access to care and supported patient engagement for individuals living with diabetes, especially in the geriatric population.
Publishing extensively in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at international conferences, Dr. Whitehouse, an assistant professor at the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, has earned numerous accolades as a practitioner, educator and scholar. She was named a 2022 Fellow of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists for her outstanding contributions to diabetes care and education through clinical practice and research. And in 2021, the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence鈥攚hich represents the gold standard in gerontology鈥攔ecognized her leadership in the field as a Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing.
With an estimated 29.2 percent of adults over the age of 65 living with diabetes, the necessity for Dr. Whitehouse鈥檚 research is significant and immediate. Her work focuses on addressing the needs of older adults during transitions in care, specifically in diabetes. 鈥淭ransitional care bridges the gap in helping patients get the resources鈥攖he medicine, the education, the food, the support鈥攖hat they need to prevent another hospital stay,鈥 explains Dr. Whitehouse.
To better prepare those in the position to provide earlier detection, the American Diabetes Association enlisted Dr. Whitehouse to teach primary care providers about transitions in care for patients living with diabetes. More than 6,800 health care providers worldwide have registered for this online learning module since its launch in August 2022 as part of Diabetes Is Primary, a continuing education program.
鈥淲e really need to instruct providers on how to manage patients at home鈥 that鈥檚 where you get to the root of the health inequities that you can鈥檛 always see inside the hospital,鈥 she says.
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REAL-WORLD IMPACT
Partners in Promoting Local Health
In July, the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists awarded Dr. Whitehouse and colleagues in the MacDonald Center for Obesity Prevention and Education at the College of Nursing a grant to provide diabetes self-management education and support to clients of Martha鈥檚 Choice Marketplace in Norristown, Pa.
鈥淢y prior research showed that some patients were struggling more because of their lack of access to nutritious food, so now I鈥檓 partnering with individuals and groups from other specialties who can really help address that,鈥 says Dr. Whitehouse. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an interprofessional effort.鈥
Over the course of the 12-week project, 棉花糖直播 Nursing students, registered dietitian nutritionists and diabetes care and education specialists from the University will facilitate education in both English and Spanish that includes videos about diabetes as well as monthly group sessions and peer mentorship. Study participants will receive nutritious food that is consistent with dietary guidelines for diabetes from Martha鈥檚 Choice, a community-based emergency food market that serves more than 6,000 food-insecure families.
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