Rasheeta Chandler

Emory University | EU · Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

A disproportionate number of new HIV infections in the United States occur in Black women. We pilot-tested feasibility and acceptability of a manualized HIV prevention intervention developed with and for Black college women. We used a prospective, randomized 2-group design, with 3 data collection times. Participants included 18- to 24-year-old Blac...

Background: Advancements in next-generation sequencing have allowed for a more complete understanding of the vaginal microbiome and its role in health and disease. The role of race/ethnicity in the composition of the vaginal microbiome and what is deemed normal/healthy microbiome is conflicting. Thus, the purpose of this review is to synthesize res...

Background: Consistent use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a biomedical intervention for HIV seronegative persons, has been shown to significantly decrease HIV acquisition. Black women are a viable population segment to consider for PrEP use as their HIV incidence is overwhelmingly higher than all other women groups. Methods: We developed an...

Despite the high efficacy of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing HIV acquisition, PrEP uptake among Black cisgender women remains low. Our qualitative study assessed Black cisgender women’s perspectives, attitudes, and acceptability towards PrEP, in addition to exploring PrEP-related attitudes, facilitators, and barriers to PrEP access am...

The field of HIV research has grown over the past 40 years, but there remains an urgent need to address challenges that cisgender women living in the United States experience in the HIV neutral status care continuum, particularly among women such as Black women, who continue to be disproportionately burdened by HIV due to multiple levels of systemi...

Background: In the United States, Black women are three times more likely to be affected by maternal mortality than White women. People who live in rural areas also face an increased risk. The objective of this study was to explore the perspectives of Black postpartum women’s support persons and health care providers, and the impact of race and rur...

Background Racial disparities are evident in maternal morbidity and mortality rates globally. Black women are more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth than any other race or ethnicity. This leaves one of the largest gaps in women’s health to date. Objectives mHealth interventions that connect with women soon after discharge may assist in i...

Black women are essential to ending the HIV epidemic in the United States; yet prevention, access, testing, and structural racism affect how HIV disproportionately affects them. Limited public health research focuses on Black women attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the ability to address HIV prevention, such as pre-...

The emergence of widely accessible artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots such as ChatGPT presents unique opportunities and challenges in public health self-education. This study examined simulations with ChatGPT for its use in public education of sexual health of Black women, specifically in HIV prevention and/or HIV PrEP use. The research question...

Background. Several disparities exist for Black mothers during the postpartum period, including but not limited to increased maternal mortality and morbidity rates, decreased access to care, and limited access to resources. Given the racial discrepancies in attention to postpartum care, coupled with the critical importance of the postpartum period...

Introduction Psychological distress symptoms (symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress) are common following stillbirth. Black women who experience stillbirth are less likely to seek support than White women, consistent with the strong Black woman (SBW) construct, which expects Black women to tolerate stress and trauma gracefully,...

Background Black women experience higher rates of adverse sexual and reproductive health and HIV outcomes, however the use of mHealth to address these health disparities in this population has been inadequate. This study involved a one-month pre-test with Black women living in metro-Atlanta to evaluate the usability, acceptability, and engagement o...

Cervical cancer screening rates in Haiti are concerningly low. Access to health-related information and health literacy may be important determinants of engagement in cervical cancer screening. This study explored the relationship between sociodemographics,literacy, and sources of information on cervical cancer screening among Haitian women. A seco...

African American women breast cancer survivors are among those with the greater burden of cancer. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among black women, and this death rate is 40% higher than that of white women. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the burden of morbidity and mortality among this population of cancer survivors. In this r...

Background: Black women in college are disproportionately affected by HIV diagnoses. Mobile apps can facilitate the innovative delivery of accurate HIV and sexual and reproductive health information. However, mobile health interventions are severely underused in this population. Objective: We aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively explore the...

Within nursing, professional standards and frameworks around integrating social determinants of health (SDOH) in education are a national priority. Developing curriculum plans to incorporate SDOH concepts requires deliberate efforts inclusive of evaluation methods to assess program outcomes. This chapter summarizes the evidence to support the need...

Background Cisgender Black women in the southern United States are at heightened risk for HIV and adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Mobile health interventions that target HIV risk while being adapted to the needs and lived experiences of Black women are remarkably limited. Objective The study aims to refine SavvyHER, a mobile app fo...

