Robyn Gershon
Robyn Gershon
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Clinical Professor of Epidemiology
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Professional overview
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Dr. Gershon is an interdisciplinary occupational and environmental health and safety researcher with extensive experience in the areas of disaster preparedness, healthcare safety, and risk assessment and management in high-risk work occupations. She earned her doctorate in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health, where she was on faculty for several years.
Subsequently, Dr. Gershon was a Professor at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, with a joint appointment in the School of Nursing.
At the Mailman School, she also served as the Associate Dean for Research and was the Director of the Mentoring Program. Her most recent faculty appointment prior to joining NYU GPH was Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She was also an Adjunct Professor in the UCSF School of Nursing, as well as at UC Berkeley where she taught public health disaster courses.
Dr. Gershon and her team conducted numerous ground breaking studies to develop and test new metrics of preparedness. Importantly, Dr. Gershon’s work has influenced the adoption of safe work practices and regulatory control measures, such as national needlestick prevention guidelines and high-rise building fire safety laws. Her numerous research studies encompass a wide range of topics, including, (to name a few): bloodborne pathogen exposure; hospital safety climate; psychosocial work stress in law enforcement; “ability and willingness” of essential workforce employees to report to duty during natural and man-made disasters; preparedness of responders for terrorist incidents; emergency high–rise building evacuation- (including the World Trade Center Evacuation Study); emergency preparedness of the elderly and disabled; mass fatality management infrastructure in the US; adherence to emergency public health measures among the general public; hearing loss risk in subway ridership; and noise exposure in urban populations.
Dr. Gershon recently completed a four-year, longitudinal intervention NIH-funded study on motivation and persistence in pursuing STEM research careers among underrepresented doctoral students. (the BRIDGE Project).
As a committed advocate for junior faculty and graduate students, Dr. Gershon will play an active role in research mentorship and advisement.
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Education
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BS, Medical Technology, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CTMHS, Medical Microbiology, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CTDrPH, Environmental and Occupational Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
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Honors and awards
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Recipient, American Society of Safety Engineers, Membership Award, Oakland, CA (2016)Recipient, John L. Ziegler Capstone Mentor Award, Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco (2015)Recipient, City of New York Fire Commissioner's Special Commendation Certificate of Appreciation (2006)Recipient, Survivors' Salute, World Trade Center Survivors' Network (2006)Recipient, Annual International Sharps Injury Prevention Award (2005)Delta Omega (Public Health) Honorary Society (1997)Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (Microbiology) (1976)Lambda Tau Mu Honor Society (Laboratory Science) (1976)
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Areas of research and study
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Disaster HealthDisaster Impact and RecoveryDisaster PreparednessEnvironmental Public Health ServicesEpidemiologyHealthcare SafetyOccupational HealthRisk Assessment and Management
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Publications
Publications
The impact of multifocused interventions on sharps injury rates at an acute-care hospital
The public health and law enforcement stress
Gershon, R. (n.d.).Publication year
1999Journal title
National Institute of Justice JournalPage(s)
27Correlates of infection control practices in dentistry
Infection control basis for recommending one-time use of sterile syringes and aseptic procedures for injection drug users
AbstractGershon, R. R. (n.d.).Publication year
1998Journal title
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human RetrovirologyVolume
18Page(s)
S20-S24AbstractPersons who inject drugs are at increased risk for many infectious diseases, including HIV, Reuse of syringes and needles and other equipment used to prepare and inject drugs increases the risk of infection with blood- borne and other pathogens. According to standard infection control guidelines, needles and syringes and their contents fall within the critical category of patient contact because they enter the normally sterile vascular space. Medical equipment considered critical should be treated or prepared in a manner that destroys vegetative and spore-forming microbes. The simplest way to ensure this level of hygienic practice is to use prepackaged, sterile, disposable needles and syringes and to use sterile drug preparation equipment and drugs. These recommendations are made as part of a comprehensive infection prevention program designed for injection drug users.The use of total quality improvement techniques to determine risk factors for back injuries in hospital workers.
