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Anne B. Wallis, MHS, PhD

Epidemiology and Population Health 
Associate Professor
Office No: 223, 485 E. Gray St.
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 502-852-0081
Fax: 502-852-3291
anne.wallis@louisville.edu

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

CURRICULUM VITAE

Blog: Barefoot Epidemiology

Dr. Anne Baber Wallis (MHS, PhD) is a reproductive epidemiologist interested in social and biological causes of disease and an array of methodology and theoretical approaches to improve maternal health and neonatal outcomes globally. She has ongoing research projects based in Romania and India, and she collaborates with researchers elsewhere in eastern Europe and west Africa. Anne has been a Fulbright scholar in Armenia and The Gambia.

Dr. Wallis was trained in maternal and child health and health policy at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. She studied history and English as an undergraduate at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Dr. Wallis is PI of a research grant funded by the Romanian Ministry of Education, Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI)  to conduct a four-year, four-hospital prospective study of antenatal risk factors and birth outcomes in Romania (known as the MAIA study). This grant is the culmination of ongoing work since 2006 (with Drs. Claiborne Dungy and Răzvan Cherecheş) in Romania using small pilot grants to study breastfeeding, antenatal depression, pediatric injury, and Roma populations. The MAIA study collects data at three points in time during pregnancy, including post-delivery. Interview data collected includes maternal health; maternal behaviors (alcohol, tobacco, and drug use); maternal stress, depression, and anxiety; socieoeconomic position; and nutrition. Biologic data include hair cotinine samples and serum cortisol. Anthropometric and related data include BMI, blood pressure, glucose test results, and other related prenatal screens. Data post-delivery includes infant birthweight, gestational length, type of delivery, maternal conditions, NICU care, and transport.

Dr. Wallis is presently completing a study with Dr. Artashes Tadevosyan at Yerevan State Medical University in Armenia to examine risks to women from baking bread (lavash) in their homes. Drs. Wallis and Artashes have measured CO, particulates, and biological and health factors in more than 90 households in Armenia.

Dr. Wallis has worked with Healthy Start projects in the US since the late 1990s, including Baltimore City, Palm Beach County, and Des Moines, Iowa. She has led the Des Moines Healthy Start evaluation since 2005. With Dr. J. Jackson Barnette, she co-founded and then directed the Iowa Center for Evaluation Research from 2002-2007.

Dr. Wallis has taught maternal and child health, epidemiology theory, introduction to epidemiology, qualitative research methods, urban health, and evaluation research. She has led study abroad trips to Romania and India. She provides consultation to Elsevier’s Evidence Based Medicine Center, Clinical Solutions group on synthesis of research findings, particularly from mixed-methods and qualitative studies.

Research Interests

Dr. Wallis’ lifetime goal is to make a serious and substantive contribution to what we think and how we think about maternal and infant health, including maternal death, neonatal death, and the social position and health of women. She is deeply curious about societal-level influences on health and how we can use policy and science to remedy health disparities. She wants to help sharpen public health research and evaluation methods to lend insight into the upstream predicates of maternal and infant health and better understand what interventions work and why in order to implement evidence-based policy and practice at the global, national, and community levels.

Current Projects

  1. MAIA Study of Pregnancy Outcomes and Risks, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, funded by UEFISCDI, 2011-16; UEFISCDI is funded through international agreements with the European Science Foundation, the US National Science Foundation, and the European Union.
  2. Healthy Start of Des Moines Evaluation, 2005-present
  3. Elsevier Health Sciences, Evidence-Based Medicine Center and Clinical Solutions, 2015 – present
  4. Lavash baking risk assessment, Armenia, 2015-present

