Nadia Abdala PhD, DVM
Research Scientist in Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases)
Research Interests
Applied clinical virology
Research Summary
Dr. Abdala’s research focus lies in the field of HIV prevention. Her past research and professional experience focused on vaccine production and diagnostics of infectious diseases including HIV infection. Dr. Abdala has used her expertise to answer epidemiological questions regarding HIV transmission through injection drug use. She has investigated how long HIV remains viable inside syringes, how cooking or heating drugs prior to injection might affect HIV transmission and has assessed the effectiveness of bleach and other disinfectants in reducing HIV transmission risks via contaminated syringes. Her participation in international research projects began with laboratory investigations of the viability of HIV in the context of home preparation of illicit drugs according to practices observed in Russia.
Most recently she began to focus her research on the investigation of HIV transmission via sexual route. Dr Abdala has conducted several studies to investigate the risk factors that facilitate the sexual transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including HIV among populations at risk for HIV in Russia and is currently conducting a randomized clinical trial to pilot test a behavior intervention to reduce HIV and alcohol related sexual risk behaviors among STD clinic patients in St Petersburg, Russia.
Selected Publications
- Zhan, W., Hansen, N., Shaboltas, A., Skochilov, R., Kozlov, A.P., Krasnoselskikh, Abdala, N.. "Violence perpetration and victimization, and HIV risk behaviors in St Petersburg, Russia." Journal of Traumatic Stress. (2012), 25: 1-8.
- Zhan, W., Krasnoselskikh, Golovanov, S., T.V., Kozlov, A.P. Abdala, N.. "Depressive symptoms and unprotected sex Among STI Clinic Patients in St Petersburg, Russia." J Psychosomatic Res. (in press).
- Grau, L.E., Krasnoselskikh, T.V., Shaboltas, A., Skochilov, R., Kozlov, A.P., Abdala, N.. "Cultural Adaptation of an Intervention to Reduce Sexual Behaviors among Patients Attending a STI Clinic in St. Petersburg, Russia." Prevention Science (in press).
- Abdala, N., Toussova, O.V., Hansen, N., Krasnoselskikh, T.V., Verevochkin, Sergei, Kozlov, A.P., Heimer, R.. "Correlates of Unprotected Sex Among Females Who Inject Drugs or Who Have Sexual Partners Who Inject Drugs in St Petersburg, Russia." J of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care (in press).
- Abdala, N., Zhan, W., Shaboltas, A., Skochilov, R., Kozlov, A.P., Krasnoselskikh, T.V.. "Efficacy of a Brief HIV Prevention Counseling Intervention among STI Clinic Patients in Russia: A Randomized Controlled Trial." AIDS and Behavior (in press).
- Zhan, W., Shaboltas, A., Skochilov, R., Kozlov, A.P., Krasnoselskikh, T.V.. Abdala, N.. "Gender differences in the relationship between alcohol use and depressive symptoms in St Petersburg, Russia." Journal of Addiction Research. (in press).
