PFRH News
Population, Family and Reproductive Health
FA L L 2 0 1 4
Vol 2. Issue 1
From the Chair
We are grounded in a
life course framework
with domestic and
international focal areas
including sexual and
reproductive health,
fetal origins of disease,
and perinatal and family
health.
Skills include population
sciences, biologic
markers and behavioral
science, program
evaluation, advocacy,
and the translation of
research for programs
and policy.
It is a pleasure for me to welcome you to the Fall
exceptionally fortunate to recruit Kathy Edin
2014 newsletter of the Department. To those
PhD as the inaugural Bloomberg Distinguished
faculty and students who are just starting their
Professor. Kathy came from Harvard and her
academic careers here at Hopkins, Welcome! To
position bridges between Sociology and PFRH.
returning students, faculty and staff, Welcome
Kathy is nationally recognized for her work on
back! And to all our alumni and friends I hope you
poverty, housing and urban families. Together
have had a wonderful summer. There is so much
with her husband, Tim Nelson PhD, Kathy
that has been happening to catch you up on.
recently authored a landmark book looking at
This newsletter will introduce you to some of our
issues faced by single fathers—Doing the Best
new faculty in more depth as well as some of our
I Can. Tim is a member of our faculty as well;
graduates. Please tell us what you are doing so
and having Tim and Kathy as part of our faculty
that if you are an alum we can include you in our
greatly strengthens our family health focal area
updates when the newsletter comes out again
(more about that below).
next winter.
Finally, we have strengthened our Population
New Faculty: Over the past year we have
and Health Faculty with the addition of Li Liu
expanded and strengthened our faculty in a
PhD, one of our own graduates whose expertise
number of areas. In Child Health, Anne Duggan
is in child mortality and William Mosher PhD,
PhD came as a professor from the Department
who joins us after retiring from the National
of Pediatrics across the street with her team last
Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) where he
fall. For those who do not know Anne she is one
directed the National Survey of Family Growth
of the nation’s experts in program evaluation
for nearly 20 years.
and her work has focused on home visitation
Restructuring our Educational Program: After
and impact evaluation of state level programs.
15 years of using a track based structure for
More recently, Christina Bethell PhD, MBA,
our masters and doctoral programs, this fall the
MPH joined PFRH and she too has brought an
department launches a new structure aimed at
exciting team with her. Christy is the founder
maximizing flexibility for students and expanding
and director of the Child and Adolescent Health
the options they can choose. So where in the
Measurement Initiative that has developed and
past there had been three tracks, we will now
maintained a number of national databases on
have nine focal areas (some will not begin until
the quality of care and child health measures.
2015-6). Each focal area will have identified
This past winter the department was
faculty, core courses and an associated body
of research. These include: child health, sexual and
relate to sexual behaviors and vulnerabilities.
reproductive health, maternal fetal and perinatal health,
These are but a few of the exciting programs and
adolescent health, women’s health, family health, urban
projects with which faculty and students are involved in
health, biology and behavior, population and health.
PFRH.
In addition to expanding the educational offerings the
Graduates and Incoming Students: This year another
revised structure will assure greater cross-fertilization
amazing cohort of students graduated our MSPH and
across the diverse skill-sets of the faculty.
doctoral programs. Specifically 17 received their masters
New and Expanded Projects of the Department: There
degree and 13 received their doctorates. Our graduating
have been a number of projects that have been initiated
students have gone on to positions with The Rand
or expanded over the past year.
Corporation, Centers for Disease Control, International
Center for Adolescent Health— This past spring the CAH
Rescue Committee, Population Council, Child Trends,
was awarded a new 5-year center grant from the CDC.
and here at the School in the International Health
The focus of the new award will be on sexual health
Department and within our Department. On August 28
education in partnerships with the Baltimore City Public
we welcome a new cohort of 17 MSPH students, 4 MHS
Schools as well as the Mayor’s Office and the Baltimore
students and 10 doctoral students to the department.
City Department of Health.
Our students come from positions at the National Cancer
PMA2020— A Gates Institute initiative, PMA2020
Institute, Lucile and David Packard Foundation, USAID,
monitors the uptake of contraception in the low income
Bixby Center at UC Berkeley, Center for Communications
countries targeted in the global Family Planning 2020
and Programs, NIH, and the Peace Corps. We are
goal of providing contraception to 120 million additional
thrilled to have you as part of our PFRH family.
women worldwide. PMA2020 received a major increase
in funding to expand its work to monitor 10 countries.