Honors and Awards

Delta Omega, Alpha Chapter, Member

Publications

  1. Ross A, Kennedy (Wallis) AB, Holt E, Guyer B, Hou W, Hughart N. Initiating the first DTP vaccination age-appropriately: a model for understanding vaccination coverage. Pediatrics. 1998 Jun;101(6):970–4. IF: 5.297; Citations: 23.
  2. Kennedy (Wallis) AB. J. H. Mason Knox, Jr. Am J Public Health. 1999;89(3):409. IF: 4.138; Citations: 2.
  3. Barnette JJ, Wallis AB. The missing treatment design element: continuity of treatment when multiple postobservations are used in time-series and repeated measures study designs. Am J Eval. 2005;26(1):106–23. IF: 1.804; Citations: 13.
  4. Barnette JJ, Wallis AB. Helping evaluators swim with the current: Training evaluators to support mainstreaming. New Dir Eval. Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company; 2003; 99:51–61. IF: 0.58; Citations: 14.
  5. Wallis AB, Guyer B. Myron Wegman: Early days, lasting influence. Matern Child Health J. 2006 Jan 18;10(1):5–11. IF: 1.788; Citations: 2.
  6. Aronson RE, Wallis AB, O’Campo PJ, Whitehead TL, Schafer P. Ethnographically informed community evaluation: A framework and approach for evaluating community-based initiatives. Matern Child Health J. 2007;11:97–109. IF: 1.788; Citations: 37.
  7. Aronson RE, Wallis AB, O’Campo PJ, Schafer P. Neighborhood mapping and evaluation: A methodology for participatory community health initiatives. Matern Child Health J. 2007;11:373–83. IF: 1.788; Citations: 59.
  8. Wallis AB, Chereches R, Oprescu F, Brînzaniuc A, Dungy CI. An international model for staffing maternal and child health research: The use of undergraduate students. Breastfeed Med. 2007;2(3):139–44. IF: 1.551; Citations: 9.
  9. Penziner E, Williams JK, Erwin C, Bombard Y, Wallis AB, Beglinger LJ, et al. Perceptions of discrimination among persons who have undergone predictive testing for Huntington’s disease. Am J Med Genet Part B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2008;147(3):320–5. IF: 3.258; Citations: 52.
  10. Dungy CI, McInnes RJ, Tappin DM, Wallis AB, Oprescu F. Infant feeding attitudes and knowledge among socioeconomically disadvantaged women in Glasgow. Matern Child Health J. 2008;12:313–22. IF: 1.788; Citations: 126.
  11. Wallis AB, Saftlas AF, Hsia J, Atrash HK. Secular trends in the rates of preeclampsia, eclampsia, and gestational hypertension, United States, 1987-2004. Am J Hypertens. 2008;21:521–6. IF: 3.541; Citations: 474.
  12. Wallis AB, Saftlas AF. Untangling an epidemiological knot: migraine and preeclampsia. Am J Hypertens. 2008;21(3):245. IF: 3.541; Citations: 1.
  13. Wallis AB, Brînzaniuc A, Cherecheş R, Oprescu F, Sirlincan E, David I, et al. Reliability and validity of the Romanian version of a scale to measure infant feeding attitudes and knowledge. Acta Paediatr. 2008 Sep;97(9):1194–9. IF: 2.043; Citations: 59.
  14. Wallis AB, Saftlas AF. A gram of prevention: A modest increase in fiber consumption may reduce risk of preeclampsia. Am J Hypertens. 2008;21(8). IF: 3.541; Citations: 4.
  15. Wallis AB, Saftlas AF. Is there a relationship between prenatal depression and preeclampsia? Am J Hypertens. 2009 Apr;22(4):345–6. IF: 3.541; Citations: 10.
  16. Morriss FH, Abramowitz PW, Carmen L, Wallis AB. “Nurses Don’t Hate Change” -- survey of nurses in a neonatal intensive care unit regarding the implementation, use and effectiveness of a bar code medication administration system. Healthc Q. 2009;12 Spec No:135–40. Citations: 41.
  17. Saftlas AF, Wallis AB, Shochet T, Harland KK, Dickey P, Peek-Asa C. Prevalence of intimate partner violence among an abortion clinic population. Am J Public Health. 2010;100:1412–5. IF: 4.138; Citations: 41.
  18. Wallis AB, Winch PJ, O’Campo PJ. “This is not a well place”: neighborhood and stress in Pigtown. Health Care Women Int. 2010;31(2):113–30. IF: 0.950; Citations: 11.
  19. TePoel M, Saftlas AF, Wallis AB. Association of seasonality with hypertension in pregnancy: A systematic review. J Reprod Immunol. 2011;89:14-52. IF: 2.916; Citations: 59.
  20. Beyer KMM, Saftlas AF, Wallis AB, Peek-Asa C, Rushton G. A probabilistic sampling method (PSM) for estimating geographic distance to health services when only the region of residence is known. Int J Health Geogr. 2011;10:4. IF: 3.199; Citations: 19.
  21. Wallis AB, Brînzaniuc A, Oprescu F, Cherecheş RM, Mureşan M, Dungy CI. A structured public health approach to increasing rates and duration of breastfeeding in Romania. Breastfeed Med. 2011 Dec;6(6):429–32. IF: 1.551; Citations: 5.
  22. Peek-Asa C, Wallis AB, Harland K, Beyer K, Dickey P, Saftlas A. Rural disparity in domestic violence prevalence and access to resources. J Women’s Heal. 2011 Nov;20(11):1743–9. IF: 2.322; Citations: 140.
  23. Oprescu F, Peek-Asa C, Wallis AB, Young T, Nour D, Cherecheş RM. Pediatric poisonings and risk markers for hospital admission in a major emergency department in Romania. Matern Child Health J. 2012;16(2):495–500. IF: 1.788; Citations: 18.
  24. Wallis AB, Fernandez R, Oprescu F, Chereches R, Zlati A, Dungy CI. Validation of a Romanian scale to detect antenatal depression. Cent Eur J Med. 2012;7(2):216–23. IF: 0.153; Citations: 4.
  25. Harland KK, Saftlas AF, Wallis AB, Yankowitz J, Triche EW, Zimmerman MB. Correction of systematic bias in ultrasound dating in studies of small-for-gestational-age birth: an example from the Iowa Health in Pregnancy Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2012 Sep 1;176(5):443–55. IF: 5.595; Citations: 11.
  26. Wallis AB, Tsigas EZ, Saftlas AF, Sibai BM. Prenatal education is an opportunity for improved outcomes in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: results from an Internet-based survey. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2013 Nov 20;26(16):1565–7. IF: 1.674; Citations: 10.
  27. Saftlas AF, Harland K, Wallis AB, Cavanaugh J, Dickey P, Peek-Asa C. Motivational interviewing and intimate partner violence: a randomized trial. Ann Epidemiol. 2014;24:144–50. IF: 2.582; Citations: 23.
  28. Brčina N, Mujkić A, Milošević M, Miškulin M, Wallis AB. Comparison of knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of health professionals and parents regarding child injuries. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2014;22(4):245–50. IF: 0.682; Citations: 5.
  29. Beyer K, Wallis AB, Hamberger LK. Neighborhood environment and intimate partner violence: a systematic review. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2015 Jan 26;16(1):16–47. IF: 3.542; Citations: 127.
  30. TePoel MRW, Saftlas AF, Wallis AB, Harland K, Peek-Asa C. Help-seeking behaviors of abused women in an abortion clinic population. J Interpers Violence. 2016 [Epub ahead of print] http://journals.sagepub.com.echo.louisville.edu/doi/pdf/10.1177/0886260515619168. IF: 1.940; Citations: 2.
  31. Wallis, A. Stress and pregnancy. Viaţa Medicala. 2016, 1390 (36).
  32. Blaga OM, Brînzaniuc A, Rus IA, Cherecheș RM, Wallis AB. Smoking and smoking cessation during pregnancy. An analysis of a hospital based cohort of women in Romania. J Community Health. 2017;42(2):333–43. IF: 1.388; Citations: 4.
  33. Bandzuh, JT; Juran, L; Kolivaras, K.; Wallis, A.Local perceptions of measures to control Aedes mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases in Puntarenas and San José, Costa Rica. J Latin Amer Geog. 2017; 16(2):139-162. Citations: 2.
  34. Wallis, A.; Sanyang, E. Letter to the editor: New era of health for The Gambia? 2017; 389:2101-2. Lancet. IF: 39.207
  35. Peek-Asa, C.; Saftlas, A.; Wallis, A.; Harland, K.; Dickey, P. Presence of children in the home and intimate partner violence among women seeking elective pregnancy termination. PLOS One. 2017; 12(10):e0186389. IF: 3.5; Citations: 2.
  36. LeMasters, K., Wallis, A., Cherecheş, R.,  Gichane M, Tehei C, Varga A, Tumlinson, K. Pregnancy experiences of women in rural Romania: Understanding ethnic and socioeconomic disparities. Culture, Health & Sexuality. 2018; 15:1-14. doi: 10.1080/13691058.2018.1464208. [Epub ahead of print].IF: 1.742; Citations: 2.
  37. Wallis, A.; Brînzaniuc, A; Pop, O; Chereches, R. Socioeconomic patterning of prenatal depression: Results from a multiple clinic study. Accepted, August 2018, Maternal and Child Health Journal.IF: 1.788.
  38. Wallis, A. Addressing gaps in maternal, neonatal, and child Health in West Africa for achieving SDG  2030 in West Africa. Editorial. African Journal of Reproductive Health. 2018. 22(4):9-15. IF: .80; Citation: 1.
  39. Bagagnan, AR; Ouedraogo, I; Fonta, WM; Sowe, M; Wallis, A. 2019. Can protection motivation theory explain farmers’ adaptation to climate change decision making in the Gambia? Climate. 2018 22(4):9-15.

