Jasmine Travers

Faculty

Jasmine Travers Headshot

Jasmine Travers

AGPCNP-BC CCRN PhD RN

Assistant Professor

1 212 992 7147

433 FIRST AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10010
United States

Accepting PhD students

Jasmine L. Travers is an assistant professor of nursing at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Her career is dedicated to designing and conducting research to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities in vulnerable older adult groups using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Her current work focuses on mitigating disparities in appropriate access and use of in-home and facility-based long-term care for older adults (i.e., home & community-based settings, nursing homes, and assisted living). Currently, Travers is the principal investigator of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation four-year Career Development Award through the Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program which she is examining the association of neighborhood disadvantage with nursing home outcomes using large-scale nursing home data and a Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leader five-year K76 Award through the National Institute on Aging which in this mixed-method study she will develop a survey instrument aimed to identify unmet needs that are disproportionately driving avoidable nursing home placements. Most recently, Travers served on the National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine Committee on the Quality of Care in Nursing Homes which on April 6, 2022, released the widely anticipated report titled, The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality.

Travers has published widely on the topics of aging, long-term care, health disparities and inequities, workforce diversity and workforce issues, vaccinations, and infections. She has presented her work at regional and national health services research, gerontological, nursing, and public health conferences.

Prior to joining the faculty at NYU, Travers completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the National Clinician Scholars Program at Yale University and a T32-funded postdoctoral fellowship at the New Courtland Center for Transitions and Health at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

Travers received her Ph.D. at Columbia University School of Nursing, MHS at Yale University, MSN in Adult-Gerontological Health at Stony Brook University, and BSN at Adelphi University.

PhD, Columbia University
MSN, Stony Brook University
MHS, Yale University
BSN, Adelphi University

Gerontology
Underserved populations

Eastern Nursing Research Society
American Geriatrics Society
Gerontological Society of America
Academy Health

Rising Star Research Award, Eastern Nursing Research Society (2022)
Health in Aging Foundation New Investigator Award, American Geriatrics Society (2022)
Committee Member, Committee on the Quality of Care in Nursing Homes, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2020)
Scholar, National Clinician Scholars Program, Yale University (2020)
Early Career Alumni Award: Emerging Nurse Leader, Columbia University (2020)
Jonas Policy Scholar, American Academy of Nursing, Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare (2019)
Douglas Holmes Emerging Scholar Paper Award, Gerontological Society of America (2018)
Dean’s Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania Vice Provost Office (2018)
Associate Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania (2018)
Awardee, 10 Under 10 Young Alumni Recognition, Adelphi University (2018)
Jonas Nurse Leader Scholar, Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare (2016)
Pre-Dissertation Student Research Award, The Behavioral & Social Sciences Section of The Gerontological Society of America (2016)

Diversity equity and Inclusion: To advance infection prevention and control efforts, nursing assistants need to be given the opportunity to dance

Travers, J. L. (2022). American Journal of Infection Control, 50(7), 717-718. 10.1016/j.ajic.2022.04.001

Evidence for Action: Addressing Systemic Racism Across Long-Term Services and Supports

Shippee, T. P., Fabius, C. D., Fashaw-Walters, S., Bowblis, J. R., Nkimbeng, M., Bucy, T. I., Duan, Y., Ng, W., Akosionu, O., & Travers, J. L. (2022). Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 23(2), 214-219. 10.1016/j.jamda.2021.12.018
Abstract
Abstract
Long-term services and supports (LTSS), including care received at home and in residential settings such as nursing homes, are highly racially segregated; Black, Indigenous, and persons of color (BIPOC) users have less access to quality care and report poorer quality of life compared to their White counterparts. Systemic racism lies at the root of these disparities, manifesting via racially segregated care, low Medicaid reimbursement, and lack of livable wages for staff, along with other policies and processes that exacerbate disparities. We reviewed Medicaid reimbursement, pay-for-performance, public reporting of quality of care, and culture change in nursing homes and integrated home- and community-based service (HCBS) programs as possible mechanisms for addressing racial and ethnic disparities. We developed a set of recommendations for LTSS based on existing evidence, including (1) increase Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates, especially for providers serving high proportions of Medicaid-eligible and BIPOC older adults; (2) reconsider the design of pay-for-performance programs as they relate to providers who serve underserved groups; (3) include culturally sensitive measures, such as quality of life, in public reporting of quality of care, and develop and report health equity measures in outcomes of care for BIPOC individuals; (4) implement culture change so services are more person-centered and homelike, alongside improvements in staff wages and benefits in high-proportion BIPOC nursing homes; (5) expand access to Medicaid-waivered HCBS services; (6) adopt culturally appropriate HCBS practices, with special attention to family caregivers; (7) and increase promotion of integrated HCBS programs that can be targeted to BIPOC consumers, and implement models that value community health workers. Multipronged solutions may help diminish the role of systemic racism in existing racial disparities in LTSS, and these recommendations provide steps for action that are needed to reimagine how long-term care is delivered, especially for BIPOC populations.

