Fay Cobb Payton, Ph.D., MBA

It is incumbent on developers, end users, the public, providers, health care systems, and policymakers to collaboratively ensure that we adopt a national AI health strategy that realizes the Quintuple Aim; minimizes race-based medicine; prioritizes transparency, equity, and algorithmic vigilance; and integrates the patient and community voices throughout all aspects of AI development and deployment.

Institutional leaders are key champions of inclusive practices, and it is mainly through years of these exemplars’ intentional and strategic actions that individuals, including those from minoritized groups, enter STEM fields. Systemic change thus rests on organizational leaders in the STEM ecosystem who have a deep understanding of institutional and historical context. Episodic efforts, or those that are not coordinated, intentional, or mutually reinforcing, have not proven effective.

Via the recommendation in the 2013–2014 CEOSE report (2015), NSF has been challenged to undertake a leadership role among federal agencies to create an agency-wide initiative to advance broadening participation efforts. In response to this challenge, NSF INCLUDES was born to activate a more community (at scale) approach to SOLVE broadening participation in STEM.

The goal of this article is to shed light on the challenges and opportunities in data work and to highlight the unique contributions of individuals who have used their expertise to mitigate data harms for minoritized people.

Focusing on hiring pipelines or career pathways alone won’t solve tech’s diversity and inclusion problems. Here’s what will.

Professional computing organisations, including the ACM, IEEE and INFORMS published statements supporting Black Lives Matter during the 2020 racial unrest in the United States. While the voices of these professional organisations are echoed from positions of power, the concerns of Black IS professors are silenced. In this opinion piece, we centre on the voices of Black professors who seek to thrive in an IS field where they are woefully underrepresented, tokenized, isolated, marginalised and… Show more

Professional computing organisations, including the ACM, IEEE and INFORMS published statements supporting Black Lives Matter during the 2020 racial unrest in the United States. While the voices of these professional organisations are echoed from positions of power, the concerns of Black IS professors are silenced. In this opinion piece, we centre on the voices of Black professors who seek to thrive in an IS field where they are woefully underrepresented, tokenized, isolated, marginalised and excluded from positions of power. Building on the Black Lives Matter movement's momentum, we offer critical insights about our lived experiences and examine pertinent issues. These issues include systemic racism in the ivory tower and the performative nature of diversity work in the academy. In direct response to the Help the Association of Information Systems (AIS) Build a System that Provides Equality for All, we offer an inclusive framework for promoting transparency, justification, compliance and enforcement of the AIS's action plan for widening participation in IS. Show less

A reflection on a STEAM initiative: NC State University Alumni and their children attended free STEAM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) family workshops at D.H. Hill Library. This program
was a collaboration involving Dr. Payton, the NCSU Libraries, and Arts NC State.

Technological advances are shifting labor market dynamics to favor applicants with computational skills. For Black, brown, female, and other underserved populations, the full benefits of such technological shifts will require an evolution in computer science (CS) education (as well as broader computing disciplines) and professional training to be more equitable and inclusive. CS education should begin with K-12 and must significantly exceed current calls for overall advancements in science… Show more

Technological advances are shifting labor market dynamics to favor applicants with computational skills. For Black, brown, female, and other underserved populations, the full benefits of such technological shifts will require an evolution in computer science (CS) education (as well as broader computing disciplines) and professional training to be more equitable and inclusive. CS education should begin with K-12 and must significantly exceed current calls for overall advancements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. Show less

Despite increased knowledge about gender (in)equality, women in STEM disciplines are still portrayed in stereotypical ways in the popular media. We have reviewed academic research, along with mainstream media quotes and images for depictions of women in STEM and women in computing/IT. We found their personality and identity formation continues to be influenced by the personas and stereotypes associated with role images seen in the media. This, in turn, can affect women's underrepresentation and… Show more

