Aaliyah Gray

Focus

Sexual health, HIV/STIs, Positive development, Black women, Women's health

Biography

Aaliyah Gray, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Epidemiology at Florida International University. In 2022, she received her Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from Fordham University with training in developmental theory, program evaluation, research ethics, and health psychology. The objective of her research is to promote health and wellbeing in girls and women through the application of socio-ecological frameworks. Her doctoral work examined the relationship between sexual self-efficacy and sexual health outcomes among young Black women who have sex with men and women, and parental factors of pediatric HPV and COVID-19 vaccine intentions among mothers of children and adolescents. Her current research interests include sexual and reproductive health outcomes, access to sexual and reproductive health services, patient-provider relationships, and the impact of policy on behavior. As a postdoctoral associate in HIV epidemiology, she currently contributes to two NIMHD-funded awards focused on the experiences of people with HIV in Miami-Dade, Florida and the impact of women- and patient-centered care on HIV outcomes (PI Trepka: R01MD013563 & R01MD012421). In 2023, she was selected to receive a research award through the FIU-RCMI Pilot Grant Program (U54MD012393) to examine the direct and indirect effects of state-level sexual education and reproductive health policy on sexual wellbeing, access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, and sexual health outcomes among young adult black women. Dr. Gray has also received external research and travel grants from multiple organizations including GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Foundation, and PSI CHI for her work.

Education

• Fordham University, Ph.D.
• Fordham University, M.A.
• Stetson University, B.A.

Publications/Research

Gray, A., & Fisher, C. B. (2024). An examination of the independent and intersectional effects of racial and heterosexist medical mistrust on timing of sexual/reproductive health care visits among Black sexual minority women in the United States in the USA. Culture, Health Sexuality. Online ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2024.2304150

Nawfal, E. S., Gray, A., Sheehan, D. M., Ibañez, G. E, Trepka, M. J. (2023). A systematic review of the impact of HIV-related stigma and serostatus disclosure on retention in care and antiretroviral therapy adherence among women with HIV in United States/Canada. AIDS Patient Care & STDs, 38(1), 23-49. http://doi.org/10.1089/apc.2023.0178

Gray, A., Ward, M. K., Fernandez, S.B., Nawfal, E. S., Gwanzura, T., Li, T., Sheehan, D. M., Jean-Gilles, M., Beach, M.C., Ladner, R. A., & Trepka, M.J. (2023). Exploring the use of self-management strategies for antiretroviral therapy adherence among women with HIV in the Miami-Dade Ryan White Program. Journal of Behavioral Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-023-00459-x

Trepka, M.J., Ward, M.K., Fennie, K., Sheehan, D.M., Fernandez, S., Li, T., Jean-Gilles, M., Devieux, J., Ibañez, G., Gwanzura, T., Nawfal, E., Gray, A., Beach, M.C., & Ladner, R. (2023). Patient-provider relationships and antiretroviral therapy adherence among women with HIV, Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2021–2022. AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 37(7), 361-372. https://doi.org/10.1089/apc.2023.0029

Gray, A., Liu. T., Giorgi, S., Fisher, C. B., & Curtis, B. (2023). Mental health and alcohol use outcomes across profiles of work, home, and social life during COVID-19 in the United States. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 58(4), 393–403. https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agad028

Gray, A., & Fisher, C. B. (2023). Factors associated with HPV vaccine acceptability and hesitancy among Black mothers with young daughters. Frontiers in Public Health, 11(1124206), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1124206

Fisher, C. B., Bragard, E., Jaber, R., & Gray, A. (2022). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among parents of children under five years in the United States. Vaccines, 10(8), 1313. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10081313

Gray, A., Fisher, C. B. (2022). Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in adolescents 12 – 17 years old: Examining pediatric vaccine hesitancy among racially diverse parents in the United States. Frontiers in Public Health, 10(844310), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.844310      

Fisher, C. B., Gray, A., & Sheck, I. (2022). COVID-19 pediatric vaccine hesitancy among racially diverse parents in the United States. Vaccines, 10(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10010031

Gray, A., & Fisher, C. B. (2021). Predictors of contraceptive self-efficacy and condom use among young Black women who have sex with women and men. Journal of Bisexuality, 21(3), 380–404. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2021.1971592

Gray, A., Macapagal, K., Mustanski, B. & Fisher, C. B. (2020). Surveillance studies involving HIV testing are needed: Will at-risk youth participate? Health Psychology, 39(1), 21–28. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000804