Global Early Adolescent Study (GEAS)— The GEAS
is a 10-country collaboration exploring gender norms,
attitudes and beliefs of early adolescents and how these
Robert Wm. Blum MD, MPH, PhD
New Initiatives
Stroke Prevention
PI: Xiaobin Wang, MD, MPH, ScD
Stroke is the leading cause of death in China, and the
blind, actively-controlled trial, conducted among 20,702
leading cause of serious, long-term disability worldwide.
Chinese hypertensive adults. The CSPPT is by far the
Considerable interest and debate remain over whether
largest among the folate trials for primary prevention of
folic acid supplementation, which corrects folate
stroke (data analyses are underway) and is expected
insufficiency and lowers homocysteine, could help
to provide strong evidence on the efficacy of folic
prevent stroke. Dr. Xiaobin Wang, in collaboration with
acid therapy in stroke prevention in a population with
Chinese colleagues, has produced a series of papers
insufficient folate intake. In light of the large number of
(including one published in The Lancet) suggesting
individuals at risk for stroke in China and worldwide,
beneficial effect of folic acid supplementation in the
the public health benefit of such a simple and safe
prevention of stroke among populations without folic acid
intervention could be substantial.
fortification. Their work was cited by the American Stroke
For further information contact:
Association in the latest guidelines for the prevention of
Xiaobin Wang at [email protected]
stroke. It also led to the China Stroke Primary Prevention
Trial (CSPPT), a multi-community, randomized, double-
2
PFRH Newsletter
GEAS – The Global Early Adolescent Study
PI: Robert Blum, MD, MPH, PhD; Co-PI: Caroline Moreau, MD, MPH, PhD
The purpose of The Global Early Adolescent Study
is to understand how gender norms influence sexual
attitudes, beliefs and relationship formation in early
adolescence as well as subsequent sexual activity
and contraceptive practices in older adolescence. The
study has two phases the first of which just began and it
explores transitions into adolescents. In addition, it will
also develop a tool kit of 4 instruments appropriate for
The Global Early Adolescent Study:
an exploration of the evolving nature
of gender and social relations
early adolescents 10-14 years of age exploring gender
norms and attitudes and components of healthy sexuality
10-14 years: a critical age
in that age group (e.g., body pride, satisfaction with
emerging sexuality, gender equitable relationships) while
the second phase will be 5 years in duration (anticipated
to begin in 2016) and will follow a cohort of 1,400 young
adolescents in 10 countries: Egypt, South Africa, Malawi,
Kenya, Nigeria, Scotland, Belgium, India, China, and
the United States. The study is a collaboration between
Johns Hopkins and the World Health Organization with
support currently from WHO, USAID, Ford and Packard
Foundations.
This research will help us build the knowledge base for
improved gender-based violence prevention services
as well as reducing child marriage and improving early
Gender socialization:
...how boys learn to be boys
...and girls to be girls
...how we become who we are as sexual beings
For further information contact:
Robert Blum at [email protected]
Caroline Moreau at [email protected]
contraceptive use among young males and females who
have sex.
Reducing Colorectal Cancer Disparities
PI: Chris Gibbons, MD, MPH
Colorectal Cancer is a deadly disease that often strikes
and in-depth interviews with providers and patients to
people over the age of 50. In the earliest stage of the
better understand the barriers, determine who is least
disease, there are often no symptoms. By the time
likely to be screened and the most effective strategy to
symptoms do occur, it is often too late. However, through
successfully reach those who are going unscreened.
proper screening it is possible to catch and cure this
The analysis and findings from this research will form
cancer. In Maryland, African-Americans are less likely
the foundation for the development of a subsequent
to be screened and more likely to die from Colorectal
intervention project. It will likely take several years, many
Cancer than other groups of people. Although we are not
university and community partners and a lot of hard work,
sure why, we believe something can be done about it.
but our goal is to eliminate colorectal cancer disparities in
In partnership with the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive
a decade!
Cancer Center here at Johns Hopkins, we have
For further information contact:
embarked on an ambitious plan to understand the
Dr. Chris Gibbons at [email protected]
barriers and eliminate the disparity.
Rebkha Atnafou, Program Manager, at [email protected]
Phase 1 of this project involves conducting focus groups
Fall 2014
3
PMA2020 Project Summary
PI: Scott Radloff, PhD
PMA2020 is a five-year project launched in 2013.