Despite increased knowledge about gender (in)equality, women in STEM disciplines are still portrayed in stereotypical ways in the popular media. We have reviewed academic research, along with mainstream media quotes and images for depictions of women in STEM and women in computing/IT. We found their personality and identity formation continues to be influenced by the personas and stereotypes associated with role images seen in the media. This, in turn, can affect women's underrepresentation and career participation, as well as prospects for advancement in computing fields. Show less

Microaggressions can play a significant role in how Black faculty perceive and experience participation, engagement, retention and advancement. The authors adopt a broad definition of computing to include information systems, information sciences, and computer science. In addition, the authors employ “big data” text-mining analytic methods to uncover and explore themes related to microaggressions experienced by Black faculty as discussed in scholarly and academic publications. The results… Show more

Microaggressions can play a significant role in how Black faculty perceive and experience participation, engagement, retention and advancement. The authors adopt a broad definition of computing to include information systems, information sciences, and computer science. In addition, the authors employ “big data” text-mining analytic methods to uncover and explore themes related to microaggressions experienced by Black faculty as discussed in scholarly and academic publications. The results uncovered five topics (jobs and race, gender and race, family, tenure, and dialogue) and three major themes (media coverage, post-aggression, and prevalence). The authors conclude with policy and research implications of these results. Show less

A growing number of college students are experiencing personal circumstances or encountering situations that feel overwhelming and negatively affect their academic studies and other aspects of life on campus. To meet this growing demand for counseling services, US colleges and universities are offering a growing variety of mental health services that provide support and services to students in distress. In this study, we explore mental health issues impacting college students using a corpus of… Show more

A growing number of college students are experiencing personal circumstances or encountering situations that feel overwhelming and negatively affect their academic studies and other aspects of life on campus. To meet this growing demand for counseling services, US colleges and universities are offering a growing variety of mental health services that provide support and services to students in distress. In this study, we explore mental health issues impacting college students using a corpus of news articles, foundation reports, and media stories. Mental health concerns within this population have been on the rise. Uncovering the most salient themes articulated in current news and literature reports can better enable higher education institutions to provide health services to its students. We used text mining to analyze 165 references that were published from 2010 to 2015 and focused on mental health among college students. Key clusters were identified to reveal the themes that were most significant to the topic. Show less

Cesarean delivery is the most common major abdominal surgery in many parts of the world, and it accounts for nearly one-third of births in the United States. For a patient who requires a C-section, allowing prolonged labor is not recommended because of the increased risk of infection. However, for a patient who is capable of a successful vaginal delivery, performing an unnecessary C-section can have a substantial adverse impact on the patient's future health. We develop two stochastic… Show more

Cesarean delivery is the most common major abdominal surgery in many parts of the world, and it accounts for nearly one-third of births in the United States. For a patient who requires a C-section, allowing prolonged labor is not recommended because of the increased risk of infection. However, for a patient who is capable of a successful vaginal delivery, performing an unnecessary C-section can have a substantial adverse impact on the patient's future health. We develop two stochastic simulation models of the delivery process for women in labor. Show less

Forthcoming

Forthcoming

There is a growing interest in STEAM (STEM + Arts) education nationwide. To uncover why these interdisciplinary initiatives can play a significant role in the student educational experience, it is crucial to identify characteristics of university students, who are participating and enrolled in STEM and arts curricula. We are interested in students who would like to actively participate in dance curricula while pursing STEM degrees, and how those students perceive social inclusion given the… Show more

