Donna Shelley
Vice Dean for Research
Professor of Public Health Policy and Management
Co-Director of the Global Center for Implementation Science
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Professional overview
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Dr. Shelley is a tenured Professor and Vice Dean for Research in the Department of Public Health Policy and Management and the founding Co-Director of the Global Center for Implementation Science at the NYU School of Global Public Health. She conducts translational, population-based, and policy-relevant research that aims to accelerate dissemination and implementation of tobacco use treatment in safety net health care delivery systems and implementation of tobacco control policies. This research has been funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of Drug Abuse, National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the New York State Department of Health.
Dr. Shelley’s implementation research focuses on building the evidence for effective theory-driven strategies that target barriers to implementation and sustainability of evidence-based tobacco use treatment in primary care settings in the U.S and Viet Nam. Her research is also addressing the growing dual burden of noncommunicable and communicable diseases in LMICs and, specifically, the health impact on people living with HIV/AIDS. With funding from the NCI, Dr. Shelley is conducting a randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of behavioral interventions and pharmacotherapy to improve cessation outcomes among people living with HIV/AIDs who use tobacco, and simultaneously, answering questions about the feasibility and effectiveness of implementation strategies to improve adoption of tobacco use treatment in HIV care settings in Viet Nam. An example of her policy research includes a recently completed NCI-funded study that evaluated the impact of the US federally mandated smoke free public housing policy on exposure to secondhand smoke and explored the implementation process to identify strategies with the potential to improve the process and maximize public health impact.
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Education
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BS, University of Pennsylvania, PAMD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NYMPH, Health Policy and Management, Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, NY
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Areas of research and study
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Health Systems StrengtheningImplementation scienceTobacco CessationTobacco Policy
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Publications
Publications
Ethnic disparities in self-reported oral health status and access to care among older adults in NYC
AbstractShelley, D., Russell, S., Parikh, N. S., & Fahs, M. (n.d.).Publication year
2011Journal title
Journal of Urban HealthVolume
88Issue
4Page(s)
651-662AbstractThere is a growing burden of oral disease among older adults that is most significantly borne by minorities, the poor, and immigrants. Yet, national attention to oral heath disparities has focused almost exclusively on children, resulting in large gaps in our knowledge about the oral health risks of older adults and their access to care. The projected growth of the minority and immigrant elderly population as a proportion of older adults heightens the urgency of exploring and addressing factors associated with oral health-related disparities. In 2008, the New York City Health Indicators Project (HIP) conducted a survey of a representative sample of 1,870 adults over the age of 60 who attended a random selection of 56 senior centers in New York City. The survey included questions related to oral health status. This study used the HIP database to examine differences in self-reported dental status, dental care utilization, and dental insurance, by race/ethnicity, among community-dwelling older adults. Non-Hispanic White respondents reported better dental health, higher dental care utilization, and higher satisfaction with dental care compared to all other racial/ethnic groups. Among minority older adults, Chinese immigrants were more likely to report poor dental health, were less likely to report dental care utilization and dental insurance, and were less satisfied with their dental care compared to all other racial/ethnic groups. Language fluency was significantly related to access to dental care among Chinese immigrants. Among a diverse community-dwelling population of older adults in New York City, we found significant differences by race/ethnicity in factors related to oral health. Greater attention is needed in enhancing the cultural competency of providers, addressing gaps in oral health literacy, and reducing language barriers that impede access to care.Body weight and length of residence in the US among Chinese Americans
AbstractYeh, M. C., Fahs, M., Burton, D., Yerneni, R., Parikh, N. S., & Shelley, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2009Journal title
Journal of Immigrant and Minority HealthVolume
11Issue
5Page(s)
422-427AbstractBackground: It has been shown that as immigrants' length of residence increases, so does their weight. However, little is known about factors associated with weight status among Chinese Americans, one of the fastest growing immigrant populations in the US. Methods: Baseline datafrom a National Cancer Institute-funded longitudinal study involving a multi-stage probability sample of Chinese Americans residing in two communities in New York City were collected. Results: Chinese Americans had a low BMI (mean = 22.81) and a lower proportion of obese individuals compared with other ethnic groups in the US reported in the literature. While the prevalence of being overweight (21%) and obese (2%) was low, length of residence was positively associated with weight status (P < 0.005). Conclusions: Innovative strategies to help Chinese Americans maintain healthy weight status and to prevent them from becoming overweight and obese are needed.Health behaviors of older Chinese adults living in New York City
AbstractParikh, N. S., Fahs, M. C., Shelley, D., & Yerneni, R. (n.d.).Publication year
2009Journal title
Journal of Community HealthVolume
34Issue
1Page(s)
6-15AbstractThe dramatic increase in the number of older immigrants living in the U.S. presents new challenges to policy makers concerned with promoting healthy aging. To date, however, strikingly little is known regarding the health and health trajectories of older immigrants. This paper examines the prevalence and predictors of important health behaviors associated with chronic disease prevention, including current smoking status, physical activity, alcohol use, and body mass index (BMI). We analyzed data from the 2003 New York City Chinese Health Survey (NYC CHS), the largest probability-based sample of Chinese immigrants residing in two distinct communities. In-person interviews were conducted with 517 representative men and women aged 55-75. Logistic regression modeling was used to test the influence of demographic, socioeconomic status, acculturation, and health characteristics on selected health behaviors. Results revealed that having more education and better physical health status were associated with greater participation in physical activity. Gender-specific analyses indicated that the effect of selected predictors varied between the sexes. For example, among older Chinese women, acculturation was negatively associated with alcohol use. This study provides some of the first evidence on health behaviors of one of the fastest growing older immigrant groups in the U.S. Study results add to the emerging literature on the complex nature of immigrant health trajectories, and demonstrate that contrary to prior research, living a greater proportion of time in the U.S. can be associated with selected positive health behaviors. Further longitudinal studies are needed to help inform policy initiatives to encourage healthy aging among diverse older immigrant groups.Shelley et al. respond
Shelley, D., Cantrell, M. J., Moon-Howard, J., Ramjohn, D. Q., & VanDevanter, N. (n.d.). In American journal of public health (1–).Publication year
2008Volume
98Issue
1Page(s)
5