Functional Limitations and Access to Long-Term Services and Supports Among Sexual Minority Older Adults

Travers, J. L., Shippee, T. P., Flatt, J. D., & Caceres, B. A. (2022). Journal of Applied Gerontology, 41(9), 2056-2062. 10.1177/07334648221099006
Abstract
Abstract
Objective: Little is known about sexual minority (SM) older adults’ activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) limitations and their subsequent access to long-term services and supports (LTSS). Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study limited to individuals ≥50 years old. Bivariate analyses were performed to examine 1) sexual identity differences in the prevalence of ADL/IADL limitations and 2) associations of sexual identity with having ADL/IADL limitations and having access to help with ADL/IADL limitations. Results: Our sample consisted of 3833 older adults, 6% (n = 213) were SM. Compared to heterosexual participants, bisexual older adults had greater reports of ADL/IADL limitations (20.9% vs. 35.9%, p = 0.013). Among those who reported having ADL/IADL limitations (n = 803), there were no sexual identity differences in accessing help for ADL/IADL limitations (p =.901). Discussion: Our findings contribute to the limited research on LTSS access among SM older adults.

Minority Older Adults’ Access to and Use of Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

Travers, J. L., D’Arpino, S., Bradway, C., Kim, S. J., & Naylor, M. D. (2022). Journal of Aging and Social Policy, 34(6), 976-1002. 10.1080/08959420.2021.2024411
Abstract
Abstract
Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) are an effective approach to improve care quality and delay institutional admissions especially for Black and Hispanic older adults who have seen a disproportionate rise in nursing home use. Guided by Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use and employing focus groups and one-on-one interviews, we qualitatively examined factors influencing access to and use of PACE by Black and Hispanic older adults. The study sample consisted of thirty-two PACE enrollees, six marketing-team members, and four family-caregivers from three PACE sites in a northeast urban city. Informed knowledge, cultural beliefs, and attitudes toward PACE were found to affect access. Community resources, available services, and care quality facilitated enrollment/participation. Barriers identified included poor dissemination of information and inadequate emphasis on staff’s sensitivity to enrollees’ cultural and disability differences. Findings will help healthcare leaders capitalize on facilitators and address barriers to enhance access and use of PACE by racial and ethnic minority older adults.

National Institutes of Health diversity supplements: Perspectives from administrative insiders

David, D., Weir, M. L., Enwerem, N., Schulman-Green, D., Okunji, P. O., Travers, J. L., & Clark-Cutaia, M. N. (2022). Nursing Outlook, 70(6), 827-836. 10.1016/j.outlook.2022.08.006
Abstract
Abstract
Background: The NIH Diversity Administrative Supplement is a funding mechanism that provides support for diverse early-stage researchers. There is limited guidance on how to apply for these awards. Purpose: We describe perspectives of NIH program/diversity officers and university research administrators offering recommendations for diversity supplement submission. Methods: This article is the product of a working group exploring diversity in research. Nursing faculty from an R2 Historically Black College and University and an R1 research intensive university conducted stakeholder interviews with NIH program/diversity officers and university research administrators. We used content analysis to categorize respondents’ recommendations. Findings: Recommendations centered on harmonizing the applicant with the program announcement, communication with program/diversity officers, mentor/mentee relationship, scientific plan, and systematic institutional approaches to the diversity supplement. Discussion: Successful strategies in submitting diversity supplements will facilitate inclusion of diverse researchers in NIH-sponsored programs. Systematic approaches are needed to support development of diverse voices to enhance the scientific community.

Older Adults’ Goals and Expectations When Using Long-Term Services and Supports

Travers, J. L., Hirschman, K. B., & Naylor, M. D. (2022). Journal of Applied Gerontology, 41(3), 709-717. 10.1177/07334648211033671
Abstract
Abstract
Objective: Despite recent research focused on aging well, little is known regarding the goals and expectations from long-term services and supports (LTSS) use among older adults. Methods: To address this knowledge gap, interviewer-guided surveys with older adults newly receiving LTSS in home and community-based, assisted living, and nursing home settings in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York were conducted. Results: Twelve subthemes regarding the goals and expectations of 464 older adults receiving LTSS and in the context of Aging Well emerged from our analysis: maintaining function, optimizing health and circumstances, maintaining the status quo, transitioning back to the previous state, achieving independence, preserving cognitive function and capacity for psychosocial and emotional health, achieving purpose, increasing quality of life, receiving social support, increasing engagement, relieving burden, and feeling a sense of security/safety. Discussion: This in-depth analysis of qualitative data provides context for LTSS use among older adults.

