Diana R Silver

Vice Dean of Faculty Affairs

Professor of Public Health Policy and Management

Professional overview

Dr. Diana Silver's research explores the impact of variation in the implementation, adoption and repeal of state and local public health policies on health outcomes, particularly alcohol consumption, motor vehicle crashes, tobacco use, and food safety. Some of her other work has examined variation in access to publicly funded services such as clinics, after-school programs, parks and playgrounds. Her work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and several other funders.

Dr. Silver's work has been published in a variety of prominent journals, including the American Journal of Public Health, the American Journal of Health Promotion, Public Health, Tobacco Control, Journal of Safety Research, Social Science and Medicine, the American Journal of Evaluation, PLoS One, Journal of Community Health, Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health,  International Journal of Equity in Health, Globalization and Health, Youth and Society, Public Administration Review and Policy Studies Journal. She is an associate editor for the American Journal of Health Promotion, and serves on the New York City Department of Health’s Health Advisory Committee. She began her career focused on the developing policies and programs that could address the epidemics of AIDS, substance abuse and violence in New York City, in such settings as schools, workplaces, jails, and homeless shelters.

Dr. Silver teaches undergraduate and master’s level courses at the School of Global Health, and trains doctoral students. In 2015, Dr. Silver received NYU’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the university’s highest honor for teaching excellence.

Education

BA, History, Bates College, Lewiston, ME

MPH, Health Education, Hunter College, New York City, NY

PhD, Public Administration, New York University, New York City, NY

Honors and awards

Distinguished Teaching Award, New York University (2015)

Steinhardt Goddard Award (2011)

Annual Award for Outstanding Evaluation, American Evaluation Association (2010)

Public Affairs Resident Scholar, The Rockefeller Foundation (2007)

Areas of research and study

Access to Healthcare

Alcohol, Tobacco and Driving Policies

Food Safety Policies

Implementation and Impact of Public Health Regulations

Injury Prevention

New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Public Health Law

Public Health Policy

Publications

Publications

That's not how the learning works - the paradox of Reverse Innovation: A qualitative study

Harris, M., Weisberger, E., Silver, D., Dadwal, V., & Macinko, J. (n.d.).

Publication year

2016

Journal title

Globalization and Health

Volume

12

Issue

1

10.1186/s12992-016-0175-7

Abstract

Abstract

Background: There are significant differences in the meaning and use of the term 'Reverse Innovation' between industry circles, where the term originated, and health policy circles where the term has gained traction. It is often conflated with other popularized terms such as Frugal Innovation, Co-development and Trickle-up Innovation. Compared to its use in the industrial sector, this conceptualization of Reverse Innovation describes a more complex, fragmented process, and one with no particular institution in charge. It follows that the way in which the term 'Reverse Innovation', specifically, is understood and used in the healthcare space is worthy of examination. Methods: Between September and December 2014, we conducted eleven in-depth face-to-face or telephone interviews with key informants from innovation, health and social policy circles, experts in international comparative policy research and leaders in the Reverse Innovation space in the United States. Interviews were open-ended with guiding probes into the barriers and enablers to Reverse Innovation in the US context, specifically also informants' experience and understanding of the term Reverse Innovation. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed thematically using the process of constant comparison. Results: We describe three main themes derived from the interviews. First, 'Reverse Innovation,' the term, has marketing currency to convince policy-makers that may be wary of learning from or adopting innovations from unexpected sources, in this case Low-Income Countries. Second, the term can have the opposite effect - by connoting frugality, or innovation arising from necessity as opposed to good leadership, the proposed innovation may be associated with poor quality, undermining potential translation into other contexts. Finally, the term 'Reverse Innovation' is a paradox - it breaks down preconceptions of the directionality of knowledge and learning, whilst simultaneously reinforcing it. Conclusions: We conclude that this term means different things to different people and should be used strategically, and with some caution, depending on the audience.

Understanding policy diffusion in the U.S.: An information-theoretical approach to unveil connectivity structures in slowly evolving complex systems

'They hear "Africa" and they think that there can't be any good services' - perceived context in cross-national learning: A qualitative study of the barriers to Reverse Innovation

Age, period, and cohort effects in motor vehicle mortality in the United States, 1980-2010: The role of sex, alcohol involvement, and position in vehicle

Diffusion of impaired driving laws among US states

Patterns of alcohol consumption and related behaviors in Brazil: Evidence from the 2013 National Health Survey (PNS 2013)

Temporal trends in motor vehicle fatalities in the United States, 1968 to 2010 - a joinpoint regression analysis

The effect of geography and citizen behavior on motor vehicle deaths in the United States

The geometry of motor vehicle deaths in the United States

Child passenger safety laws in the United States, 1978-2010: Policy diffusion in the absence of strong federal intervention

Bae, J. Y., Anderson, E., Silver, D., & Macinko, J. (n.d.).