There is a growing interest in STEAM (STEM + Arts) education nationwide. To uncover why these interdisciplinary initiatives can play a significant role in the student educational experience, it is crucial to identify characteristics of university students, who are participating and enrolled in STEM and arts curricula. We are interested in students who would like to actively participate in dance curricula while pursing STEM degrees, and how those students perceive social inclusion given the dominant presence of STEM fields at a predominantly white institution (PWI). We conducted focus groups with undergraduate students from two NC State University dance companies. Focus groups transcripts were coded according to our research questions along with an additional taxonomy including academic emotional engagement, self-efficacy and level of activity. Sub-themes were analyzed using pattern matching and thematic analyses. Data themes included personal, academic and institutional issues, as well as career workforce preparation. Students indicated that rigor, stigma, enhanced problem-solving skills, interdisciplinary thinking, and increased diversity and inclusion opportunities characterize their dance experiences. These experiences highlight aspects of human diversity including ethnicity, race, gender identity and class, and how dance provides a safe zone that is significantly different than their STEM coursework. Current dance students expressed why the arts are an intentional part of their academic experiences. The students drew parallels to problem-solving approaches, team collaboration and data-driven application for the “think and do” ethos that is central to the university. Our findings offer STEM researchers and leaders, along with policy-makers and funding agencies, opportunities to reframe the current thinking and approaches central to broadening participation in STEM.
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In the US, one in four adults has two or more chronic conditions; this population accounts for two thirds of healthcare spending. Comorbidity, the presence of multiple simultaneous health conditions in an individual, is increasing in prevalence and has been shown to impact patient outcomes negatively. Comorbidities associated with diabetes are correlated with increased incidence of preventable hospitalizations, longer lengths of stay (LOS), and higher costs. This study focuses on sex and race… Show more

In the US, one in four adults has two or more chronic conditions; this population accounts for two thirds of healthcare spending. Comorbidity, the presence of multiple simultaneous health conditions in an individual, is increasing in prevalence and has been shown to impact patient outcomes negatively. Comorbidities associated with diabetes are correlated with increased incidence of preventable hospitalizations, longer lengths of stay (LOS), and higher costs. This study focuses on sex and race disparities in outcomes for hospitalized adult patients with and without diabetes. The objective is to characterize the impact of comorbidity burden, measured as the Charlson Weighted Index of Comorbidities (WIC), on outcomes including LOS, total charges, and disposition (specifically, probability of routine discharge home). Data from the National Inpatient Sample (2006–2011) were used to build a cluster-analytic framework which integrates cluster analysis with multivariate and logistic regression methods, for several goals: (i) to evaluate impact of these covariates on outcomes; (ii) to identify the most important comorbidities in the hospitalized population; and (iii) to create a simplified WIC score. Results showed that, although hospitalized women had better outcomes than men, the impact of diabetes was worse for women. Also, non-White patients had longer lengths of stay and higher total charges. Furthermore, the simplified WIC performed equivalently in the generalized linear models predicting standardized total charges and LOS, suggesting that this new score can sufficiently capture the important variability in the data. Our findings underscore the need to evaluate the differential impact of diabetes on physiology and treatment in women and in minorities. Show less

Despite lucrative career opportunities in information technology (IT), representation of Blacks in IT occupations is abysmal. IT careers are a viable source of economic advancement for Blacks who as a group face significant entry and advancement barriers in the labor market. We argue that the information systems (IS) community can make Black lives matter in IT by advancing their opportunities in this occupational space in an equitable manner. Such advancements require a dialogue within the IS… Show more

Despite lucrative career opportunities in information technology (IT), representation of Blacks in IT occupations is abysmal. IT careers are a viable source of economic advancement for Blacks who as a group face significant entry and advancement barriers in the labor market. We argue that the information systems (IS) community can make Black lives matter in IT by advancing their opportunities in this occupational space in an equitable manner. Such advancements require a dialogue within the IS community about the following: What can the IS community do to foster greater inclusion of Blacks in IT profession? An agenda is proposed that calls on IS scholars to conduct research on issues discussed in this paper and appeals to IT practitioners and educators to foster greater inclusion of Blacks in the IT profession. Show less

Perceptions of stigma negatively impact health information seeking and sharing online in the social networks in which Black college students engage. However, by understanding the unanticipated consequences, researchers can effectively design for cultures and sub-cultures infected and affected by health disparities.

Culturally relevant health information is said to benefit diverse populations and is critical for health dissemination and user experience creation. Social media and online content provide mechanisms to engage specific populations while helping to reduce barriers that can often hinder participation and engagement. Using action research and informed by co-creation theory, the MyHealthImpactNetwork.org initiative seeks to provide a user experience targeting Black female college students.

