Serena A. Rodriguez, PhD
Assistant Professor
Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
[email protected]
Department
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) School of Public Health
Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Research Interests
Biography
I am a behavioral scientist focused on designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions that improve healthcare delivery and reduce disparities, particularly among historically marginalized patient subpopulations. My research blends my training in implementation science and cancer prevention and control with my experience in community-based global health work. I have led studies examining access to women's health services in rural Uganda, cervical cancer screening among women with refugee status, and cancer care delivery for women living with HIV. In addition, I examine vaccine hesitancy and HPV vaccine uptake among under- and uninsured adolescents. Prior to academia, I worked for a social justice organization in Brooklyn, New York.
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (972) 546-2920
Current Projects
Texas Implementation Science Hub to end HIV
The Texas Implementation Science Hub to end HIV (Texas IS Hub) is a component of the Texas D-CFAR, which focuses its research on the theme “Ending HIV and optimizing HIV health in Texas.”
Recent News
Valerio named deputy editor of Health Promotion Practice journal
Melissa Valerio, Ph.D., M.P.H., regional dean of UTHealth School of Public Health in San Antonio, has been named deputy editor of the journal Health Promotion Practice (HPP). The journal is an official publication of the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE). Valerio began serving in this position in January 2018.
Melissa Valerio, Ph.D., recognized as Chancellor’s Health Fellow
Melissa Valerio, Ph.D., regional dean of the UTHealth School of Public Health San Antonio Regional Campus, has been named a 2016 Chancellor’s Fellow for The University of Texas System Office of Health Affairs.
