Piaopiao Li, MS

Understanding the Long-Term Effects of Programs for Veterans Targeting Social Determinants of Health
Summary
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the various non-medical factors that influence our well-being, such as where we are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age. Many programs exist to help veterans with these factors of their lives. However, most of the research on the effectiveness of these programs has focused on the short-term effects for specific health outcomes. What’s missing is an understanding of how these programs affect veterans’ overall health in the long run. Evaluating the long-term effects is challenging because social determinants of health interact with each other and with different health conditions in many ways. To tackle this challenge, we will create a microsimulation model that mimics how veterans age and how chronic diseases progress over time. This model will use advanced machine learning techniques based on electronic health records from veterans. It will help us understand how effective and cost-effective these programs are over a veteran’s lifetime. Our goal is to provide policymakers with valuable insights into how these programs work and how they can be improved to better benefit veterans.
Watch a Q&A with Piaopiao
I sincerely appreciate the support from the PhRMA Foundation for the project. Applying for the fellowship is a great way to help me become an independent health outcomes researcher. I hope this research can help improve decision-making and benefit the care provided to the nation’s veterans.