AbstractLin, M. Y., Ahern, J. E., Gershon, R. R., & Grimes, M. (n.d.).Publication year
1998Journal title
Clinical performance and quality health careVolume
6Issue
1Page(s)
23-27AbstractOBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors for back injuries among hospital employees using quality-management techniques. METHODS: Data from employee-health records were collected from 1993 to 1995 on a total of 100 back injuries. The data were reviewed retrospectively for risk factors using quality-management techniques. RESULTS: We identified two major categories of risk factors: administrative and environmental. The five most common causes of back injuries were as follows: inadequate or lack of proper training in body mechanics, not enough help in lifting, the load being lifted was too heavy, poor condition of the floor surface (slippery or uneven), and the patient was unable to help. The Workers' Compensation costs for the 100 back injuries was in excess of $600,000. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, several preventive strategies are identified.Tuberculosis risk in funeral home employees
Compliance with universal precautions among physicians
AbstractMichalsen, A., Delclos, G. L., Felknor, S. A., Davidson, A. L., Johnson, P. C., Vesley, D., Murphy, L. R., Kelen, G. D., & Gershon, R. R. (n.d.).Publication year
1997Journal title
Journal of Occupational and Environmental MedicineVolume
39Issue
2Page(s)
130-137AbstractThis should characterized and assessed self-reported levels of compliance with universal precautions (UP) among hospital-based physicians, and determined significant factors associated with both compliance and noncompliance. The physicians (n = 322) were a subgroup of a larger study population of hospital-based health care workers recruited from three geographically distinct locations (n = 1746), and were surveyed using a detailed confidential questionnaire that assessed personal, work-related, and organizational factors. Compliance with UP was measured through 11 items that examined how often physicians followed specific recommended work practices. Compliance was found to vary among the 11 items: they were high for certain activities (eg, glove use, 94%; disposal of sharps, 92%) and low for others (eg, wearing protective clothing, 55%; not recapping needles, 56%). Compliance with all items was low (31% to 38%). Stepwise logistic regression revealed that noncompliant physicians were likely to be age 37 or older, to report high work stress, and to perceive a conflict of interest between providing patient care and protecting themselves. Compliant physicians were more likely to be knowledgeable and to have been trained in universal precautions, to perceive protective measures as being effective, and to perceive an organizational commitment to safety.Laboratory professionals' compliance with universal precautions
AbstractMcGovern, P. M., Kochevar, L. K., Vesley, D., & Gershon, R. R. (n.d.).Publication year
1997Journal title
Laboratory MedicineVolume
28Issue
11Page(s)
725-730AbstractThis study characterizes compliance with universal precautions specific to the use of personal protective equipment among hospital-based laboratory professionals. Secondary data from a cross-sectional survey of hospital- based health care workers expected to be at high risk for exposure to bloodborne pathogens were used to create a sample of 286 laboratory professionals. A theoretical model that addressed compliance with preventive behaviors provided the framework for the study's design and analysis. One 39% of the laboratorians in the study strictly complied with universal precautions of personal protective equipment. Factors correlated most strongly with compliance included employees' perceptions of the hospital's commitment to safety management and of their risk for occupational exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus.A work-systems analysis of compliance with Universal precautions among health care workers
AbstractDeJoy, D. M., Gershon, R. R., Murphy, L. R., & Wilson, M. G. (n.d.).Publication year
1996Journal title
Health Education and BehaviorVolume
23Issue
2Page(s)
159-174AbstractUniversal precautions are work practices designed to protect health care workers from occupational exposure to HIV and other bloodborne pathogens. However, despite aggressive dissemination efforts by CDC and regulatory action by OSHA, compliance remains less than satisfactory. This article argues that the minimization of risk from bloodborne pathogens requires a multilevel or work-systems perspective that considers individual, job/task, and environmental/organizational factors. The available literature on universal precautions suggests the potential of such an approach and provides insight into the limited success of current worker-focused mitigation efforts. In particular, specific opportunities exist to develop and apply engineering controls, to improve the design and organization of jobs and tasks, and to create organizations that facilitate and reinforce safe behavior.Facilitator report: Bloodborne pathogens exposure among health care workers
AbstractGershon, R. (n.d.).Publication year
1996Journal title
American Journal of Industrial MedicineVolume
29Issue
4Page(s)
418-420AbstractSeveral psychosocial and organizational factors have been identified as important correlates of compliance with safe work practices among health care workers. In particular, compliance with 'universal precautions'-a set of work practices which were designed to minimize exposure to bloodborne pathogens- has been found to be associated with several potentially modifiable factors. The development of interventional strategies designed specifically to target these factors (e.g., HIV/AIDS attitudes, safety climate) are important objectives in the overall risk management approach to occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens.Methodologic issues in intervention research - Health care
AbstractHersey, J. C., Collins, J. W., Gershon, R., & Owen, B. (n.d.).Publication year
1996Journal title
American Journal of Industrial MedicineVolume
29Issue
4Page(s)
412-417AbstractTo better understand the methodological challenges faced by intervention research in health care, workshops reviewed two intervention studies to reduce back injuries among nursing home staff and two studies on the use of precautions to prevent occupational transmission of bloodborne pathogens. These studies adapted rigorous designs to real-world settings and made good use of multiple measures to detect effects and communicate this information to policy makers. The studies grappled with issues about implementation integrity and would benefit from better theory of administrative practices associated with a safety-conscious work environment.Operationalizing theoretical constructs in bloodborne pathogens training curriculum
AbstractSinclair, R. C., Gershon, R. R., Murphy, L. R., & Goldenhar, L. M. (n.d.).Publication year
1996Journal title
Health Education and BehaviorVolume
23Issue
2Page(s)
238-255AbstractThis article describes how the protection motivation theory (PMT) was used to inform the production of video curriculum for a bloodborne pathogens training program for hospital nurses. Although hospital nurses are well acquainted with the work practices designed to prevent bloodborne pathogen exposures (universal precautions), there is evidence that they do not always follow them. First, the onginal PMT is adapted to reflect what is currently known about the role of affect in health behavior prediction. Second, the authors show how the four PMT message constructs-probability of occurrence, magnitude of noxiousness, response efficacy, and self-efficacy-guided the planning, shooting, and editing of the videotapes. Incidental to this process was the operationalization of these message constructs in such a way that affective reactions would result. The results show that this video curriculum successfully aroused negative affect in the target audience. Only by carefully planning and documenting how message constructs are operationalized in health education materials can one be sure of achieving theory-based (and thus the most replicable) message design.Stress and occupational exposure to HIV/AIDS
Murphy, L. R., Gershon, R., & DeJoy, D. M. (n.d.). In Handbook of Stress Medicine and Health (1–).Publication year
1996Work-related stress and psychological distress in emergency medical technicians.