The project’s signature contribution is developing and
fielding rapid-turnaround surveys using mobile devices
to measure core and country-specific indicators in 10
of the 24 FP2020 pledging countries. The growth of
mobile information and communication technologies and
mHealth applications in low-income countries present
themselves as ideal tools for the collection and analysis
of family planning statistics. PMA2020 harnesses this
innovative technology to develop a rapid and routine
data collection system for marking progress in advancing
access and use of contraception, as well as tracking
equity and quality dimensions of service delivery. A
second major innovation is the creation of a network
of female resident enumerators, recruited from or near
the selected enumeration areas, trained to use mobile
smartphones to gather survey data, and deployed to
conduct multiple rounds of the survey.
The project will support surveys in 10 countries. A first
survey round has been completed in Ghana, DR Congo,
Ethiopia, Uganda, and Kenya. Plans are underway to
launch surveys in the coming year in Nigeria, Burkina
Faso, Niger, Indonesia, and India. In each country, a
Institute. Nationally-representative surveys of households
and eligible females (age 15-49) are conducted at
regular intervals, beginning semi-annually for the first two
years and annually thereafter. The household survey is
supplemented by a survey of private and public health
facilities that serve the selected community. Surveys are
fielded within a 4-6 week period with data tabulations
completed and disseminated shortly thereafter and fed
back at national, subnational, and community levels to
inform policies and program practice.
Once the PMA2020 survey platform is established,
additional modules can be added to cover other aspects
of health and development. The survey encompasses
questions on water and sanitation in addition to its central
focus on family planning. The project is funded by the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation.
For further information contact:
Scott Radloff at [email protected]
local partner is engaged to implement the survey with
technical and resource support provided by the Gates
Project Connect
PI: Michele Decker, ScD, MPH
4
PFRH Newsletter
In the US and globally, more than one in three women
between public health and domestic violence policy,
remain affected by intimate partner violence, with stark
programs, and practice. Maryland was one of 11 sites
health implications. Dr. Michele Decker has been at the
selected for Project Connect 2.0, in partnership with the
forefront of clinic-based screening and brief interventions
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,
to identify gender-based violence survivors and mitigate
Planned Parenthood of Maryland, House of Ruth
the health impact of abuse. Since 2010, national
Maryland. Dr. Decker’s team, including PFRH students
partners, Futures Without Violence and US Department
Jen Choi (MSPH student), Jennifer Parsons (MSPH
of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health
2014), has provided technical assistance on Project
(OWH) have led Project Connect: A Coordinated Public
Connect Maryland rollout through the leadership team,
Health Initiative to Prevent and Respond to Violence
and is leading the outcomes evaluation for this exciting
Against Women (Project Connect), a national initiative
initiative.
to improve the public health response to domestic
For further information contact:
and sexual violence through strategic collaborations
Michele Decker at [email protected]
Predict – Prospective Research on Early Determinants of Illness and Children’s
Health Trajectories Study
PI: Sara Johnson, PhD, MPH
In clinical studies, children are often enrolled after they
behavioral, social) that may influence future risk of
are diagnosed with a particular disease or condition. In
obesity and developmental delay. This includes clinical
contrast, this study is focused on a critical question—
records, prospective biospecimen collection (cord blood,
What experiences and exposures, at what critical or
blood, saliva), parent survey data. This study is based at
sensitive periods in development, ultimately set children
All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersberg, Florida, which is
on the path toward poor health across the life course?
part of Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The goal of this study is to investigate the prospective
For further information contact:
associations among molecular, genetic, clinical,
Sara Johnson at [email protected]
behavioral, and social determinants of common pediatric
health conditions (i.e., obesity and developmental delay)
to inform optimal prevention and intervention efforts.
PREDICT is a prospective cohort study of healthy
children recruited from primary care settings prenatally
and in early childhood. Detailed data are collected
on multilevel exposures (molecular, genetic, clinical,
The Center for Adolescent Health
PI: Phil Leaf, PhD
The Department’s Center for Adolescent Health (CAH)
climate, health, and health risks behavior monitoring by
was recently awarded a grant from the Centers for
City Schools.
