Real-world Evidence to Advance Community Health
On October 17, 2026, the REACH team hosted an outreach event at the Lakeshore Nature Preserve to raise awareness of the REACH Program and recruit participants for its statewide survey. Open to Wisconsin residents ages 18 and older, the survey collects information on health, behaviors, and the built environment to better understand the factors influencing …
Published November 2025 Dillard et al. Hearing loss affects many adults, but people experience its impact differently. This study looked at Wisconsin residents who said they had hearing loss and explored two things: what factors are linked to how much difficulty people feel they have hearing, and whether people who report more difficulty are more …
Schmidt et al. Published March 2025 This study looked at how exercise can help with depression and anxiety in adults who have two or more long-term health conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure. The study used data from the REACH Program. Adults wore devices to measure their movement and filled out surveys …
Dillard et al. Published November 2025 In this study, researchers used data from the REACH Program to look at hearing problems and hearing aid use among adults in Wisconsin. Overall, 137 adults who reported having hearing loss completed a survey about hearing difficulties in daily life. People who started having hearing problems at younger age …
Xiaofei He et al. In this study, respondent-driven sampling was used to recruit Burmese refugees in Milwaukee and examine their fish consumption habits, and awareness of fish advisories. The study found that Burmese refugees, especially women of childbearing age (WCBA), frequently consumed sport-caught fish, yet the majority were unaware of fish consumption advisories for Wisconsin …
Shoshannah Eggers et al. This study collected and analyzed biological specimens to explore the relationship between dietary fiber intake, gut microbiota composition, and multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) colonization. The project involved collecting biospecimens from 600 Wisconsin residents, including nasal, oral, and skin swabs, saliva, and stool. These samples were analyzed for MDRO presence and used for …
Bianca Silva Gordon et al. This study assessed Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector use and awareness in Wisconsin. As a SHOW Ancillary study, the investigators surveyed N=466 participants from unique households in four regions of the state. While 80% of those surveyed reported a fuel burning appliance in the home, only 48% had verified CO detectors …
Amy Schultz et al. This study investigated the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the blood of Wisconsin residents, focusing on regional variations and potential health implications. Researchers collected and analyzed blood samples, employing high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to accurately measure PFAS concentrations. The study identified higher levels of PFAS in …
Elizabeth A. Holzhausen et al This study examined the relationship between physical activity, active transportation and gut microbiome composition. Researchers analyzed existing stool samples and physical activity data from 720 Wisconsin residents who participated in the WARRIOR Study (Winning the War on Antibiotic Resistance). Dr. Holzhausen and her team found the highest levels of beneficial …
Michael Hii et al. This study linked geospatial and lung function data from the SHOW cohort to quantify the impact of coal-fired power plants on lung health and identified a racial disparity in communities affected by this proximity. The combustion of coal has previously been associated with elevated levels of CO2 emissions and a range …