AbstractRevicki, D. A., & Gershon, R. R. (n.d.).Publication year
1996Journal title
Journal of occupational health psychologyVolume
1Issue
4Page(s)
391-396AbstractEmergency medical technicians (N = 65) participated in a study on work environment characteristics, work-related stress, and psychological distress. Data were collected at baseline and 6 months. Work-related stress was associated with lower work group support and poor supervisory behavior. Work-related stress was strongly related to psychological distress. Changes in work-related stress were significantly related to changes in psychological distress. Findings support the work-related stress, psychological distress model.Behavioral factors in safety training
Gershon, R., & Zirkin, B. (n.d.). In Laboratory Safety: Principles and Practices (1–).Publication year
1995Compliance with universal precautions among health care workers at three regional hospitals
Occupational Risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, and Hepatitis C Virus Infections Among Funeral Service Practitioners in Maryland
Review of accidents/injuries among emergency medical service workers in Baltimore, Maryland
Gershon, R., Vlahov, D., Kelen, G. D., Conrad, B., & Murphy, L. (n.d.).Publication year
1995Journal title
Prehospital and Disaster MedicinePage(s)
14Safety climate in healthcare settings
DeJoy, D. M., Murphy, L. R., & Gershon, R. (n.d.). In Advances in Industrial Ergonomics and Safety VII (1–).Publication year
1995The influence of employee, job/task, and organizational factors on adherence to universal precautions among nurses
A case study in improving safety management
Flanagan, W., & Gershon, R. (n.d.). In Performance Improvement in Plant, Technology, and Safety Management: Enhancing the Environment of Care (1–).Publication year
1994Correlates of attitudes concerning human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome among hospital workers
AbstractGershon, R. R., Curbow, B., Kelen, G., Celantano, D., Lears, K., & Vlahov, D. (n.d.).Publication year
1994Journal title
AJIC: American Journal of Infection ControlVolume
22Issue
5Page(s)
293-299AbstractBackground: Correlates of attitudes related to HIV and AIDS for both clinical and nonclinical support hospital workers have not been well described. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among employees of an acute care, inner-city hospital to assess attitudes related to HIV and AIDS. Results: A 51% response rate was obtained, with completed questionnaires obtained from 321 clinical workers and 245 nonclinical workers. The proportions tolerant of patients with HIV infection were 83% and 78%, respectively. Factors associated with a tolerant attitude in clinical workers included personally knowing someone with AIDS, high scores on general AIDS knowledge, high knowledge scores on modes of transmission, low levels of fear, and accurate perceptions of occupational risk. In nonclinical workers, factors associated with tolerance included having been tested for HIV, personally knowing someone with AIDS, accurate perceptions of occupational risk, low levels of fear, high scores on general AIDS knowledge, and high knowledge scores on modes of transmission. Conclusions: Although the study was cross-sectional, the data suggest potentially modifiable factors associated with AIDS-related attitudes. These factors may be amenable to intervention among both clinical and nonclinical support hospital employees.Universal precautions: An update
AbstractGershon, R. R., Karkashian, C., & Felknor, S. (n.d.).Publication year
1994Journal title
Heart and Lung: Journal of Critical CareVolume
23Issue
4Page(s)
352-358AbstractUniversal precautions, the set of work practice recommendations designed to help minimize occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, have been shown to be effective. However, lack of compliance with these recommendations has been well documented, both before and after the enactment of the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. Current issues, including occupationally acquired human immunodeficiency virus, percutaneous exposures and lack of compliance are discussed in this article.Safety in the clinical microbiology laboratory
Richardson, J., & Gershon, R. (n.d.). In Clinical and Pathogenic Microbiology (2nd eds., 1–).Publication year
1993TB control in the hospital environment.
AbstractGershon, R. R., McArthur, B. R., Early, E. T., & Grimes, M. J. (n.d.).Publication year
1993Journal title
Healthcare facilities management seriesPage(s)
1-33AbstractTuberculosis is again on the rise in the United States. Several outbreaks of TB in hospitals have heightened interest in the development and use of mechanisms that prevent the spread of this airborne pathogen. Controlling the spread of TB to hospital patients, workers, and others can be accomplished through various administrative engineering and design controls, and infection control programs, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The hazard of TB is real, but workers, patients, and visitors can be protected by implementing programs that guard against the diseases spread in the hospital environment.