Our research is focused on the development, evaluation, and dissemination of information technologies that improve health care delivery for youth with developmental disabilities.

Our interdisciplinary team includes health services researchers at SUNY Upstate Medical University and researchers in natural language processing at the Syracuse University School of Information Studies. We also collaborate with the Center for Digital Literacy at Syracuse University and with experts in disability law and policy at the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University. Students at Onondaga Community College, LeMoyne College, and Syracuse University participate in our projects.

The Institute is closely linked with the Center for Excellence in Primary Care at SUNY Upstate Medical University and its SPARCS (Scholarly Pairings for Research Collaboration) program.  Our emphasis is the dissemination of research into practice.  A major goal is to improve linkages between habilitation services and medical care.  The theoretical basis of our work is Self Determination Theory, Social Learning Theory, and the Chronic Care Model for Health Care Delivery.

Studies conducted by our research group are listed below:

(2001) D'Alessandro D and Dosa NP. Empowering Children and Families with Information Technology, Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Vol 155, No. 10, October 2001.

(2002) Dosa NP, Cole L. Kanter RK. Liptak GS PICUBASICS: An Online Resource for the Acute Management of Children with Chronic Illness and Disability. North American Clinics of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, November 2002.

(2005) Osterlund CS, Dosa NP, Arnott-Smith CA. Mother Knows Best: Medical Record Management for Patients with Complex Chronic Conditions During the Transition from Pediatric to Adult Care. AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings/AMIA Symposium:580-4, 2005 (Diane Forsyth Award)

(2007) Dosa NP, Eckrick M, Katz D, Turk M, Liptak GS. Incidence, Prevalence and Characteristics of Fractures Among Children Adolescents and Adults with Spina Bifida, J Spinal Cord Med. 2007; 30S5-S9.

(2008) Dosa NP, Foley JT, Eckrich M, Woodall-Ruff D, Liptak GS. Obesity Across the Lifespan Among Individuals with Spina Bifida. Disability and Rehabilitation, Volume 30, Issue 25 (2008) pages 1-7.

(in press) Liptak GS, Kennedy J, Dosa NP. Youth with Spina Bifida and Transitions: Using the WHO ICF Model in a Nationally Representative Sample.

(in progress) Dosa NP, Flaherty MG, Tamburo J, Osterlund CS. Mapping Transition: Perspectives on Health Care Transition among Youths with developmental Disabilities, Families, and Health Care Providers.

(in progress) Flaherty MG, LaValley R, Osterlund C, Dosa NP. Information Sharing Patterns and Preferences at a Regional Spina Bifida Center.

(in progress) Bellin M et. al. Trajectory of Transition for Adolescents and Young Adults with Spina Bifida, a multi-center longitudinal study of medical and social outcomes among youth with spina bifida.

(in progress) Dosa NP, Flaherty MG, Garver K, Osterlund C. Feasibility and Acceptability of MY PLACE personal health record and social networing sites at a regional spina bifida center.