Disease Control and Prevention renewing their funding
In addition to a new core research focus, the Center’s
for another five years as a Prevention Research Center.
structure is shifting slightly to initiate changes around
While the Center continues its work with local community
adolescent health policies and practices in a broader
partners dedicated to young people in Baltimore, there
environment. While the Center will continue to be guided
are some exciting changes in the new grant cycle.
by both a Community Advisory Board and a Youth
For the past ten years, the Center’s core research
Advisory Committee, the Center will add an Academic
focused on promoting mental health services in youth
Advisory Board, chaired by Dr. Blum. Additionally, the
employment and training programs. While that focus will
Center will assist in the facilitation of three Citywide
remain in the Center through the new Aspen Initiative
Adolescent Health Stakeholder Networks: the Youth
work on which the Center collaborates, the Center’s core
Advocacy and Leadership, a Service Providers network,
research focus will shift to preventing adolescent risk
and a Policy Makers and Funders network.
behaviors through a partnership with the Baltimore City
We looking forward to an exciting 5 years!
Public Schools.
For further information contact:
Together with Baltimore City Schools, the Center will
Phil Leaf at [email protected]
expand an evidence-based program, LifeSkills Training
(LST), in grades 6-8. In addition, the Center will develop
and integrate sexual risk behaviors prevention modules
with the Baltimore City Schools to integrate the school
Fall 2014
5
New Faculty Arrivals
Christy Bethell, PhD, MBA, MPH
Christina Bethell is a professor and leading researcher
on child health development and outcomes, joined PFRH
this past July. Dr. Bethell came from the Oregon Health
and Science University where she was a professor.
She is also the founding director of both the Child and
Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI),
and the National Data Resource Center for Child and
Adolescent Health. Christy’s research focuses on
understanding and enhancing the role of the health
care system to protect and improve health outcomes
and promote the healthy development of children,
with a major focus on the development, testing, and
implementation of consumer-centered methods to
measure health and the health care quality of health
systems and providers.
Her research has also led to nationally recognized
including optimizing the life course health trajectories of
children with special health care needs.
Dr. Bethell earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology
from the University of California, Los Angeles. She
has both a master’s in public health and a master’s in
business administration from the University of California,
Berkeley, and earned a PhD in health services and policy
research from the University of Chicago.
Contact Christina Bethell at [email protected]
methods to engage patients in improving health care
quality, such as the Well Visit Planner tools (www.
wellvisitplanner.org) and other innovative, patientcentered models of health care to promoting the early
and lifelong health of children, youth and families,
Anne Duggan, ScD
Anne Duggan is a professor and founding director of the
families. Key aspects of this work include: the impact of
Home Visiting Research Network, which is charged with
home visiting on special populations such as adolescent
establishing the national home visiting research agenda
parents; the coordination of home visiting with other
and with promoting innovative methods to carry out
services; and translational, implementation research on
this agenda, including establishing a national practice-
multi-level factors for service fidelity, quality, coordination
based research network of home visiting sites. Much
and impact. Her work has enjoyed continuous extramural
of her current work is related to the national Maternal,
support from many sources, including the Department
Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV)
of Health and Human Services, NIH, HRSA, CDC, ACF,
program, which was established in 2010 as part of the
national foundations such as Annie E. Casey Foundation
Affordable Care Act. She is co-principal investigator
and Packard Foundation, as well as local foundations
of DHHS’s national RCT of the MIECHV program and
and state agencies.
leads evaluative research for New Jersey’s and Hawaii’s
Dr. Duggan is a seasoned research educator, with over
systems of home visiting.
25 years of leadership in post-doctoral research training
Since 1992, her research aims at strengthening the role
in clinical and health services research focused on
of home visiting and the larger early childhood system of
services for children, adolescents and families.
care in promoting healthy family functioning, parenting,
Contact Anne Duggan at [email protected]
and child health and development in over-burdened
6
PFRH Newsletter
Kathy Edin, PhD
Kathryn Edin is one of the nation’s leading poverty
could provide for a household successfully.
researchers, working in the domains of welfare and
In a fascinating book published in 2013, Doing the Best
low-wage work, family life, and neighborhood contexts.