BACKGROUND Cisgender Black women in the southern United States are at heightened risk for HIV and adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Mobile health interventions that target HIV risk while being adapted to the needs and lived experiences of Black women are remarkably limited. OBJECTIVE The study aims to refine SavvyHER , a mobile app...

Background Black women in college are disproportionately affected by HIV, but have not been a population of focus for HIV prevention campaigns. This study used content from a preexisting HIV media campaign to assess its relevancy and acceptability among Black women in college. Methods Media viewing and listening sessions were convened with Black w...

Current expert recommendations suggest anal cytology followed by high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) for biopsy and histological confirmation may be beneficial in cancer prevention, especially in people living with HIV (PLWH). Guided by the social ecological model, the purpose of this study was to examine sociodemographic and clinical variables, individ...

Objectives Data are scarce regarding the prevalence and predictors of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) among Black women. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and predictors of symptoms of PMADS among Black women. Methods Black women completed a paper survey between August 2019 and October 2019. Binomial logistic reg...

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are common and costly, with about 26 million STIs occurring each year in the US. Guidelines for the prevention and management of STIs are updated periodically. In 2021, the CDC updated its guidelines for the treatment of STIs. This article provides information on the most recent updates on managing STIs to hel...

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: This proposed qualitative study aims to explore the perspectives about PrEP among heterosexual, cisgender Black women currently enrolled at an HBCU. Specifically, this study will elucidate this populations knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs surrounding PrEP uptake and marketing. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The Health Belief Model ada...

BACKGROUND Black women in college are disproportionately affected by HIV diagnoses. Mobile apps can facilitate the innovative delivery of accurate HIV and sexual and reproductive health information. However, mobile health interventions are severely underused in this population. OBJECTIVE We aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively explore the per...

Social determinants of health (SDOH) directly contribute to health inequities among populations and communities. These structural and social forces impact health and health outcomes. Nurses play a vital role in addressing the SDOH and closing gaps relative to disparate outcomes. Integration of SDOH in nursing curriculums has become highly prioritiz...

Objectives: Women living with HIV (WLWH) have a greater risk of anal cancer than women without HIV; however, there are limited studies that examine awareness of anal cancer risk among WLWH and "high-risk" HIV-negative women. This study examines risk factors for anal cancer, perceptions of risk for anal cancer, and perceptions of anal cancer screen...

Background In addressing the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) disparities for Black and Latina women, there is a need for the development of innovative programs, framed using theoretical underpinnings that are culturally and contextually tailored so that they align with lived experiences. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions offer considerable...

Objectives Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has burgeoned into a pandemic that highlights the countless social and health disparities that have existed in Black communities within the United States for centuries. Recent epidemiological data show that Black communities are being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, resulting in higher morbidi...

The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of concurrent alcohol and substance use among patients living with HIV/HCV co-infection and to compare demographic and clinical characteristics of those with concurrent alcohol and substance to those with alcohol or substance use, and to those who were abstinent. We conducted an analysis...

Black women carry a disproportionate number of new HIV infections in the USA. Studies that have assessed HIV risk perception along with HIV prevention interventions for Black women have primarily focused on Black women of low socioeconomic status. Few studies have assessed HIV risk perceptions and sexual behavior among college-educated Black women...

Objective To describe the perceptions of African American women and health care professionals (HCPs) about factors that likely influence the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV among African American women. Design Prospective mixed methods. Setting Chicago, IL. Participants Fifty-eight participants included HCPs (n = 10) and Af...

Women living with HIV in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) are at high risk of developing cervical cancer due to their immunocompromised status. Screening is an imperative prevention measure for early detection and for ultimately reducing high rates of cervical cancer; however, cervical cancer screening uptake among this group remains low. Th...

BACKGROUND Background: Black women are an important but relatively overlooked at-risk group in HIV prevention efforts. Although there is an aggregate decline of HIV diagnoses among women in the United States (U.S.); there are persistent disparate rates of new HIV infections for Black women compared to any other cis-gender female subgroup. Strategie...

Background: Black women are an important but relatively overlooked at-risk group in HIV prevention efforts. Although there is an aggregate decline of HIV diagnoses among women in the United States, there are persistent disparate rates of new HIV infections among Black women compared to any other cisgender female subgroup. Strategies to end the HIV...

Background Consistent use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a biomedical intervention for HIV seronegative persons, has been shown to significantly decrease HIV acquisition. Black women are a viable population segment to consider for PrEP use as their HIV incidence is overwhelmingly higher than all other women groups. Methods We developed and pil...

