Newland Lab
The Newland Lab focuses on pediatric research in the areas of infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship and implementation science. Additionally, through community-based research, Dr. Newland aims to understand and address health inequities related to his research interests. Dr. Newland has also developed partnerships with community members and organizations to collaborate with to ensure his studies are built to answer questions that address health inequities.
Research Projects
A cluster randomized trial to assess the benefits of weekly surveillance and symptomatic testing for COVID-19 vs only symptomatic testing for COVID-19 in 5 predominantly African-American school districts in St. Louis.
Five school districts within the north part of St. Louis County have been included. Students, school staff and their household members are eligible to participate in the study. Sixteen middle and high schools from five school districts within North St. Louis County participated. In these districts, 50–99% are comprised of minority communities and 18%-42% of families live below the poverty line. Additionally, all schools in this study receive Title 1 funding and have 100% of their students receiving free and reduced lunch. The percent of in-person attendance during the 2020–2021 school year was 20%-42%.
A qualitative study was conducted concurrently with COVID-19 testing through focus groups and interviews to provide a deeper understanding of the community’s experiences and concerns about the pandemic, testing and vaccinations.
The project consisted of community engagement and COVID-19 testing. Community partnership was important in building and maintaining the trust within the school districts. A community advisory board (CAB) was developed to review study procedures and address fundamental issues such as barriers to testing, participant retention, communication within the community and beliefs and attitudes about COVID-19. The CAB met monthly, and it comprised of parents, students, teachers and administrators from each school district and representatives from the community partners. The CAB was facilitated by research team members from the Brown School of Social Work and Public Health and Washington University School of Medicine testing team.
Washington University developed the saliva-based SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR assay that was utilized in this project. Testing was divided into two arms: Screening testing and Symptomatic testing. Screening testing involved 8 of the 16 school districts that were randomized to receive weekly screen testing for students, staff and their households. Symptomatic testing included all early learning centers and elementary schools in the 5 school districts. This testing was provided for both virtual and in-person staff, students and their households. Testing was conducted 5 days a week at designated drive-up testing sites.
Project Funding: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
This study aims to assess the relationship between pediatric IM to splenic complications or duration of hospital stay.
This project is a retrospective chart review of 50 hospitalized patients aged <21 years old diagnosed with Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) from September 1, 2008, to May 31, 2025, that has received steroid treatment.
A cluster randomized trial that compared two different messaging strategies for COVID-19 testing in schools dedicated to teaching children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Additionally, weekly surveillance testing was provided to assess the impact of the messaging strategies and help reduce transmission of COVID-19.
Project Funding: This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers 3P50HD103525-01S1 and OT2HD107556
This study aims to reduce unnecessary post-operative antibiotics in clean and clean-contaminated cases and assess the feasibility, appropriateness and acceptability of the implementation strategy.
Study design:
- Quality improvement project to evaluate the facilitation plus order set change strategy to eliminate unnecessary post-operative antibiotics.
- Quasi-experimental design using time-series analysis using existing data set (NSQIP-P) to evaluate impact of facilitation strategy plus order set change on post-op antibiotics.
Objectives:
- Reduce unnecessary post-operative antibiotics in clean and clean-contaminated cases.
- Assess the feasibility, appropriateness, and acceptability of implementation strategy (order set change plus facilitation) to improve these strategies to eliminate unnecessary post-operative prophylaxis.
- Evaluate the facilitation workshop targeted toward antimicrobial stewardship programs to improve the workshop.
- Assess the clinical outcomes of surgical site infections and Clostridioides difficile infections.
This project involves 20 hospitals ASP teams within NSQIP-P and the SHARPS Collaborative. Each hospital will choose the surgical procedures to target eliminating unnecessary post-operative antibiotics. The ASP team members and surgeon champion will participate in either live quarterly 4–6-hour workshop or one available asynchronously session. The topics are concept of deimplementation, understanding evidence being implemented, understanding context, team development as well as conflict and communication styles and data visualization techniques.
Funding: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) 5R18HS30070-02
This study investigates how various social determinants of health may be impacting access to Nirsevimab and Abrysvo as well as knowledge of attitude toward Nirsevimab and Abrsyvo amongst those admitted into Children's Hospital.
This project involves a qualitative survey to determine knowledge, barriers and access to maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) and infant RSV immunization (Nirsevimab).
This study aims to investigate the trends of attitudes and current views of parents towards routine childhood vaccines.
Childhood vaccination rates in the United States have declined in recent years, with coverage for routine immunizations such as MMR, DTaP and varicella falling below 95% in many states. According to the CDC's 2023–2024 kindergarten vaccination data, national coverage for required vaccines was approximately 93%, representing a continued downward trend from pre-pandemic levels. In Ohio, the coverage is even lower, with only 89% of kindergarteners vaccinated against measles during the 2023–2024 school year.1 Contributing factors include vaccine exemptions and underreporting, as well as shifting attitudes during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
This project investigates the trends of childhood vaccinations and the attitudes that parents have towards childhood vaccines over time. Parents or caregivers of children less than 18 years will complete an online survey on their views.