I Can: Fathering in the Inner City, Edin and Timothy
She has taken on key mysteries about the urban poor
Nelson report on in-depth interviews with unmarried low-
that have not been fully answered by quantitative work:
income fathers who tell their side of the story. The book
How do single mothers possibly survive on welfare? Why
reveals a radical redefinition of family life, one that has
don’t more go to work? Why do they end up as single
revolutionized the meaning of fatherhood among inner-
mothers in the first place? Where are the fathers and
city men.
why do they disengage from their children’s lives? How
Edin’s current projects include: a study of extreme
have the lives of the single mothers changed as a result
poverty in the U.S.; a book on the lives of the working
of welfare reform?
poor; the intergenerational transmission of poverty
In her 1997 book, Making Ends Meet: How Single
among 150 African American young adults in inner city
Mothers Survive Welfare and Low-Wage Work, together
Baltimore and their parents, followed over 17 to 19 years;
with co-author Laura Lein, Edin addressed a central
a study of the tradeoffs moderate- and low-income Black,
policy question of the time; Why weren’t these mothers
White, and Latino families make when deciding where to
working? In a 2005 book, Promises I Can Keep: Why
live, what kind of place to rent or purchase, and where
Poor Women Put Motherhood before Marriage, Edin and
to send their children to school; a formative study of
her co-author, Maria Kefalas, sought to answer another
landlords and the supply side of residential choice for
policy conundrum: Why were so many low-income
low-income renters.
women having children without marrying, when doing so
As inaugural Bloomberg Distinguished Professor Kathy
seemed so difficult? Based again on in-depth interviews
holds a joint appointment in PFRH and the Department
and observations, the authors found that low-income
of Sociology.
women and men wished to marry but were reluctant to
Contact Kathy Edin at [email protected]
do so until they were sure that they and their spouses
Li Lui, PhD, MBBS, MHS
Li Lui obtained both her Master’s degree in Biostatistics
Population and Health teaching courses in Demographic
(2006) and doctorate (2008) in Population, Family and
Methods and Measures and in Child Mortality as well.
Reproductive Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
An important part of her research in child health focuses
School of Public Health. She has published 20 peer-
on improving child survival by understanding the burden
reviewed articles, four editorials in non-peer-reviewed
of child mortality by cause. This research led to the
manuscripts, and two book chapters. Her publications
development of the innovative methods to estimate the
have been in our field’s most impressive journals
distribution of child mortality by cause for countries with
including: PLoS Medicine, The Lancet, BMC Public
inadequate vital registration. The methods and results
Health and the Journal of Global Health.
have been published in The Lancet and the International
Building upon multidisciplinary training in medicine,
Journal of Epidemiology. The 2010 Lancet paper was
maternal and child health, biostatistics, demography, and
named the most cited paper published in The Lancet in
reproductive health, Dr. Lui has conducted extensive
2011.
population research to improve global reproductive,
Li Liu joins us as Assistant Professor with a primary
maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH). As a
appointment in the Department of Population, Family
faculty member she will expand her work to include
and Reproductive Health and a joint appointment in the
domestic as well as international child mortality.
Department of International Health.
As a methodologist, Li greatly strengthens our faculty in
Contact Li Lui at [email protected]
Fall 2014
7
William Mosher, PhD
Bill Mosher is a world renowned demographer, trained
experience.” We are pleased that our students will
both at Georgetown University and at Brown University
benefit from Bill’s work and experience.
where he received his PhD.
Throughout his career Dr. Mosher has written and
Dr. Mosher was a member of the Fatherhood Data Team,
published nearly 70 peer reviewed papers and book
established by President Clinton to ensure that fathers
chapters in some of the field’s leading journals such
would be included in all service programs aimed at
as Family Planning Perspectives, American Journal of
families. The Fatherhood Data Team received a Hammer
Public Health, Demography.
Award from Vice President Al Gore and many of its
On February 10, 2102, in a news conference on
recommendations have been put into practice.
women’s preventive services, President Obama cited
Additionally, Bill has participated in the Interagency
Dr. Mosher: “Nearly 99 percent of all women have
Forum on Child and Family Statistics as well as worked
relied on contraception at some point in their lives—99
in the Family Planning Working Group for Healthy People
percent.”, from his report co-authored with Jo Jones,
2000, 2010 and 2012.
PhD (NCHS report 47, table 1 and pages 1 and 5).
Over the past seventeen years, Bill has led the National
Dr. Mosher has recently focused his writing on special
Survey of Family Growth–one of the major longitudinal
reports such as his recently released monograph with Jo
studies of health and wellbeing in the United States.
Jones: Father’s involvement with their children. These
Dr. Wendy Manning, Distinguished Research Professor,
reports have been published as part of the National
Director of the Center for Family and Demographic
Health Statistics Reports.
