Ijeoma Opara

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Professor (Associate) at Yale University

Using a framework of ecological systems theory and Black feminist theory, this article provides a conceptual exploration of barriers and facilitators to HIV risk communication between African American parents and daughters. African American female adolescents are disproportionately diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and are more li...

Using intersectionality theory as a theoretical framework, this qualitative study uncovered the protective factors present among black and Hispanic adolescent girls living in an urban, underresourced neighborhood in the Northeastern United States. The sample used in this study includes eight focus groups that consisted of adolescent females only (N...

The purpose of this review is to propose a conceptual framework using objectification theory and intersectionality theory to examine social media’s influence on body image and its effect on eating disorder predictors among Latina adolescents. To examine and explore how these effects from social media usage can result in mental health disparities th...

Viral hepatitis (VH) knowledge among youth is understudied in the United States. There has been a rise in VH cases in the U.S. in the wake of the opioid epidemic. Innovative approaches to preventing the infection are needed especially in urban communities. This study presents preliminary findings from a community-based HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, an...

This study tested and validated the factor structure of the abbreviated Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) among a sample of urban girls of color. Participants include (N = 830) urban girls of color from a northeastern United States community. Confirmatory Factor analyses (CFA) were conducted using AMOS Structural Equation Modeling Sof...

UNSTRUCTURED Youth of color, particularly in urban communities, face disproportionate anxiety levels due to systemic inequities, including exposure to violence, economic instability, and neighborhood disadvantage. Despite increased need, these communities often lack accessible, culturally relevant mental health interventions. This study presents a...

Background Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic in Cameroon. A growing body of evidence has shown the effectiveness of the medication called HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in reducing population-level HIV incidence. However, there is a knowledge gap on the topics of AGYW’s HIV vulnerabilit...

BACKGROUND Drug use rates are rising among Black girls in the U.S. this is concerning as drug use among Black girls have the worse health outcomes including increased likelihood of engagement in sexual risk behaviors. Sexual risk behaviors can lead to early pregnancy, STI or even HIV diagnoses. It is essential that prevention interventions for Blac...

Black girls in the United States are disproportionately diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which can increase the risk of contracting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), compared to adolescent girls of other races. Therefore, this study was designed to understand barriers to impactful HIV/STI and substance use prevention program...

Adolescents in the United States (US) continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV and STIs. We investigated the associations between sexual health and substance use behaviors with HIV and STI testing among high school students in the US. Cross-sectional weighted stepwise multivariate logistic regression models were conducted to determine the...

Although predictive algorithms have been described as the definitive solution to bias in health care, machine learning techniques may also propagate existing health inequities within the community context. However, there may be ways in which machine learning techniques can help community psychologists, public health researchers and practitioners id...

This qualitative study takes place in an urban community that has high rates of HIV among Black youth. Six faith leaders were interviewed (five identified as Christian and one identified as Muslim). Three major themes arose from the interviews, including (1) the role of sex and HIV; (2) hindrances to sexual health conversations with youth; and (3)...

Objective: While Black adolescent girls use drugs at much lower rates than White and Hispanic girls, Black adolescent girls often have worse health outcomes due to drug use. This study seeks to highlight the voices of Black adolescent girls in order to understand their unique risk factors for substance use and misuse. Methods: Utilizing the inte...

Background Substance use continues to remain a public health issue for youths in the United States. Black youths living in urban communities are at a heightened risk of poor outcomes associated with substance use and misuse due to exposure to stressors in their neighborhoods, racial discrimination, and lack of prevention education programs specific...

Introduction Guided by Opara et al.'s (2022), Integrated Model of the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide and Intersectionality Theory, the current study examined contextual stressors experienced disparately by Black youth (racial discrimination, poverty, and community violence) as moderators of the association between individual motivati...

Promotion and tenure (P&T) is the process by which academic faculty are evaluated on the trajectory and impact of their scholarly career. Faculty are typically assessed on their grants, publications, teaching, and service. Ethnically minoritized faculty face disparities in P&T, perhaps due to the lack of standards for quantifying their efforts in t...

Objectives: To understand the role and future implications of social distancing on mental health and substance use in young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 living in high-disease-prevalent areas of New York. Methods: Participants completed a self-administered online survey through Qualtrics. Results: 43.9% of the sample met criteria for m...

