PhD

December 21, 2022

Heterogeneity in HIV/STI Prevalence, Testing, and PrEP Use among Transgender and Non-binary People and their Partners in the US

Transgender and non-binary (TNB) people in the U.S. are disproportionately impact by HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). As a result of socio-structural stigma, institutional barriers, and fear of mistreatment, and discrimination, TNB people experience significant barriers to engaging in health care, including HIV/STI prevention. In addition, the HIV/STI prevalence and behaviors of their sex…

New Insights into Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG): Geographic heterogeneity in Black-White disparities and spatiotemporal trends among US females and the role of azithromycin use for STI treatment in antibiotic resistance

Gonorrhea (caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) bacterium) is the second most-commonly reported sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States (US) and can cause serious, permanent reproductive sequalae in females. Gonorrhea rates have increased rapidly in the US throughout the last 3 decades, while profound racial disparities have stubbornly persisted with non-Hispanic Black (NHB)…

Assessing Helicobacter pylori infections among adults from the Navajo Nation

Background: Although the burden of gastric cancer is low in the United States (US) overall, a substantial burden of gastric cancer continues to be observed in American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN), particularly in the Southwest and Alaska regions of the US. In particular, gastric cancer incidence is 3.5 times higher in the Navajo Nation,…

The Association of Upper Airway Anatomy with Cognitive Test Performance and Brain Structure: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Sleep apnea, affecting an estimated 1 in 4 American adults, has been reported to be associated with both impaired cognitive function and brain structural abnormality. It is important to explore upper airway anatomy as a risk factor for brain structural abnormality and poor cognitive function both overall and above and beyond its effect on sleep….

Epidemiology of Violence in Colombia

Armed conflict is a major cause of injury and death worldwide, posing a significant public health problem. In addition to mortality directly resulting from violence, armed conflicts indirectly cause morbidity and mortality through destruction of health infrastructure and diversion of resources, forced displacement, environmental damage to water/sanitation access, and erosion of social and economic security….

Associations between cannabis use and availability on prescription opioid use and related outcomes among injured workers

INTRODUCTION: Work-related injuries are a significant contributor to the high prevalence of acute and chronic, non-cancer pain in the U.S. While opioids are often prescribed for work- related injuries, inappropriate prescribing of opioids for pain management has contributed to the rise in opioid dependence, overdose, and death. Increasing access to medical and nonmedical (also called…

Perinatal depression and adverse infant outcomes among Kenyan mother-infant pairs

Pregnancy and postpartum are periods of high vulnerability to mental disorder. More than 1 in 10 women experience a mental disorder during pregnancy and 13% after delivery, most commonly depression. Pregnancy and postpartum are critical time periods for the health and survival of mothers and their infants, yet maternal depression, remains underprioritized. Women in low-…

Evaluating the impact of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Policies in California Jails

Approximately 130 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Those exposed to the criminal legal system (CLS) through arrests and/or incarcerations have high rates of opioid use disorders (OUD) and associated adverse outcomes. Access to medications for OUD treatment (MOUD) during incarceration and post-release increases community engagement in treatment and reduces opioid use and…

Effects of HIV exposure, TB and HIV treatment, and isoniazid preventive therapy on prognosis and growth trajectories of children

Introduction: Expanded access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services (PMTCT) have enabled the vast majority of pregnant women living with HIV (WLWH) to give birth to HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) children. Evidence suggests that birth weight and birth length are lower in HEU than in HIV unexposed uninfected (HUU) children,…

Integrating epidemiologic and molecular methods to improve vaginal health

Challenges measuring the microbiome and limited incorporation of epidemiologic methods in microbiome science have hindered the progress of vaginal microbiome research, and major questions in the field remain unanswered despite decades of work. This dissertation seeks to address these gaps by describing measurement error and resulting bias in vaginal microbiota research; evaluating the state of…