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Faculty Spotlight: Monique Ridosh

Faculty Spotlight: Monique Ridosh

Improving lives through collaborative research

By Sam Uhlarik
October 18, 2021

At Loyola University Chicago, the learning never stops, not even for our faculty. For the past five years, Monique Ridosh, an associate professor at the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, has studied the children with spina bifida to better understand why some are able to independently manage their condition better than others. With the support of a recent National Institute of Nursing Research K01 Research Career Development Award, Ridosh can dive even deeper into her research and potentially impact the lives of children and families living with this chronic condition.

How did you first get involved with self-management research?

Within a year of graduating with my PhD, I was fortunate enough to be the awardee of a Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research for "Can the Sunshine Vitamin Improve Mood and Self-Management in Women with Type 2 diabetes?” Sue Penckofer, my mentor and current member of the current scientific advisory committee, offered me the opportunity to become a member of a research team conducting a randomized controlled trial while continuing my research into family functioning, self-management, and quality of life. During that time, I gained experience in clinical trials research, initial exposure to big data, and expanded my knowledge of diversity issues in research (particularly those related to the Hispanic population).

In 2016, I was invited to join the Chicago Healthy Adolescent Transition Study (CHATS) research team at Loyola on a longitudinal study investigating the transition from adolescence to young adulthood in youth with spina bifida led by Grayson Holmbeck, professor and director of clinical training at Loyola’s Department of Psychology. I have been a co-investigator on this work for last five years. Our latest paper, which examines self-management measures, was published in April 2021.

How do you hope this research impacts adolescents and young adults with spina bifida?

Self-management strategies are necessary to address the secondary conditions of spina bifida, a congenital chronic health condition, for better health and well-being of adolescents and young adults. Adults with spina bifida are at increased risk for early mortality due to health complications, which may be preventable when young people engage in successful self-management and achieve independence.

What does it mean to receive this award?

As a nurse scientist, I have been given the gift of time and support to be able to develop advanced statistical expertise. That support includes an interprofessional scientific advisory committee to guide my development throughout the grant period. Findings from the proposed research will help identify predictors of self-management and inform the development of interventions that make a difference in the lives of young adults with chronic conditions and their families.


HELP SUPPORT LOYOLA NURSING'S MISSION TO PROVIDE A TRANSFORMATIVE JESUIT EDUCATION TO ASPIRING NURSE LEADERS


How have other faculty members served as mentors during your research?

The proposed research and training plan offers me the opportunity to propose multiple analyses from Holmbeck’s longitudinal study and develop my skills in advanced statistical methods under his mentorship. While Holmbeck will serve as my primary mentor, I will also have the support of a scientific review committee of advisors, which include Sue Penckofer, Ramon Durazo, Kathleen Sawin (professor and nursing chair at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), and Dr. Martha Daviglus (associate vice chancellor of research, professor, and director of the Institute for Minority Health Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago).

What is your favorite part about your research and why?

My favorite part about my research is engaging in the process with colleagues, thinking together to generate and answer relevant questions that will help us better understand individual and family experiences that impact health. I aspire to become an expert in delivering and testing self-management interventions that will improve health outcomes in families of children with complex medical conditions.

How has your time at Loyola impacted you?

My years at Loyola have offered me a fertile ground to develop myself as a faculty and a lifelong learner. Through Loyola I have connected with and maintained long-term relationships with my colleagues, a community of scholars, that enriches my life.

Why did you choose Loyola?

I chose Loyola because of its Jesuit tradition, mission, and values that resonate throughout the entire community of faculty, staff, and students. Being a member of a community that is collaborative in spirit and values being a person for and with others is important to me.