Research and Co-Director for the National Center
William Mosher joins our department and the department
for Family & Marriage Research of Bowling Green
of Health, Behavior and Society as Senior Scientist.
State University said of Dr. Mosher: “There are few
Contact Bill Mosher at [email protected]
opportunities in academic programs to learn from
scholars who have had such high level real world
Tim Nelson, PhD
Tim Nelson graduated from the University of Chicago
have not seen before”. Journalist and commentator
where he received his PhD in Sociology in 1997. He
Bob Herbert said of the book that it debunks “rampant
completed his undergraduate work at Westmount
stereotypes and misconceptions” and writing in the
College in Santa Barbara, CA where he graduated
Washington Post Harold Pollack, from University of
cum laude. He subsequently served on the faculties of
Chicago described the volume as “an essential book”.
Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania,
In Slate, Hanna Rosin described Doing the Best I Can
the Kennedy School at Harvard University.
as “the single best book on fatherhood I’ve read in a
His work on religion and the role of the African American
long time.”
church has garnered him national recognition. He is the
Dr. Nelson is a talented and accomplished instructor. At
author of Every time I feel the Spirit: Religious Ritual and
Harvard he taught methods courses including qualitative
Expression in the African American Church, published by
methods in policy research, research design and
New York University Press in 2005.
research methods for field work, qualitative analyses and
He focuses as well on fathers, especially low income
a course on faith and its social impacts. he was voted a
fathers in urban settings. Recently together with Kathy
favorite teacher by Harvard undergraduates.
Edin, he authored and published Doing the Best I Can:
He holds a Senior Scientist position in our department
Fatherhood in the Inner City published by University of
together with a joint appointment at Krieger School of
California Press in 2013. This book has earned wide
Arts and Sciences as a Senior Lecturer in Sociology.
national acclaim. Andy Cherlin, for example, described
Contact Tim Nelson at [email protected]
the volume as “…an eye opener, a detailed portrait we
8
PFRH Newsletter
Faculty Promotion
Michelle Hindin, PhD
Michelle Hindin’s research interests bridge sociology and
and particularly family planning access.
public health using both public health and demographic
She has worked on large international initiatives in these
techniques. Her substantive areas of research focus
areas through collaborations with the World Health
on gender dynamics and reproductive health outcomes
Organization, the MacArthur Foundation and the Bill and
(abortion, contraception, intimate partner violence,
Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive
pregnancy intentions, sexual activity) in low-income
Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
countries—primarily sub-Saharan African and the
Health.
Philippines. She has used a variety of research methods
Please join us as we congratulate Michelle Hindin on
that allow for greater understanding of the nuances of
her promotion to the rank of Professor with tenure this
how men and women make decisions that impact health.
summer.
She has also invested in understanding the particular
Contact Michelle Hindin at [email protected]
issues that are faced by adolescents and young adults
as they navigate their sexual and reproductive health,
Academics
Featured Alumnae
May Sudhinaraset, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of California, San Francisco
PFRH: Tell me a little bit about how you got interested in sexual and reproductive health and adolescent health.
MS: Well my interest goes back to when I was at Berkeley and I studied Biology. I had the opportunity to work
with Tom Boyce as an RA on a project that he had. This was my first foray into public health and it was the reason I
became really interested in public health. The focus of the study was on how social factors can influence children’s
health. I was really interested in that idea and so after Berkeley I decided to do a fellowship at Hopkins where I
worked with Clea McNeely evaluating different after school programs. That eventually led me to adolescent health.
PFRH: For your dissertation your work focused on migration and specifically on rural to urban migration in China.
Did you have an interest in migration before that or did that work stimulate your interest in migration?
MS: I think I was always interested in racial and ethnic disparities. The topic has always been important to me personally. It is what drove me for my dissertation and stiil drives me since that was so much of my family’s experience.
You see, my parents came from Thailand and it was really hard for them when they first came here, especially for my
mom. When they came here they were really alone. What drove her is that she knew that she was going to have children one day and she wanted it to be different for them. I can’t imagine what it was like—language barriers, my mom
with out skills and my dad never finishing college. I think about that all the time. It is kind of amazing that they came
here, learned English, got a job, and raised four kids, it is so impressive, you know.
PFRH: I agree. And from what I know, not only you but your siblings are pretty successful.
MS: Yeah, not bad.
