SPHIS Home » News » Publications & Presentations
Publications & Presentations
Spring 2025
Dept. of Epidemiology & Population Health represents at Society for Epidemiologic Research conference
During the spring semester, two doctoral students in the Dept. of Epidemiology and Population health were selected to present oral presentations at the Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) annual conference.
Felicia Pugh, PhD ‘25, MS ‘21, will present, “Racial Disparities in Maternal Health and Birth Outcomes in Jefferson County, Kentucky 2017-2022," as part of an SER session on Novel MCH and Infant Outcomes Across the Globe. The study used Jefferson County inpatient hospital delivery and birth certificate records of self-identified Black or White birthing parents to compare the frequency of adverse maternal and infant birth outcomes by maternal race. They found substantial Black-White disparities in severe maternal morbidity and adverse birth outcomes. The findings highlight the need to understand the complex relationship of individual characteristics and socioeconomic status. SPHIS co-authors include Drs. Seyed Karimi, Nick Peiper, Kira Taylor, Natalie DuPré, and Laura Schummers, ScD, University of British Columbia. In May, Pugh earned a PhD in Public Health Sciences with a specialization in Epidemiology and will continue in her position as Epidemiologist II with the Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness.
Doctoral student Venetia Aranha, MPH ‘23, will present, “The COVID-19 pandemic and opioid overdose deaths in Kentucky: An analysis of demographics and comorbidities in 2016-2021” during an SER session on substance use. Using inpatient hospitalizations from the Kentucky Health Facility and Services (KHFS) database, the research team performed quarterly analyses to identify the seasonal surges of opioid overdose deaths. Adjusted models showed that the probability of opioid overdose death was not associated with COVID-19 pandemic. The authors emphasize that improved harm reduction services and support for Community-Based Participatory Research are needed to combat the opioid crisis in Kentucky. SPHIS co-authors include Drs. Jovita Murillo, Kira Taylor, and Seyed Karimi.
Alumna Tasha Golden and student Emily Edwards publish in Health Promotion Practice
SPHIS alumna Tasha Golden, PhD ‘19, published, “Live Music for Mental Health: A Pilot Study of How Concerts Influence Mental Health Stigma, Empathy, and Resource Utilization,” in Health Promotion Practice earlier this year. Doctoral student Emily Edwards, M.Ed., was a co-author on this article as well as Clara Sandu from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The research team found that live music concerts represent community gatherings at which stigma-reducing education and contact are possible. Sound Mind Live’s Road to Recovery (RtR) In this pilot evaluation, RtR reduced stigma and increased the extent to which study participants felt “in tune” with individuals with mental health concerns. It also showed effectiveness in disseminating information and resources about mental health, providing advocacy opportunities and educational resources that concert-goers remembered and utilized, and improving participants’ perceived efficacy both in discussing mental health challenges and in seeking support for themselves and others.
Recent graduate Sarah Belcher presents at national research conference
Sarah Belcher, BS ‘25, presented at the Stanford Undergraduate Research Conference in April. The conference is a forum for undergraduates to present their work, hear from distinguished leaders in research, and connect with one another to build a national research network. During the weekend on Stanford's campus, presenters engaged in many activities including poster sessions, workshops, speaker sessions, and socials. Belcher, who will continue as a public health graduate student, is studying cardiovascular mortality differences in urban and rural areas with SPHIS alumna Dr. Beatrice Ugiliweneza, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, and Dr. Shuoyang Wang, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics.
Tammy Albers leads session at Graduate Enrollment Management Summit
Tammy Albers, MS, Program Manager, Office of Student Services, led a breakout session during the 2025 NAGAP Graduate Enrollment Management Summit in San Francisco. Albers’ presentation, “Keeping Students SAFE: Protecting Physical, Mental and Financial Student Well-Being from Recruitment to Graduation,” focuses on strategies the SPHIS Office of Student Services uses to provide holistic support, identify early warning signs of distress, and foster cross-departmental collaboration to ensure graduate students' success. It is essential to have robust support systems in place to prevent students from "slipping through the cracks given concerns about student mental health, financial insecurity, and campus safety. The program abstract was developed in collaboration with former SPHIS admission counselor, Mariah Martin, MS.
Wallis joins African Journal of Reproductive Health editorial board
Dept. of Epidemiology and Population Health Associate Professor Anne Wallis, MHS, PhD, has joined the editorial board of the African Journal of Reproductive Health. In February 2025, she published the editorial, “Every mother counts: Or, don’t they?” on improving civil registration and surveillance to accurately count maternal mortality in Africa. In March 2025, she penned Raising our Voices: On the 30th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 1995.