While tourism has often been proposed as a mechanism for equitable and sustainable development in developing countries, most destination communities remain relegated to the role of passive “tourees” who are unable to participate in economic opportunities often controlled by tourism retail monopolies. Guided by information systems (IS) research on mobile and temporarily interconnected systems (MTIS), this work examines the ubiquitous nature of information services for users on the move. That is,… Show more

While tourism has often been proposed as a mechanism for equitable and sustainable development in developing countries, most destination communities remain relegated to the role of passive “tourees” who are unable to participate in economic opportunities often controlled by tourism retail monopolies. Guided by information systems (IS) research on mobile and temporarily interconnected systems (MTIS), this work examines the ubiquitous nature of information services for users on the move. That is, users that are largely dependent on mobile telephones and temporary tourism services. Stakeholder interviews included local South African micro-entrepreneurs from under-resourced rural and peri-urban communities and other national and regional stakeholders. The findings informed the development and early implementation of a web marketplace for tourism micro-entrepreneurs that bridges hyper-connected consumers with under-resourced micro-entrepreneurs who use simple mobile phones. Further, this study builds on interdisciplinary research to enrich discussions about ICT for Development. Show less

Millennials are often described as confident, open to change, digitally connected, and self-expressive. They are significantly influencing how society lives, works, and plays, and they’re defining the social networks within which these interactions occur. They’re debunking traditional business models, reshaping how society communicates, and redefining what it means to be “social”—in both the physical and the online world.

Creating a user experience to communicate the seriousness of HIV prevention and awareness can be both educational while entertaining. This combination along with a sense of cultural influence helps to both attract and engage millennials.

Today’s millennials are the current and future producers and developers of social health computing. Social matters and social analytics, particularly for voices often dampened, matters even more. Read more about what we determined.

Social media is said to be one way to disseminate health information. With the proliferation of social media tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube, more millennials are engaged in health information seeking and discovery. Read what we discovered in this study.

Leveraging Intersectionality: Seeing and Not Seeing - A Professor's View on Digital and Social Inclusion. is an anthology of some of my IS/IT research publications with an examination of how intersectionality can offer insight into the complexities often associated with inclusion.

I have published a book, Leveraging Intersectionality: Seeing and Not Seeing - A Professor's View on Digital and Social Inclusion. It provides an anthology of some of my IS/IT research publications with an… Show more

Leveraging Intersectionality: Seeing and Not Seeing - A Professor's View on Digital and Social Inclusion. is an anthology of some of my IS/IT research publications with an examination of how intersectionality can offer insight into the complexities often associated with inclusion.

I have published a book, Leveraging Intersectionality: Seeing and Not Seeing - A Professor's View on Digital and Social Inclusion. It provides an anthology of some of my IS/IT research publications with an examination of how intersectionality can offer insight into the complexities often associated with inclusion. The book is available at B&N, Amazon, etc.

Join the discussion on Leveraging Intersectionality (LI): Seeing and Not Seeing using the hashtags - #SeeingandNotSeeing and #LI.
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To understand black collegiate women as health information seekers, it is important to engage paradigms that allow researchers to make sense of how group members construct their content needs, what helps shape this construction, and the meaning derived from the consumption of the information, focus groups are an effective qualitative method for enabling collective discussion and interaction between research participants that facilitates the exploration of under-researched topics like HIV… Show more

To understand black collegiate women as health information seekers, it is important to engage paradigms that allow researchers to make sense of how group members construct their content needs, what helps shape this construction, and the meaning derived from the consumption of the information, focus groups are an effective qualitative method for enabling collective discussion and interaction between research participants that facilitates the exploration of under-researched topics like HIV prevention as well as the language commonly used by respondents to describe HIV from a socio-cultural perspective. Show less

This study investigates associations between diagnosis codes in breast cancer patients using the inpatient data. Concomitant diagnoses codes are identified by statistically significant associations between the diagnoses codes in a given breast cancer patient. These are subsequently represented in the form of a network for additional analyses.