BACKGROUND Substance use continues to remain a public health issue for youths in the United States. Black youths living in urban communities are at a heightened risk of poor outcomes associated with substance use and misuse due to exposure to stressors in their neighborhoods, racial discrimination, and lack of prevention education programs specific...

This systematic review aimed to investigate the prevalence of internalizing symptomatology among Multiracial adolescents in the United States and to report on the methods utilized to measure Multiracial race and internalizing symptoms. A comprehensive search was conducted in Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycInfo, and Web of Science Core Collection. Th...

Background Suicide rates among Black and Hispanic youth have been increasing over the past decade in the United States. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for suicide ideation and attempt among Black and Hispanic youth in the United States using intersectionality theory and minority stress theory as a framework. Methods Data...

Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention is approved for use in adolescents, though uptake remains low. Black adolescent females experience higher rates of HIV transmission compared to adolescent females of other racial/ethnic groups. Increasing PrEP awareness and education among this population may be an eff...

Average ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations have decreased in the US in recent years, but the health benefits of this improvement among different racial/ethnic groups are unknown. We estimate the associations between long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 and cause-specific cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rate and assess the...

The rise of Black maternal mortality rates throughout the country demonstrates a great need to utilize innovative frameworks to craft solutions that improve health outcomes for Black birthing people. Previous research and interventions have examined individual- and policy-level factors to reduce maternal mortality; however, these methods may lack a...

Adolescent substance use commonly co-occurs with poor mental health, bullying victimization and risky behaviors that may lead to violence. The purpose was to describe the United States (US) national prevalence of polysubstance use and co-occurring characteristics and associated demographic characteristics among youth. Middle and high school student...

Although Black girls use substances at lower rates than boys and girls from various other racial groups, they tend to have worse health outcomes associated with substance use that can also impact their sexual health. The association between substance use and sexual risk behaviors is usually attributed to lack of access to quality health care and la...

Due to systemic racism and homophobia, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer (LGBQ+) youth of color are disproportionately affected by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and viral hepatitis (VH). Innovative approaches that acknowledge strengths such as ethnic identity need to be examined to understand specific...

Peer mentoring programs have proven to be extremely successful for high school students. Yet, most educational research studies rarely seek to understand the perspectives of peer mentors and the impact peer mentoring can have on their development. Even more limited is the research highlighting the experiences of Black and Hispanic peer mentors who...

The current COVID-19 pandemic and the likelihood of future viral pandemics demonstrate a need for strategic prevention campaigns that integrate biomedical, structural, and behavioral interventions within larger scale comprehensive public health initiatives. In Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention, community-based efforts have resulted in r...

Background Black adolescent girls aged between 14 and 19 years are more likely than White girls to be diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI). As STI diagnosis is associated with an increase in the risk for HIV acquisition, an early intervention specifically tailored to Black adolescent girls is warranted. A web-based video game inter...

BACKGROUND Substance use among adolescent girls is associated with numerous risk characteristics including engaging in sexual risk behaviors which can lead to HIV and STI diagnoses. Unfortunately, Black girls have a higher diagnosis of STIs and face a significant “gender paradox” where although they are less likely to use substances than boys and o...

Background Substance use among adolescent girls is associated with numerous risk characteristics, including engaging in sexual risk behaviors, which can lead to HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnoses. This is an important phenomenon to target as there is a significant race-gendered paradox that occurs when Black girls use and misuse...

Schools in urban neighborhoods receive less funding, have less programming, and have poorer infrastructure. Such disparities may impede academic outcomes among youth. This study used publicly available data to examine the association between school characteristics and surrounding neighborhood environment on educational outcomes across three academi...

BACKGROUND Black adolescent girls between the ages of 14 and 19 years are more than twice as likely than White girls to be diagnosed with an STI. Since STI diagnosis is associated with a two- to fivefold increase in the risk for HIV acquisition, an early intervention specifically tailored to Black adolescent girls is warranted. One possible way to...

Alcohol is the most widely used substance among adolescents. Although Black adolescents use alcohol at lower rates than White adolescents, Black adolescents tend to have worse outcomes. This includes higher rates of mood disorders and criminal justice involvement associated with alcohol use and misuse compared to any other racial group. Black adole...

Leveraging publicly available data about schools” absenteeism from the New Jersey Department of Education, the present study examined how neighborhood-level resource deprivation and violent crime related to chronic absenteeism in Passaic County's elementary, middle, and high schools. Results highlighted geographic disparities in Passaic County, New...

