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Ph.D. in Public Health with a Concentration in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention or Health Disparities

Our doctoral programs provide research-based training to seek effective behavioral, social, and structural solutions to public health problems.  Students need to complete 75-course credits (inclusive of MPH credits) to graduate and are expected to graduate within four to five years.

The Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention offers the following two doctoral degrees:

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Health with a concentration in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP)

Our students conduct health promotion research, and advocate for continual improvements in public health programs and policies to achieve health and well-being for all. 

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Health with a concentration in Health Disparities

Our students conduct health disparities research in areas such as HIV, substance abuse, and obesity among underserved populations in South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean

Our doctoral students

  • Srijana Acharya Gautam, Graduate Assistant
  • Islamiyat Adebisi
  • Yaray Agosto
  • Wissam Al Khoury, Graduate Assistant
  • Talegria Brown, Graduate Assistant
  • Olivia Ceavers, Graduate Assistant
  • Sebastian Escarfuller, Research Assistant
  • Tienna Fenton, Graduate Assistant
  • Mickey Fuentes
  • Gemma Galvez, CV Starr Fellowship
  • Amanda Ichite, UGS Dissertation Year Fellowship
  • Karen Iglesias
  • Shaina Johnson, FIU Health Disparity Initiative (HDI)
  • Islam Khalil
  • Christie Kirchoff , UGS Dissertation Year Fellowship
  • Ian Lee, Graduate Assistant (FIU Embrace)
  • Osmari Novoa, FIU Health Disparity Initiative (HDI)
  • Peace Nwagbo
  • Alvonee Penn, CV Starr Fellowship
  • Christofer Rodriguez, FIU Veterans Fellowship
  • Lakisha Thomas
  • Vicky Vazquez, F-31 NIH
  • HPDP Recent Graduates, 2020 and 2021

    Ari Hozman
    Dissertation title: Longitudinal Association between Video Game Use and Physical, Mental, and Social Health Outcomes in Early Adulthood in the United States.

    Major professor: Dr. Bastida. Defended Spring 2020.

    Cassandra Renee
    Dissertation title: Psychosocial and Structural Barriers to Seeking, Reaching, and Receiving Care for Obstetric Emergencies and Peripartum Cardiomyopathy Among Pregnant and Early Post-partum Women in Haiti.

    Major professor: Dr. Devieux. Defended in Summer 2020.

    Etinosa Oghogho

    Dissertation title: Psychosocial and Structural Factors Related to Vesico-Vaginal Fistula and its Impact on the Quality of Life of Women in Ibadan, Nigeria: A Mixed Methods Study.

    Major Professor: Dr. Devieux. Defended in Fall 2020.  

    Raed Jannadi
    Dissertation title: Border Epidemiological Study of Aging: The Role of Psychosocial Factors on Mortality of Mexican Americans in South Texas.

    Major Professor: Dr. Bastida. Defended in spring 2021.

    Rumi Agarwal

    Dissertation title: Measurement and Predictors of Mental Health among Parents of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

    Major Professors: Dr. Bastida/Shanna Burke. Defended in summer 2021.

    Valerie Daniel

    Dissertation title: Intersectional Stigma and Barriers to Engagement in Care among Haitian Women with HIV.

    Major professor: Dr. Devieux. Defended in Summer 2021.   

    Sarah Suarez
    Dissertation title: HIV Risk Factors, Enacted Stigma, and Testing Outcomes among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Florida.

    Major Professor: Dr. Devieux. Defended in Summer 2021.

    Gabriella Wuyke

    Dissertation title: The moderating role of traditional Latino gender norms on stressors and depressive symptoms among immigrant Latino men in Miami-Dade County.

    Major Professor: Dr. Rojas. Defended in Summer 2021.

    Derrick Forney
    Dissertation title: The Impact of HIV-Related Stigma on the Racial/Ethnic Disparities Across the HIV Care Continuum Among Adults Living with HIV in Florida.

    Major Professor: Dr. Sanchez. Defended in Fall 2021.

    Amani Othman

    Dissertation title: Mental Health, Intersectionality of Religious Identity Struggles, and Islamophobia in Muslim Young Adults in South Florida: An Exploratory Study.  

    Major Professor: Dr. Bastida. Defended in Fall 2021.

    Afrah Saad Saif (Farah)

    Dissertation title: Examining the Role of Knowledge and Cultural values on Utilization of Mammograms among a Sample of Saudi Women.

    Major professor: Dr. Bastida. Defended in Fall 2021.

Program contact

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For information about the Ph.D. program, contact the program advisor below.