This research examines the impact of comorbidities, with a particular focus on mental disorders, on HIV patient outcomes as measured by patient length of stay (LOS) and total charges. Generalized linear models via data modeling are developed to characterize the effects of selected comorbidities from inpatient data.

The percentage of under-represented minorities (African American, Hispanic, Native Americans) that have obtained graduate level degrees within computing disciplines (computer science, computer information systems, computer engineering, and information technology) is dismal at best. Despite the fact that academia, the computing workforce, professional associations, and scientific societies have identified procedures, models, and best practices in an attempt to increase the number of individuals… Show more

The percentage of under-represented minorities (African American, Hispanic, Native Americans) that have obtained graduate level degrees within computing disciplines (computer science, computer information systems, computer engineering, and information technology) is dismal at best. Despite the fact that academia, the computing workforce, professional associations, and scientific societies have identified procedures, models, and best practices in an attempt to increase the number of individuals within these under-represented communities, the number of minorities receiving MS and PhDs in these fields have only increased marginally. In this paper, we discuss how Boice’s four-part IRSS model (i.e., Involvement, Regimen, Self-Management, and Social Networks) combined with effective mentoring models as introduced in Payton et al. (2006), is a promising framework for addressing the longstanding issue of under-represented minorities in management education, which tends to mirror findings in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The focus of this paper is to illustrate the application of these theories at the undergraduate level by discussing two pre-college/early college/scholarship programs implemented at Clark Atlanta University (CAU). These CAU programs provide the field with an exemplar which can serve as a foundational example for institutions seeking to foster, retain and graduate under-represented minorities in higher education management disciplines, in general, and offer lessons learned from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), in particular. Using a “360-degree mentoring” model to supplement the IRSS framework, our study concludes with implications for future research regarding how academic institutions can create, foster and sustain programs for effective recruitment, retention, and training of under-represented minorities.
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Health Systems sets out its stall as ‘an interdisciplinary journal promoting the idea that all aspects of health and health care delivery can be viewed from a systems perspective’.

Design/methodology/approach – Through an analysis of Black blog postings reporting on the Jena 6 case, this case study chronicles the way in which Black audiences responded to this news story. The research chronicles the ways in which Black audiences responded to the Jena 6 news story and how Black blogs expanded participation in the discussion of events related to Black interests.

Findings – The findings point to critiques of dominant cultural meanings about race relations and racial… Show more

Design/methodology/approach – Through an analysis of Black blog postings reporting on the Jena 6 case, this case study chronicles the way in which Black audiences responded to this news story. The research chronicles the ways in which Black audiences responded to the Jena 6 news story and how Black blogs expanded participation in the discussion of events related to Black interests.

Findings – The findings point to critiques of dominant cultural meanings about race relations and racial injustice. In addition, the findings suggest that social media has become an additional medium that is effectively used by African Americans' in their historical struggle for civil rights. By chronicling the ways in which Black audiences responded to this news story, the paper demonstrates that Black blogs provide a useful space for discussing perceived racial injustice from a diverse African American cultural perspective. Moreover, Black bloggers are able to raise awareness of racial injustice within both the Black community and the broader US society and mobilize collective action.

Practical implications – New divides may be emerging because of limitations on what you can do on a mobile device. This increase in mobile internet access and the accompanying differences in internet experience heightens the need for studies that examine culturally salient behavioral aspects of use and interpersonal relationships characterized by social support, communication, and resource sharing.

