Tocchi Submits NIH R21 Application

Kudos to Christine Tocchi and her entire team for the submission of their NIH R21 application entitled "Symptom Phenotypes in Homebound Elderly." This proposal requests funding for a two-year period with a start date of July 1, 2019. 

Homebound elders are an under-represented population with significant symptom distress related to multimorbidity. This population will grow exponentially as individuals live longer with chronic illnesses. Multiple chronic illnesses result in multiple symptoms. These multiple symptoms not only co-occur, they catalyze each other and effect overall symptom distress. There is a dearth of research on which symptoms co-occur, change over time, and the identification of homebound elders with similar symptom experiences at greater risk for poor outcomes.

An effective first step is to conduct a longitudinal study to identify symptom phenotypes in homebound elders with multimorbidity. Symptom phenotypes are subgroups of individuals identified on their experience with co-occurring or related symptoms. Through the identification of symptom phenotypes, patient-centered symptom self-interventions can be developed based on symptom profiles.

The proposed study will: 1) provide new knowledge in symptom science through the identification of symptom phenotypes in homebound elders and subsequent symptom trajectories; and 2) inform future research on the development of patient-centered symptom self-management interventions for homebound elderly by identifying the subgroups of patients most in need of intervention and optimal timing of intervention.