A Profile of Black and Latino Older Adults Receiving Care in Nursing Homes: 2011–2017

Travers, J. L., Dick, A. W., Wu, B., Grabowski, D. C., Robison, J., Agarwal, M., Perera, G. U., & Stone, P. W. (2022). Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 23(11), 1833-1837.e2. 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.04.010
Abstract
Abstract
Objective: To identify if disparate trends in the access and use of nursing home (NH) services among Black and Latino older adults compared with White older adults persist. Access was operationalized as the NHs that served Black, Latino, and White residents. Use was operationalized as the utilization of NH services by Black, Latino, and White residents. Design: This was an observational study analyzing facility-level data from LTCfocus for 2011 to 2017. Setting and Participants: All NH residents present in US NHs participating in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services program on the first Thursday in April in the years 2011 to 2017. NHs with fewer than 4500 bed-days per year are excluded in the LCTfocus dataset. Black, Latino, and White were the racial/ethnic groups of interest. Methods: We calculated the mean percentage of each racial/ethnic group in NHs (Black, Latino, White) annually along with the number of NHs that provided care for these groups. We conducted a simple trend analysis using ordinary least squares to estimate the change in NH access and use by racial/ethnic group over time. Results: Our NH sample ranged from 15,564 in 2011 to 14,956 in 2017. Latino residents' use of NHs increased by 20.47% and Black residents increased by 11.42%, whereas there was a 1.36% decrease in White residents’ use of NHs. In this 7-year span, there was a 4.44% and 6.41% decline in the number of NHs that serve any Black and Latino older adults, respectively, compared with a 2.26% decline in NHs that serve only White older adults (access). Conclusions and Implications: Our findings reveal a continued disproportionate rise in Black and Latino older adults’ use of NHs while the number of NHs that serve this population have declined. This work can inform federal and state policies to ensure access to long-term care services and supports in the community for all older adults and prevent inappropriate NH closures.

Providers’ Perspectives on High-Quality Dementia Care in Long-Term Care

Travers, J. L., Wittenberg, G. F., Gifford, D. R., Reddy, A., McLaughlin, M. M., & Baier, R. R. (2022). Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 23(12), 2030.e1-2030.e8. 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.07.025
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives: To understand dementia care providers’ perspectives on high-quality care for persons living with dementia (PLWD) in long-term care (LTC). Design: A qualitative study using a directed content analysis approach. Setting and Participants: Nine national LTC dementia care providers. Methods: We facilitated 5 listening sessions centered around dementia care philosophies, models, and practices. Two researchers first mapped qualitative data to the Holistic Approach to Transformational Change (HATCh) model for dementia care using a directed content analysis approach. They then identified themes and subthemes emerging from the data using a conventional analysis approach. They coded data iteratively and solicited input from 3 additional researchers to reach consensus where needed. Member checks were performed to ensure the trustworthiness of the data during 2 follow-up listening sessions. Results: The 9 participants described the importance of understanding the experiences of PLWDs in order to provide high-quality dementia care and to deliver such care with the residents and their preferences as the focus. They emphasized experiential education as essential for families and all staff, regardless of role. They noted the need to balance safety with resident choice, as well as the corresponding need for facility leadership and regulators to support such choices. The listening sessions revealed areas to foster person-centered care for PLWD, but also highlighted barriers to implementing this philosophy in LTC settings. Conclusions and Implications: Emergent themes included care practices that center on resident preferences and are supported by staff with the experiential education and communication skills necessary to relate to and support PLWD. These findings provide contextual information for researchers seeking to identify and test interventions that reflect LTC providers’ priorities for PLWD and emphasize the need to align research priorities with provider priorities.

Strategic Recommendations for Higher Quality Nursing Home Care in the United States: The NASEM Report

Alexander, G. L., Travers, J., Galambos, C., Rantz, M., Ferrell, B., & Stevenson, D. (2022). Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 48(11), 3-6. 10.3928/00989134-20221003-01

Strategic Recommendations for Higher Quality Nursing Home Care in the United States: The NASEM Report

Alexander, G. L., Young, H., Travers, J., Galambos, C., Rantz, M., Ferrell, B., & Stevenson, D. (2022). Research in Gerontological Nursing, 15(6), 266-269. 10.3928/19404921-20220927-01