PFRH: Not bad at all. So, this interest in migrant health and well-being really went through your doctoral studies
here at Hopkins and then you went out to San Francisco. Talk a little bit about the work that you are doing, what your
experiences have been. So what has that been like for you?
Fall 2014
9
MS: It has been amazing. I mean I have learned so much, I feel like I have been connected with just amazing people, working on different projects. I feel like at Hopkins I had really amazing mentors -- people that I wanted to be like;
and I wanted to be in academia. What drew me here was being able to work with different types of people-- students,
other faculty, program people, community folks. I have been able to do many different things not only in research but
teaching. I run a doctoral seminar, mentor and advise students on topics where I might not know the content but I
have the methodological skills to really help them.
That has been very rewarding for me.
PFRH: And now you are an Assistant Professor at UCSF and have another graduate of our department, Nadia
Diamond Smith, working with you. What is she up to?
PFRH: Nadia Diamond Smith is a post-doctoral fellow working with us. She is so talented and bright. She graduated in August 2013. I had received a grant through the Gates Foundation to look at global trends in facility deliveries.
She is working on multiple data sets and will also be doing some work in India and Myanmar with me.
PFRH: Thinking back on it, how would you assess your experience in PFRH and at Hopkins overall?
PFRH: My experiences at Hopkins were very positive, I talk to Masters students here all the time and I always
recommend Hopkins as an amazing choice for doctoral programs, especially because of the methods strengths. I
think that it is top-notch because people that have come out of the program are at the top of their game. They are
leaders in the field now and it is so inspiring, and I think that is a product of the whole environment. I think also there
was a culture of excellence at Hopkins. At the time it might have been challenging, but I feel like professors there really treated you like a colleague and they challenged you and pushed you to think methodologically and scientifically
about questions. And I think that really prepared me for the real world. Fundamentally, if you could talk to professors
at Hopkins you are pretty well equipped to talk to people anywhere.
PFRH: May Sudhinaraset thank you. You truly make us shine! I have really enjoyed talking with you.
Honors and Awards
Award
Top Awardee
Apgar/Bramley/Clifford Award (1 Award)
Priya Karna
Alexander Memorial Fund (1 Award)
Samira Soleimanpour
Chenoweth-Pate Fellowship
Elizabeth Harvey
Amanda Gatewood
Cochran Scholarship Fund
Meghan Bohren
Cornely Fund
Meredith Matone
Fellowship in Family Planning
Amanda Gatewood
Amanda Kalamar
Anna Kågesten
Susan Christiansen
Loral Patchen
Guyer Award
Mengying Li
Harper Award
Funmilola OlaOlorun
Kann Trowbridge Fund
Ann Herbert
Hannah Lantos
Kim Memorial Scholarship
Eoghan Brady
Koenig Award
Amanda Kalamar
Shultz Endowment Fund (1-2 Awards)
Eoghan Brady
Jenita Parekh
10 PFRH Newsletter
Willian Endowment (1 Award)
Samira Soleimanpour
Zabin Award (1 Award)
Meghan Gallagher
Department Graduates 17 Masters and 13 Doctoral Students in 2014
The following indicates who graduated, where they are from and their current positions (when available).
2014 PhD Graduates
• Ginny Bowen, Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer –
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2014 MSPH Graduates
• Ayoka Adams, Medical School –
Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
• AliceAnn Crandall, Post-Doctoral Fellow –
Emory University
• Caroline Anderson, Accounts Associate –
Voxiva
• Nadia Diamond-Smith, Post-Doc –
Global Health Group
• Yue Chu
• Anna Ettinger, Scientist – Booz Allen Hamilton
• Lillian Collins, Sr. Research Program Coordinator –
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Elizabeth Harrison, Program Officer – Research Integration and Evaluation, Patient-Centered Outcomes
Research Institute (PCORI)
• Sally Dunst, PhD Doctoral Student and Research
Assistant – PMA2020, Gates Institute, Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Neetu John, Post-Doctoral Fellow – Gates Institute,
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Laina Gagliardi, Research Assistant – PFRH
• Qingfeng Li, Research Associate – Gates Institute,
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Supriya Madhavan, Senior Implementation Research
Advisor – USAID Bureau for Global Health
• McHale Newport-Berra, Senior Research Analyst –
Applied Survey Research
• Funmilola Olaolorun, Lecturer/Honorary Consultant –
College of Medicine, University of Ibadan
• Kamani Jinadasa, Primary Prevention Specialist –
International Rescue Committee
• Veni Kandasamy
• Nicole Lunardi – Safe Streets
• Marva Mallory, Research and Grant Writing Intern –
Concern Worldwide
• Jennifer Parsons, Technical Specialist – ICRW
• Callie Preheim
• Stephanie Psaki, Associate I –
Girls’ Education, Population Council
• Shrutika Sabarwal, Program Officer – Population
Council
• Brandon Stratford, Research Scientist –
Youth Development , Child Trends
• Jennifer Sherwood
• Jennifer Wagman, Post-Doctoral Fellow –
UC San Diego
• Marissa Silverman, Research Associate –
RAND Corporation
• Lydia Stamato
• Shani Turke, Program Specialist – Gates Institute,
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Incoming class includes 21 Masters and 10 Doctoral Students
We are pleased to welcome the incoming class of masters and doctoral students to PFRH.
