Social Epidemiology

• Dr Kelly HIrko

     Faculty page

   

  Defining rurality in the context of cancer disparities 

  In this study, we seek to describe cancer risk factors and screening behavior across various rural-urban classification codes to inform our understanding of cancer disparities across the rural to urban continuum.  Using multiple national datasets describing county-level data across the U.S., this analysis will contribute to our understanding of the underpinnings of rural cancer disparities.  This project is led by Dr. Kelly Hirko in collaboration with a national team of behavioral researchers focused on cancer prevention and control.   

• Dr Claire Margerison

     Faculty page  | Research page

  
  

  Policy Change and Women’s Health

  Our research team is assessing the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on reproductive health behaviors, preconception preventive health, pregnancy health, and postpartum health. We are particularly interested in whether and how the ACA impacted racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in women’s health. The project is led by Dr. Claire Margerison and funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (R01095951, R01095951-02S1, and F31103404) and by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (project #78812).

   

  
  Pregnancy-Associated Mortality and Morbidity due to Drugs, Self-harm, and Suicide

  
  We are estimating the incidence of deaths during pregnancy and postpartum due to drugs, suicide, and homicide in the US as a whole and assessing whether this incidence has increased over time and/or differs by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or geography. We are also investigating to what extent deaths represent the “tip of an iceberg” of maternal suffering and service utilization due to drugs, self-harm, and violence and we are identifying “red flags” that clinicians can use to identify women at risk of such morbidity or mortality in the postpartum period. The project is led by Dr. Claire Margerison and funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (R01 HD102319).

   

    

• Dr Zhehui Luo

     Faculty page

   

  Health Services Research

  Using large administrative claims data in research has advantages and disadvantages, which demands thorough understanding of the structure and limitations of such databases. Working closely with experts in generating, modifying and storing these data and utilizing her expertise in causal inference, Dr. Zhehui Luo provides insights in the design, analysis and interpretation of several program evaluation studies that have policy implications for improving population health. Currently she is investigating the impact of extending Medicaid benefit to persons affected by the Flint water crisis on health service utilization and implementing community health worker home visiting programs on birth outcomes.