Originality/value – Through an analysis of Black blog postings reporting on the Jena 6 case, this study chronicles the way in which Black audiences responded to this news story. The findings point to critiques of dominant cultural meanings about race relations and racial injustice. In addition, our findings suggest that the momentum of this social movement was based in the political and economic dynamics of a community; however, social media is enabling critical global, yet vigorous conversion of activism Show less

Along the health care supply chain, cost and quality measures are vital in decision-making process for treatment and care delivery. This study applies statistical significance to a hypothesis about cost effectiveness of patients’ total charges by health insurance providers for different heart conditions. A retrospective, observational analysis of data is collected from an urban hospital in the Southeastern United States. Using the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) database… Show more

Along the health care supply chain, cost and quality measures are vital in decision-making process for treatment and care delivery. This study applies statistical significance to a hypothesis about cost effectiveness of patients’ total charges by health insurance providers for different heart conditions. A retrospective, observational analysis of data is collected from an urban hospital in the Southeastern United States. Using the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) database, diagnoses are selected for further analyses due to their prevalence in the general population. The numbers of procedures as well as a patient’s length of stay in the hospital are significantly higher among the Medicare population. However, results indicate that although Medicare and Medicaid have slightly higher ordinary average total charges than the private counterparts, the difference is negligible when examining means adjusted to remove covariate influence (when comparing adjusted mean). One implication is that if private insurers were to insure the same types of high risk patients as Medicare and Medicaid the average total charges of a visit would be comparable between providers. These results also suggest that to enhance cost saving measures in government funded insurance programs, the clinical pathways need to be adapted to reduce length of stay and number of procedures per visit. Show less

In its report, Realizing the Full Potential of Health Information Technology to Improve Healthcare for Americans: The Path Forward, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST, 2010) concluded that “information technology can help catalyze a number of important benefits including improved access to patient data, which can help clinicians as they diagnose and treat patients and patients themselves as they strive to take more control over their health; streamlined… Show more

In its report, Realizing the Full Potential of Health Information Technology to Improve Healthcare for Americans: The Path Forward, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST, 2010) concluded that “information technology can help catalyze a number of important benefits including improved access to patient data, which can help clinicians as they diagnose and treat patients and patients themselves as they strive to take more control over their health; streamlined monitoring of public health patterns and trends; an enhanced ability to conduct clinical trials of new diagnostic methods and treatments; and the creation of new high-technology markets and jobs” (p V). If properly implemented, information technology (IT) can potentially transform healthcare in a number of domains as noted below (p 1):
• Integrate technology into the flow of clinical practice as an asset, while minimizing unproductive data entry work.
• Give clinicians real-time access to complete patient data, and provide them with information support to make the best decisions.
• Help patients become more involved in their own care.
• Enable a range of population-level public health monitoring and real-time research.
• Improve clinical trials, leading to more rapid advances in personalized medicine.
• Streamline processes, increase their transparency, and reduce administrative overhead, as it has in other industries.
• Lead to the creation of new high-technology markets and jobs.
• Help support a range of economic reforms in the healthcare system that will be needed to address our Nation’s long-term fiscal challenges.
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The study of the adoption of information technology (IT) by individuals has taken two approaches, one emphasizing rationalistic goal-oriented behavior and the other focusing on poignant forces that influence an individual's reaction to a new IT. These approaches are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Individuals' acceptance and subsequent usage of a new IT is predicated on both. Additionally, the tendency in past studies has been to examine either the rational or the poignant factors in the… Show more

The study of the adoption of information technology (IT) by individuals has taken two approaches, one emphasizing rationalistic goal-oriented behavior and the other focusing on poignant forces that influence an individual's reaction to a new IT. These approaches are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Individuals' acceptance and subsequent usage of a new IT is predicated on both. Additionally, the tendency in past studies has been to examine either the rational or the poignant factors in the context of a “resource-rich” environment—one in which there is an abundance of IT, adequate infrastructure, and a high level of acculturation to technology solutions. Consequently, there is a clear need for the examination of these factors in resource-poor environments, where assumptions on technology abundance and technology culturation do not hold. We empirically test a model that explains the intention of physicians in a resource-poor environment (epitomized by rural Ethiopia) to adopt telemedicine systems. This model integrates the rational factors driving goal-oriented behavior with the poignant/emotive factors that are an innate part of each adopter's reaction to the new technology. We use the model to expose salient contextual factors that explain the acceptance behavior of individuals toward complex information and communications technology (ICT) solutions and implications of these on the management of technology transfer initiatives in a resource-poor environment. Show less

