Serwaa Omowale

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About

Dr. Serwaa S. Omowale is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health in the School of Public Health at UTHealth Houston and affiliated faculty in the Center for Health Equity. Her research focuses on understanding the factors contributing to maternal health disparities, particularly those influencing maternal mortality and morbidity. She has examined the role of stress during pregnancy and work as a social determinant of maternal health. Dr. Omowale’s current research interest is exploring the impact of poor cardiovascular health during pregnancy on maternal morbidity and its long-term consequences, including the heightened risk for cardiovascular disease and dementia across a woman’s lifespan. By investigating these associations, Dr. Omowale aims to inform interventions that improve maternal health outcomes and reduce long-term health risks for women. Additionally, she is interested in how work as a social determinant of health impacts older adults’ health. She also has an interest in international health and is currently working on projects in South Africa focused on teen pregnancy and gender-based violence. Dr. Omowale uses various research methodologies such as longitudinal research designs, Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods, and community engaged methods. She completed a T32 and California Preterm Birth Initiative funded postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California San Francisco. Dr. Omowale earned her PhD in social work, and master’s degrees in social work and public health from the University of Pittsburgh. She is also a graduate of Georgia State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies. She has thirteen years of experience as a social work professional with clinical social work expertise in maternal and child health, mental health, and gerontology.

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Center Affiliation

Center for Health Equity

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Research Interests

• Behavioral/Mental Health
• Cardiovascular and Chronic Diseases
• Community Health Practice
• Global Health
• Health Equity
• Maternal and Child Health
• Sexual Health
• Social Determinants of Health
• Women's Health