Publication year

2014

Journal title

Social Science and Medicine

Volume

100

Page(s)

30-37

10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.10.035

Abstract

Abstract

This article examines the diffusion of U.S. state child passenger safety laws, analyzing over-time changes and inter-state differences in all identifiable features of laws that plausibly influence crash-related morbidity and mortality. The observed trend shows many states' continuing efforts to update their laws to be consistent with latest motor vehicle safety recommendations, with each state modifying their laws on average 6 times over the 30-year period. However, there has been a considerable time lag in knowledge diffusion and policy adoption. Even though empirical evidence supporting the protective effect of child restraint devices was available in the early 1970s, laws requiring their use were not adopted by all 50 states until 1986. For laws requiring minors to be seated in rear seats, the first state law adoption did not occur until two decades after the evidence became publicly available. As of 2010, only 12 states explicitly required the use of booster seats, 9 for infant seats and 6 for toddler seats. There is also great variation among states in defining the child population to be covered by the laws, the vehicle operators subject to compliance, and the penalties resulting from non-compliance. Some states cover only up to 4-year-olds while others cover children up to age 17. As of 2010, states have as many as 14 exemptions, such as those for non-residents, non-parents, commercial vehicles, large vehicles, or vehicles without seatbelts. Factors such as the complexity of the state of the science, the changing nature of guidelines (from age to height/weight-related criteria), and the absence of coordinated federal actions are potential explanations for the observed patterns. The resulting uneven policy landscape among states suggests a strong need for improved communication among state legislators, public health researchers, advocates and concerned citizen groups to promote more efficient and effective policymaking.

Fifty-state survey of child passenger safety laws in the US, 1978-2010: A public health approach to analyzing legal intruments

Utilization patterns and perceptions of playground users in New York City

Good Evaluation Measures: More Than Their Psychometric Properties

Weitzman, B. C., & Silver, D. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

American Journal of Evaluation

Volume

34

Issue

1

Page(s)

115-119

10.1177/1098214012461628

Abstract

Abstract

In this commentary, we examine Braverman's insights into the trade-offs between feasibility and rigor in evaluation measures and reject his assessment of the trade-off as a zero-sum game. We, argue that feasibility and policy salience are, like reliability and validity, intrinsic to the definition of a good measure. To reduce the tension between feasibility and measurement rigor, we argue that evaluators should make greater use of existing data, identify ways in which improved measurement will result in improved program management, and "thickly" invest measurement resources in areas where questions are most important and evaluation is most needed.

The effects of state regulations and alcohol consumption on traffic fatalities 1980-2010

Variation in U.S. traffic safety policy environments and motor vehicle fatalities 1980-2010

How residential mobility and school choice challenge assumptions of neighborhood place-based interventions

Improving state health policy assessment: An agenda for measurement and analysis

Transportation to clinic: Findings from a pilot clinic-based survey of low-income suburbanites

Lifting boatswithout closing gaps: Child health outcomes in distressed us cities from 1992-2002

Silver, D., Mijanovich, T., Uyei, J., Kapadia, F., & Weitzman, B. C. (n.d.).

Publication year

2011

Journal title

American journal of public health

Volume

101

Issue

2

Page(s)

278-284

10.2105/AJPH.2010.194761

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives. We compared cause-specific mortality and birth rates for children and youths aged younger than 18 years in 100 US cities from 1992 through 2002. Methods. We used 5 census indicators to categorize the 100 most populous US cities in 1990 as economically distressed or nondistressed. We used Poisson regression to calculate rate ratios for cause-specific mortality and birth rates, comparing distressed cities to nondistressed cities overall and by race/ethnicity from 1992 through 2002. We also calculated rates of change in these variables within each city over this period. Results. Despite improvements in health for the study population in all cities, disparities between city groups held steady or widened over the study period. Gaps in outcomes between Whites and Blacks persisted across all cities. Living in a distressed city compounded the disparities in poor outcomes for Black children and youths. Conclusions. A strong national economy during the study period may have facilitated improvements in health outcomes for children and youths in US cities, but these benefits did not close gaps between distressed and nondistressed cities.

People versus place, tackling urban poverty: Guest blog for Media Matters

Understanding the political context of "new" policy issues: The use of the advocacy coalition framework in the case of expanded after-school programs

Finding the impact in a messy intervention: Using an integrated design to evaluate a comprehensive citywide health initiative

The pros and cons of comprehensive community Initiatives at the city level: The case of the urban health Initiative

If you build it, will they come?: Estimating unmet demand for after-school programs in america's distressed cities

Weitzman, B. C., Mijanovich, T., Silver, D., & Brazill, C. (n.d.).

Publication year

2008

Journal title

Youth and Society

Volume

40

Issue

1

Page(s)

3-34

10.1177/0044118X08314262

Abstract

Abstract

Telephone-survey data were gathered from parents and youth in five of America's largest and most distressed cities to estimate unmet demand for after-school programs. Unmet demand was conceptualized as a function of low utilization and dissatisfaction with one's current arrangement; furthermore, the authors argue that dissatisfaction must stem from something that can be addressed through changes in policy or programs. Large numbers of parents of children who infrequently use after-school programs were found to indicate that they would increase utilization if there were improvements in the quality, access, or types of programming. However, large numbers of parents whose children do not participate or participate infrequently in after-school programs were also found to express satisfaction with their arrangement and indicated that they do not wish to change it. Expanding services with the assumption that children from these families will participate may be misguided.

Efforts to improve public policy and programs through data practice: Experiences in 15 distressed American cities