To date, my research has primarily been focused on infections in cancer, specifically, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine research and attitudinal determinants of vaccination decision-making. My formative research focused on examining several barriers to HPV vaccination, including concerns about the potential effects of HPV vaccination on a person’s subsequent sexual behaviors and on a woman’s decision to participate in cervical cancer screening. I have also examined healthcare provider communication challenges with regards to HPV vaccine recommendation. Furthermore, I have expanded my area of research to apply behavioral science and epidemiology to understanding the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening and treatment in reversing trends in hepatocellular carcinoma.
In the future, I plan to continue to expand my research in cancer prevention and control. I recently submitted a grant to the National Cancer Institute which will assess multilevel barriers to HCV screening recommendation among primary care providers specifically for their patients born between 1945 and 1965. Furthermore, I am in the process of developing research collaborations with the IU School of Medicine to develop an intervention to implement postpartum HPV vaccination among obstetric patients.
Ph.D. - Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 07/2016