Doctoral Students
Name
Background/Focus
Gibbs, Susannah
International and Domestic Family Planning; Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
Dunst, Sally
International Family Planning, Abortion
Bell, Suzanne
International FP/Abortion and Women's Reproductive Health
Riese, Sara
PCORI and USAID work, RPWH
Ajao, Bolanle
HIV and Family Planning
Hawks, Michelle
International Family Planning; Reproductive Health
Choiryyah, Ifta
International Family Planning; Rural Family Health; Adolescent Reproductive Health
Naranjo-Rivera, Gia
Racial, Social and Economic Inequalities; Urban and Minority Youth
Gia is a Brown Scholar
Jones, Jessica
Maternal and Child Health; Pediatric HIV
Raghavan, Ramkripa
Early Origins of Adult Disease; Maternal and Child Health
Fall 2014
11
Masters Students
Name
Background/Focus
Baye, Catherine
Sexual and Reproductive Health and policy
Bugos, Eva
Women's health; Mixed Methods Research
Caballero, Tania
Health disparities, Latino Americans
Decker, Amanda
PH, advocacy, sexual and RH
Hook, Christopher
Male health behaviors and gender
Jalazo, Elizabeth
Health Disparities/Maternal Child Health
Klein, Liore
Global SRH, Immigrant/Refugee SRH
Lai, Yu-Hsuan
Childhood Obesity
Lydon, Megan
International maternal and newborn health
McClair, Tracy
International Women's Health
Morgan, Isabel
Maternal and Infant health
Murphy, Caitlin
Reproductive Health Programs
Onn, Hui Jin
Disease detection and Prevention
Onyewuchi, Uche
Obesity
Panico, Kristen
Islam and Reproductive Health
Posner, Emma
Children with special healthcare needs
Raghunathan, Radhika Child and adolescent health
Rusley, Jack
Resilience, chronic illness, transition
Vooris, Alicia
Maternal and child program strategies; advocacy; community-based research
Weeks, Fiona
Sociology & community health, Health disparities in RPWH
Wingo, Erin
STI Prevention
Upcoming Events
Date
12 PFRH Newsletter
Event
Friday August 29, 2014
New Faculty and Associated Staff Orientation
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Orioles Student Welcome Back Event
Tuesday, September 2 – Friday, October 24
Academic First Term
Wednesdays, Sept. 3 and Sept. 10, 2014
W2030 12:15pm-1:20pm
Wednesday Seminars – Center Presentations
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
W2030 12:15pm-1:20pm
Wednesday Seminars – Reproductive Health
Contraceptive Access – Yoonjoung Choi, MPH, DrPH, Madeleine Short Fabic Office of Population and Reproductive Health,
US Agency for International Development
Friday, September 19, 2014
W2030 12:15pm-1:20pm
Gates Institute – UNFPA Global Programme: Addressing
Shortages, Stockouts and Demand for Suitable Family
Planning
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
W2030 – Please visit our website for all
Wednesday Seminars dates
Wednesday Seminar – Maternal, Fetal, Perinatal 1
Anne Coppola – University of Pennsylvania
Thursday, October 23, 2014
W1214, Sheldon Hall & the Gallery
4pm-6pm followed by reception
Gates Institute – The Birth of the Pill
Panel & Book signing – Jonathan Eig
Monday, October 27 –
Friday, December 19, 2014
Academic Second Term
Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health
615 N. Wolfe Street – Baltimore, MD 21205
Phone 410-955-3384 – Fax 410-955-2303
http://www.jhsph.edu/departments/population-family-and-reproductive-health/