Nationwide Inpatient Sample data is used to analyze the relationships among comorbidities (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and mental disorder), total charges, length of stay, and patient disposition as a function of age and race. A causal study is performed to explore the effect of various comorbidities on patient outcomes. Least squares regression models are developed to evaluate and compare significant factors that influence total charges and length of stay. Logistic regression is… Show more

Nationwide Inpatient Sample data is used to analyze the relationships among comorbidities (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and mental disorder), total charges, length of stay, and patient disposition as a function of age and race. A causal study is performed to explore the effect of various comorbidities on patient outcomes. Least squares regression models are developed to evaluate and compare significant factors that influence total charges and length of stay. Logistic regression is used to study the factors that may cause patient mortality or transferring. Show less

Adaptive structuration theory (AST) has long been an accepted framework for investigating structures within technological artifacts and work environments. Information systems, organization science and communication scholars have prefaced AST context in terms of collaborative, group decision support systems. The social structures, however, can be characterized by features of rules, resources and capabilities along with a communicative spirit. Spirit is said to enable the user to better… Show more

Adaptive structuration theory (AST) has long been an accepted framework for investigating structures within technological artifacts and work environments. Information systems, organization science and communication scholars have prefaced AST context in terms of collaborative, group decision support systems. The social structures, however, can be characterized by features of rules, resources and capabilities along with a communicative spirit. Spirit is said to enable the user to better understand and interpret the meaning of a technology. Our research varies from the traditional focus of AST studies given that our context is not in single, for-profit organization with a common corporate mission or objective. Rather, we concentrate on the HIV/AIDS pandemic among Black women and the spirit communicated to this population by a principal government healthcare website. By interacting with a group of healthcare experts and practitioners during a 14-month period, we sought to understand the site's meaning and indications as its mission is to disseminate HIV/AIDS and other pertinent medical information. Further, our findings suggest that AST is a research framework that functions as a source for the notion of spirit. The (un)intended spirit inscribed on information and communication technologies (ICT) may be (ex)inclusive with regard to the population or society it intends to serve. Hence, grassroots approaches and audiences can, in fact, offer effective insight into user-centered designs focused on educational and prevention content among those most affected and infected by chronic diseases, such as HIV. Show less

Analytic applications are vital in the assessments of public health and surveillance as these applications can drive resource allocation, community assessment and public policy. Using a dataset of nearly 90,000 patient hospital encounters, the number of instances with an ICD code of HIV and co-morbidities was identi#ed. Blacks accounted for 75 percent of HIV hospital encounters in the dataset. While business analytic
applications informed this study of cross-tabulations and interaction… Show more

Analytic applications are vital in the assessments of public health and surveillance as these applications can drive resource allocation, community assessment and public policy. Using a dataset of nearly 90,000 patient hospital encounters, the number of instances with an ICD code of HIV and co-morbidities was identi#ed. Blacks accounted for 75 percent of HIV hospital encounters in the dataset. While business analytic
applications informed this study of cross-tabulations and interaction e"ects among race, age and gender, there appears to be a signi#cant relationship among HIV diagnoses and
substance abuse. Payer data is informed by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), and these findings indicate significant service utilization among those insured by Medicare. More importantly, these issues raise more salient implications among the current health and public policy among HIV care delivery, in general, and among the Black community, in particular. Attention to health and public policy warrants further
investigation given that this discourse has shifted to a focus on curvative medicine and away from prevention and education. Show less

Authored CHAPTER 10: Data Stewardship: Foundation for Health Management Information System Design, Implementation, and Evaluation.

In this chapter, the author takes on the perspective of data quality and data stewardship and relates and integrates these two major concepts to bear on the significance of designing, implementing, and evaluating the right health management information systems (HMIS) for the right people at the right time.