News
December 9, 2024

Veterans social isolation study earns honorable mention for prestigious research award

Johanne Eliacin, PhD, HSPP, and Marianne Matthias, PhD

An article co-authored by Regenstrief Institute research scientists Johanne Eliacin, PhD, and Marianne Matthias,  PhD, has been recognized with an honorable mention for the 2024 Barbara Thompson Award for Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families. An event celebrating the honorees took place today, December 9, 2024, at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. 

The article, Findings from a Peer-Facilitated, Social Isolation Intervention in the Veterans Health Administration Healthcare System: A Mixed-Methods, Pilot Feasibility Study,” was selected from more than 700 eligible publications. The rigorous selection process, conducted by a panel of esteemed scholars, highlights the exceptional quality and impact of the research. 

The award, established in 2015 by the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University in collaboration with Military REACH at Auburn University, honors groundbreaking research addressing the unique needs of military and veteran families. This recognition underscores the study’s contribution to: 

  • Increasing the visibility of military and veteran family issues. 
  • Strengthening connections between researchers and practitioners. 
  • Driving evidence-based improvements in policies and programs. 

Johanne Eliacin, PhD  

In addition to being a research scientist with the William M. Tierney Center for Health Services Research at Regenstrief Institute, Johanne Eliacin, PhD, is a research scientist at the VA National Center for PTSD, Women’s Health Sciences Division, Boston VA Healthcare System and the Center for Health Information and Communication at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. She is also an assistant research professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine.   

Marianne S. Matthias, PhD

In addition to her role as a research scientist at Regenstrief Institute, Marianne S. Matthias, PhD, is a core investigator for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Systems Research Center for Health Information and Communication, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis. She is also a senior research professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine.

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