Background: The average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has decreased in the U.S. in recent years. However, the health benefits of this improvement among different racial/ethnic groups are not known. This study aimed to estimate the associations between long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 and cause-specific cardiovascular disease (...

Internalizing problems (e.g., depression, anxiety) and substance use are common among young people and often co-occur. However, youths face myriad barriers to access needed treatment, and existing evidence-based interventions tend to focus on internalizing problems or substance use, rather than both simultaneously. Brief interventions that target b...

Youth of color who have recently been emancipated from foster care are among the most vulnerable group at risk for having poor sexual health outcomes. It is essential for researchers to understand how emancipated foster care youth receive messages about safe sex and HIV/STI prevention in order to tailor health promotion activities for this group. T...

This qualitative study examines how the “Strong Black Woman” (SBW) label can have potentially negative health effects for African American/Black women that contribute to eating disorders. This study addresses the gap in literature on racial disparities that are present in understanding eating disorders that contribute to obesity and obesityrelated...

Recently, research has reported that the rates of suicide among Black children between the ages of 5 to 12-years-old are increasing as they are now more likely to commit suicide than White children. Yet, there are very few, if any, frameworks being used by researchers to explain the risks of suicide among Black children. Suicide research has overwh...

Limited research has focused on how substance use and sexual risk behaviors differ among individuals impacted by the criminal legal system based on social identities. Using the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, we estimated relative risk for reporting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) among intersectional social groups with criminal lega...

Background: The relationship between drug use and poor sexual health outcomes in Black adolescent females such as diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and early/unwanted pregnancy has been established in the literature. Yet, very few interventions have been successful in reducing the risk of poor sexual health outcomes and drug use f...

Gendered racism can impact how Black teen girls perceive themselves in relation to the world and influence their behaviors. This form of discrimination tends to manifest in stereotypes that promote the victimization and mistreatment of Black teen girls. This qualitative study, using Black feminist thought through a Black Girlhood lens as a guiding...

Substance abuse and sexual health research tends to overlook the resiliency skills that Black adolescent girls possess. Using a strengths-based lens, this study examines the role of protective factors: (e.g. ethnic identity, social support, and psychological empowerment) on sexual risk behaviors testing drug use as a mediator among a sample of Blac...

Purpose Death by suicide among Black people in the USA have increased by 35.6% within the past decade. Among youth under the age of 24 years old, death by suicide among Black youth have risen substantially. Researchers have found that structural inequities (e.g. educational attainment) and state-specific variables (e.g. minimum wage, incarceration...

Policies to reduce the spread of COVID-19 are negatively impacting the psychological well-being of the general population. This cross-sectional study explores the associations of coping strategies with symptoms of depression and anxiety among adults residing in the United States. Our results showed that participants who turned to religion were less...

While Black girls and women are disproportionately impacted by sexual health disparities, there continues to be an overwhelming focus on individual risk behaviors within prevention initiatives, which offers a fragmented narrative of the multidimensional nature of risk and plausibly limits effectiveness of prevention programs and attenuates reductio...

Black girls experiences are often ignored and not discussed within social work classrooms. We urge social work educators to center the heterogenous experiences of Black girls within their curriculums. This teaching note presents intersectionality as a framework for teaching social work students about working effectively with Black girls by focusing...

Accounts of educational opportunity gaps for Black boys are overwhelmingly focused on later years of development. Achievement and discipline disparities are evident across their lifespan. Life course and intersectionality theories were used to develop a framework for understanding obstacles Black boys face during their preschool through high school...

While Black girls have lower rates of drug use, they face worse health and wellbeing consequences associated with drug use. Understanding which strengths-based factors serve as buffers to limit adverse outcomes related to drug use among Black girls is essential for prevention. This study investigated the mediating role of sociopolitical control on...

There is an emerging interest in studying social action and civic engagement as a part of the developmental process. Studies among youth of color indicate that empowerment has been associated with well-being, a critical perspective, and in combating social oppression. These studies also show that civic involvement and awareness of social justice is...

The sudden increase in alcohol use in the young-adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic may be partially explained by social isolation and stress due to restricted stay-at-home orders. The goal of this study was to assess specific psychological factors (e.g., anxiety, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and alcohol cravings) and COVID-19...