Background Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is important to counter synergistic effects of HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) in patients living with coinfection. Predictors of ART nonadherence among patients living with HIV/HCV coinfection are not well established. This knowledge would be advantageous for clinicians and behavioral health specialis...

Current measures of unintended pregnancy underestimate the co-occurring, complex set of social, cultural, economic and structural factors that influence how women interpret unintended pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to prospectively explore young adult US-born Latinas’ thoughts, feelings and beliefs about pregnancy, specifically unintended...

Guidelines for the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are updated periodically while new science is continuously developed. Advanced practice registered nurses implement clinical decisions based on current guidelines and evidence. This article provides recent updates on managing STIs.

In the United States (U.S.), Blacks have higher morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than other racial groups. The Black racial group includes African Americans (AAs), African immigrants (AIs), and Afro-Caribbeans (ACs); however, little research examines how social determinants differentially influence CVD risk factors in each...

Media messages can facilitate the delivery of accurate information related to HIV and sexually transmitted infection. This study's purpose was to examine preexisting media campaigns from the iMPPACS study to assess age-, gender-, and culturally appropriate components identified by African American females who attend historically Black colleges/univ...

Prior research shows that male intercollegiate athletes are at risk for perpetrating sexual violence. Whether this risk extends to male recreational athletes has not been explored. This study assessed associations between attitudes toward women, rape myth acceptance, and prevalence of sexual coercion among 379 male, undergraduate recreational and i...

HIV prevention interventions can help college students engage in safe sexual behaviors. We used the Information, Motivation, Behavioral Skills (IMB) model to frame 4 focus group discussions with Black women (n = 32) attending a Historically Black College/University (HCBU) or a traditional university (TU) to understand their HIV prevention needs. Pa...

One of the tenets of qualitative research is the emphasis and honoring of the participants’ own words as generative of meaning and knowledge; yet it is rare to hear the actual voices of the research participants in a presentation or in text. Qualitative research dissemination has relied on dense transcribed text; these “mountains of words” do not l...

Abstract Sexual risk taking and potential sequelae such as sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, may be related to music videos that display suggestive imagery and lyrics. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore characteristics of music lyrics and imagery that might have implications on sexual arousal in Black college students. For f...

The Health Belief Model (HBM) has been widely used as a framework to explain health behaviors in diverse populations, but little HBM research has focused on HIV-infected women and their increased risks for cervical cancer. We used Champion’s Health Belief Model and Self- Efficacy scales to assess relationships between Pap test adherence and constru...

Introduction: Black women (12% of U.S. female population) are disproportionately affected by HIV, accounting for the majority of new HIV infections among women. The rate of new infections among young black females aged 13 to 24 is six times as high as that of young Hispanic females, and 20 times that of young white females. Mass media messages can...

One of the tenets of qualitative research is the emphasis and honoring of the participants' own words as generative of meaning and knowledge. Yet, it is rare to hear the actual voices of the research participants in a presentation or in text. • Qualitative research dissemination has relied upon dense transcribed text; these " mountains of words " d...

Epidemiological research indicates an association between the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) with a subset of oral cancers (OC). Dentists may play a role in primary prevention of HPV-related OC by discussing the HPV vaccine with patients. This study assessed dentists' readiness to discuss the HPV vaccine with female patients. Cross-sectional web-based...

A principle objective of the 2010 National HIV/AIDS Strategy is to reduce HIV-related health disparities. HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects African-Americans in the United States. In response to this national agenda, we thought it important to consider novel methods and models to assess sexual behavior within the context of media influences. Mode...

Qualitative research emphasizes and honors the words of participants in an effort to generate meaning and knowledge, yet participants’ voices are rarely heard beyond data collection and analysis. We explore the potential to share participants' voices when disseminating research through audio-enhanced poster presentations. Technological advancements...

Young women are increasingly diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. The aim of this study was to test various types of mass media and their associations with interpersonal communication about sex and HIV or AIDS among female college students, stratified by race. The study used a nonexperimental cross-sectional design...

One quarter of HIV cases occur in women ages 15-44 years. We investigated preferential HIV prevention message mediums among college women (18-21 years of age) and their association with parent and partner communication. A nonexperimental cross-sectional survey assessed factors associated with parent and partner communication among 626 single female...

