Publications

National Support for Wealth-Building for Children From Low-Income Households.

This survey study examines national support for state-managed trust fund accounts for children from low-income households.

JAMA network open

Loneliness, depression, and generalized anxiety across eight countries.

Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a global public health concern linked to adverse mental health outcomes. However, cross-national evidence on its distribution and association with depression and generalized anxiety is limited.

Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology

Methodological Rigor in Health Policy and Health Services Research.

JAMA health forum

Factors Affecting Access to and Utilisation of HIV/AIDS Preventive Services Among Young Single Mothers Working in Alcohol Serving Establishments in Rwanda: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

Despite Rwanda's progress in HIV prevention for key populations, female employees in alcohol-serving establishments (ASEs) remain underserved, with interventions often lacking attention to the contextual factors shaping their HIV risk and service uptake. Guided by the Exploration phase of the Exploration, Preparation, Intervention, and Sustainment (EPIS) framework, a qualitative study was conducted to identify contextual factors affecting HIV prevention uptake among young single mothers working in informal ASEs. In-depth interviews were conducted with 101 participants recruited through maximum variation purposive and snowball sampling. Data were analyzed thematically, with findings organized according to inner and outer EPIS contextual domains. Outer context findings revealed structural and socio-cultural barriers, including unaffordability of post-exposure prophylaxis and HIV self-testing kits, inconsistent condom availability, and gender norms limiting women's autonomy in sexual health decision-making. Inner context findings highlighted workplace-related challenges, such as limited support from establishment owners, absence of HIV prevention resources within venues, and the influence of male partners and clients on women's ability to negotiate safer sexual practices. Facilitators across both contexts included HIV risk awareness, fear of unintended pregnancy, and aspirations for improved economic and social futures for themselves and their children. By systematically examining contextual influences during the EPIS Exploration phase, this study addresses a critical gap in HIV prevention research among an underserved population. These findings can inform the development of context-responsive behavioral and structural interventions aimed at improving HIV prevention uptake and addressing workplace, social, and structural drivers of HIV vulnerability in ASEs.

AIDS and behavior

Costs of Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy vs Traditional Therapy for Asthma.

Despite strong guideline support, single maintenance and reliever therapy (SMART) for asthma is underused in the US. Limited insurance coverage of SMART-compatible inhalers remains a major barrier to its adoption.

JAMA network open

Characterizing Phantom Lymph Node Collection During Curative-Intent Resection of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Phantom lymph node collection, defined as intraoperative sampling of tissue presumed to be nodal that, on pathological review, proves to be non-nodal, is a previously understudied outcome in thoracic surgery. This study aimed to quantify its incidence, identify associated factors, and assess its relationship with cancer-specific outcomes.

The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery

Advancing the Science and Scholarship of Health Equity.

JAMA health forum

Identifying Factors Associated With Loneliness in Older United States Veterans: An Ecological Systems Approach.

The current study examined whether multi-level ecological factors, including sociodemographic characteristics, military-related characteristics, social support, and community-level social vulnerability, were associated with loneliness among older U.S. Veterans.

Research in gerontological nursing

White Matter Hyperintensity Burden and Decline in Driving Performance Among Older Adults.

White matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden is associated with cognitive decline, but its association with driving performance among older adults and the associations of modifiable risk factors remain unclear.

JAMA network open