Among young adults fof color, both sense of community and ethnic identity, as developmental processes, have been associated with wellness, empowerment, and civic action. Additional research is needed that provides empirical support for the connection between psychological sense of community and ethnic identity on outcomes that relate to human devel...

Background: Community-based research and prevention scholarship has shown a growing interest in examining the impact of the ecological structure of neighborhoods on community violence. Ecological structures such as higher numbers of alcohol outlets and abandoned/vacant properties in geographically dense, poor, and socially isolated communities are...

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of social media within the context of heterosexual Black teen girls’ romantic partner selection processes. To better understand Black teen girls’ experiences, five focus groups ( N = 27; aged 14–18 years) were conducted over Zoom. An inductive thematic analysis revealed four major themes: (1) the use...

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in the United States can negatively impact physical and mental health. Participants were asked about psychosocial factors associated with experiencing symptoms of distress via surveys distributed on Social Media . Results showed that younger age, unemployment/losing wages/job...

Internalizing problems (e.g., depression, anxiety) and substance use are common among young people and often co-occur. However, youths face myriad barriers to access needed treatment, and existing evidence-based interventions tend to focus on internalizing problems or substance use, rather than both simultaneously. Brief interventions that target b...

In the United States, 13 million people identify as sexual and gender minorities. The purposes of this article were to (a) examine the associations among sexual orientation concealment and internalized homophobia with HIV knowledge, health literacy, and transactional sex through sexual identity; and (b) assess whether gender expression moderates th...

Research on Psychological Sense of Community (SOC) among Black girls are limited due to lack of validated measures for this group. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the first and second-order factor structure of the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) used to measure Psychological SOC was examined using a sample of Black girls from an urb...

Background Substance use among youth is a major public health concern. Of note, substance use among youth is increasing in prevalence, and the incidence of substance use at earlier ages is rising. Given the long-term consequences of early substance use, it is important to identify factors that increase youth vulnerability to drug use, as they may b...

Racial-ethnic minority youth between the ages of 13 and 24 in the USA are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Low HIV knowledge and psychological antecedents such as low perception of risk and low sexual negotiation skills have all been associated with HIV risk behaviors; however, the role of ethnic identity on these factors is unclear in the liter...

Black youth and their families living in urban settings may experience unique stressors that contribute to underlying issues due to the environmental context. Such factors may exacerbate and promote drug use and engagement in risky sexual behaviors, unknowingly. Little is known about how family factors, peer pressure, condom use, and other related...

Psychological sense of community is defined as feelings of belongingness and a shared belief that community members will meet one another's needs. Psychological sense of community has four dimensions: membership, influence, needs fulfillment, and emotional connection. In this study, multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the fi...

ABSTRACT HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)/AIDs (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) prevention and research are imperative. Prevention-intervention programming is minimal in lowincome communities of color. Additional research is needed that uncovers points of support and prevention to increase HIV knowledge and awareness and limit new HIV infecti...

BACKGROUND Substance use among youth is a major public health concern. Of note, substance use among youth is increasing in prevalence, and the incidence of substance use at earlier ages is rising. Given the long-term consequences of early substance use, it is important to identify factors that increase youth vulnerability to drug use, as they may b...

This study examines mental health symptoms among Black adolescents who were currently in mental health treatment and those who were not in treatment. The study uses a sample of Black adolescents (N= 154) and logistic regression was performed to determine which psychological factors were associated with exhibiting mental health symptoms. Both groups...

For lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) youth of color, the intersection of identifying as both LGBQ and a person of color results in not only managing racial stereotypes, but also heterosexism and genderism. Developing a critical understanding of oppressive social conditions and ways to engage in social action is a form of resistance fo...

Limited research has examined intrapersonal psychological empowerment (PE) among Black girls solely. This study aims to fill a gap in empowerment literature by examining the factor structure of the Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) among Black girls ( N = 377) between the ages of 14–17 years old. We also examine the association with e...

In addition to being involved and encouraging their youth academically, many African American caregivers also employ socialization practices that prepare their adolescents for entering into a school system where they will be an ethnic minority or be taught by predominantly non-minority educators. The purpose of the current investigation was to fill...

The aim of Project THANKS (Turning HIV/AIDS into Knowledge for Sisters) was to provide resources for African American women living with a dual diagnosis of HIV and associated comorbidities such as a chronic illness, and substance use disorder. HIV self-management is viewed within a larger context that addresses HIV and comorbidities concurrently. P...