Manuscripts in submission

  1. Okonofua, FE; Ntoimo, L; Igboin, B; Ekwo, C; Imongan, W; Yaya, S.; Wallis, A. Why rural women do not use primary health centres for pregnancy care: Evidence from a qualitative study in Nigeria. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. Submission: PRCH-D-19-00135R2. Submitted May 2019.
  2. Reece, E.; Taylor, K; Wallis, A. The association between caffeinated beverages and fecundability: Differences in coffee, tea, and cola consumption. Submission: MACI-D-19-00209. Submitted January 2019. 
  3. Tadevosyan N.S., Guloyan H.A., Tadevosyan A.E., Wallis A. Indicators of physical development of newborns depending on the level of organochlorine pesticides in the mother's organism. Submitted to Special Issue of MCH Journal.

Book chapter

  1. Wallis, A. 2017. Global Maternal and Child Health. In Population Health: Management, Policy and Technology, Eds. Esterhay, R., Nesbitt, L. CreateSpace. Second Edition.

Invited book reviews

  1. Wallis, A. 2005. Health and Welfare for Families in the 21st Century. Invited review. JAMA. 293(5):623-4.
  2. Wallis, A.; Barnette, J. Evaluation Theory, Models, & Applications. Invited review. 2008.JAMA. 299:2692-3.

Publications in professional, non-peer-reviewed literature.         

  1. Wallis, A. Preventive education for preeclampsia in prenatal care. Expectations: The Newsletter of the Preeclampsia Foundation. Decmber 2012.

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