Introduction: Research shows that increased diversity of health care providers (HCP) can improve patient satisfaction, access and quality of care. Diversity of providers may be related to rates of acceptance of the HPV vaccination: although HPV-related disparities can be explained in part by differences in access to care and socioeconomics, the rol...

Background: The HPV vaccine has the potential to reduce cervical cancer disparities. Evidence suggests that cervical cancer incidence and mortality are higher among racial/ethnic minority females due to low utilization of preventive services. Research studies have found that acculturation has a mixed effect on cervical cancer screening, yet little...

Introduction: Suspicion and apprehension about vaccination is common, particularly among specific disenfranchised communities in the U.S. Growing evidence suggests that medical mistrust is a barrier to health care participation, including mistrust concerning the HPV vaccine. Due to the disproportionate burden of HPV-related disease among racial/eth...

BACKGROUND: A growing number of empirical studies have investigated the contributing role of medical mistrust in observed health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities in the U.S. The Group-Based Medical Mistrust Scale (GBMMS) was developed to measure an individual's beliefs regarding the unequal treatment of minorities by medical providers and...

Background: HPV-related diseases disproportionately affect racial/ethnic minority men. Black men have higher rates of HPV- related cancers of the oropharynx/oral cavity, while Hispanic men have higher rates of HPV- related penile cancer. Understanding factors related to HPV vaccine intentions among racial/ethnic minority populations is critical, as...

Background: Despite efforts to increase breastfeeding, U.S. rates remain far from ideal. Intention and attitude toward breastfeeding have been shown to predict infant feeding method, demonstrating the need to understand early influences regarding infant feeding choices. Many college students begin childbearing in the decade following graduation, ye...

We examined factors associated with HPV vaccine intentions by racial/ethnic group among men participating in a HPV natural history study. HPV knowledge, vaccine intentions and perceived barriers were assessed among non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic men. Men were tested for HPV every 6 months. After receiving test results from thei...

Cervical cancer incidence and mortality have declined in the U.S. over the past 50 years because of broad screening efforts; however, some states continue to bear a greater burden due to under-screened and -treated populations. The purpose of this study was to utilize the socio-ecological model to examine barriers to cervical cancer screening and t...

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, is an emerging risk factor for oral cancer (OC). As public awareness of the HPV-OC link increases, oral health providers (OHP) could play a critical role in addressing this new risk factor with patients. Methods: As part of an exploratory study, a web-based survey was admin...

Background: Cervical cancer mortality in the United States is twice as high among black women as white women. It is important for men to understand the role of HPV in increasing women's risk for cervical cancer and other ano-genital cancers common among men and women. However, because there is no routine screening test for men, research about HPV k...

Background: Non-disclosure to sex partners is common among young women with HIV (YWH) in the U.S., and fear of rejection is a reported reason. Disclosure outcomes are not well studied, but have important intervention implications. Methods: Seventeen YWH ages 16 to 24 years were recruited from an adolescent HIV clinic, responded to a computerized...

Background: Screening efforts have helped reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality in the US over the past 50 years; however, some states continue to bear a greater burden due to under-screened and -treated populations. In Florida there were 826 new cases of cervical cancer in 2004 and 303 deaths attributable to cervical cancer in 2006. P...

To develop and perform psychometric testing on an instrument designed to assess cognitive/emotional responses among men receiving HPV testing. Men enrolled in an HPV natural history study (N = 139) completed a computer-assisted survey instrument based on Leventhal's parallel processing/common-sense model. Data were analyzed using SPSS and Mplus. Re...

Background: Universities have experienced an increase in non-traditional students, who tend to be older, have children, and be married/divorced. Students who have multiple roles also experience multiple demands that may affect their wellness and academic achievement. Therefore, understanding this population is important for recruitment and retentio...

Background: Males play a critical role in HPV transmission, yet lack knowledge on this virus. The CER Study (see companion presentation) has the unique opportunity to assess males' HPV information-seeking behaviors. Purpose: To examine sexual health/HPV information-seeking behaviors among males participating in a broader study designed to underst...

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the sexually transmitted virus responsible for genital warts and cervical cancer, can produce complex and disturbing reactions upon diagnosis. Cognitive and emotional responses to an HPV-diagnosis are well-documented among women, but unknown among men. Methods: An instrument designed to assess cognitive and...

Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a national priority for several reasons including its endemic/pandemic status and economic demand. Adolescents 15 to 24 years old who are sexually active acquire nearly half of all new Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Recent findings from the Centers of Diseas...