The abbreviated Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) factor structure, used to measure intrapersonal psychological empowerment, was tested among a sample of Hispanic adolescent girls (N = 490). Confirmatory factor analysis and latent class analyses were conducted, and five distinct cluster groups emerged. Multivariate analysis of covaria...

Repeated exposure to violent crime and drug use among youth of color can have negative health and behavioral outcomes. Using a community trauma theoretical framework, this qualitative study examines the lived experiences of Black and Latinx youth living in an under-resourced community with high levels of violent crime. Data were collected through e...

Recently, research has reported that the rates of suicide among Black children between the ages of 5 to 12-years-old are increasing as they are now more likely to commit suicide than White children. Yet, there are very few, if any, frameworks being used by researchers to explain the risks of suicide among Black children. Suicide research has overwh...

Youth of color continue to be disproportionately affected by the consequences of engaging in high rates of daily substance use. Racial-ethnic minority adolescents are often viewed through a deficit lens. There is limited research that examines the strengths of these young people and their communities as a prevention strategy to lower rates of drug...

Objectives To examine nativity-based differences in 3 cardiovascular biomarkers commonly used to assess cardiovascular dysregulation.Methods Data was pooled from the 2001–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to compare biomarker risk scores for the US-born (n = 4693) and foreign-born (n = 2968) Black adults. We used multivariable-a...

Empowerment is a higher order multilevel framework used to evaluate individuals, groups, organizations, and communities as they engage in the practice and execution of the participatory process. The cognitive component of psychological empowerment (PE) has been examined through the Cognitive Empowerment Scale (CES); however, this scale has yet to b...

Adolescents of color in urban communities are at high risk for contracting HIV, unlikely to have access to HIV testing services, or any other form of screening services. Using latent class analysis among a sample of African American/Black (48.1%) and Hispanic/Latina(o) (42%) youth (N = 668; Mage = 16.30; 51% female), this study examined the associa...

Psychological sense of community (SOC) has been examined minimally among the youth of color, and as a mediating variable, as well as construct implicated in promoting wellness. Using data from a sample of 401 students of color (Mage = 16.55, standard deviation = 1.31; 54.7% female; 57% Hispanic/Latina[o]) from an under-served northeastern US urban...

With the increased prevalence of marijuana use among youth, the increase in state legalization, and changing social norms in the United States, it is important to understand the long-term impact of marijuana use initiation. This study examined whether age of first marijuana use is associated with educational attainment and employment status. Data f...

This qualitative study examines the role of communication among African American mothers living with HIV and their daughters in HIV prevention. Multiple themes emerged from our analysis of semistructured interviews with mothers (n = 15), and their adult daughters, (n = 15) such as perceptions of HIV risk communication, HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes...

Despite the broader academic gains experienced by Hispanic students, who represent the largest minority group in the United States, they remain the least educated of all major ethnic groups, and our understanding of their academic needs and strengths remains woefully inadequate. Therefore, this study examined the risk (e.g., sexual risk taking) and...

Project THANKS, (Turning HIV/AIDS into Knowledge for Sisters), is an evidence-based intervention that utilizes a community-based participatory and empowerment building approach for African American female substance abusers living with HIV and other chronic diseases. This qualitative study sought to gain insight from women living with HIV on how to...

Social inequalities are at the heart of disparities in sexual health outcomes among African American and Latino/a adolescents living in the United States. Schools are typically the largest and primary context in youth development. School characteristics such as peer and teacher discrimination and school performance were examined to determine whethe...

Background and Objectives Despite advances in modern healthcare, Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) have continued to be heavily utilized in rural communities in Nigeria. Major disparities in maternal health care in Nigeria remain present despite the goal of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal to reduce maternal mortality by 2015. The ob...

Historically, scholars indicated that factors such as sociohistorical, sociocultural, and sociostructural barriers negatively impact the establishment and sustainability of Black male–female romantic unions. Although theoretical understanding of the impacts of the aforementioned factors are critical to contextualizing the experiences of Black men a...

Background: Inner city children are at greater risk of asthma and its severe outcomes that may lead to ED visits and hospitalizations. There are disparity effects of asthma on African American inner city children due to their environment which consists of irritant exposures such as environmental tobacco smoke, and inadequate health education. Objec...