Sitara M Weerakoon, PhD, MPH
Associate Research Scientist in Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences)Cards
About
Research
Publications
2025
The role of sleep in the relationship between racial discrimination and suicide ideation among black girls: A path analysis
Opara I, Sissoko G, Wan X, Weerakoon S. The role of sleep in the relationship between racial discrimination and suicide ideation among black girls: A path analysis. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2025, 120896. PMID: 41422961, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120896.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSuicidal ideationIndirect effect of racial discriminationInsufficient sleepRacial discriminationAssociated with suicidal ideationLikelihood of suicidal ideationEffects of racial discriminationPath analysisSelf-reported racial discriminationFemale high school studentsMental health researchEffects of discriminationIndirect effectsCulturally responsive interventionsSleep's roleSuicide riskSuicidal thoughtsHigh school studentsModeration modelIdeationAdolescent girlsSystemic stressorsSuicideNo significant interactionSuicide ratesAdolescent Substance Use Among High School Students Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study of Peer Exposure and Risk
Weerakoon S, Simmons S, Connors E, Genovese M, Clark K, Awad M, Tebes J. Adolescent Substance Use Among High School Students Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study of Peer Exposure and Risk. Substance Use & Misuse 2025, ahead-of-print: 1-9. PMID: 41355084, DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2025.2583462.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRepeated cross-sectional studySubstance use patternsPeer exposureAlcohol useLifetime marijuana useLifetime alcohol useE-cigarette useSubstance useCross-sectional studyInitiation of substance useExposure to peersIn-schoolAdolescent substance usePre-pandemic samplesSubstance use prevalenceEarly intervention strategiesE-cigarettesMarijuana useCOVID-19 pandemicSubstance use trajectoriesTargeted preventionUS high schoolsSubstance availabilityBoysCOVID-19Racial Self-Efficacy and Ethnic Identity in the Context of Neighborhood Violence and Internalizing Symptoms Among Black and Latinx youth: An Application of the Minority Stress Theory.
Weerakoon S, Henson-Garcia M, Rose R, Lindsay J, Srikanth N, Opara I. Racial Self-Efficacy and Ethnic Identity in the Context of Neighborhood Violence and Internalizing Symptoms Among Black and Latinx youth: An Application of the Minority Stress Theory. Community Health Equity Research & Policy 2025, 2752535x251406670. PMID: 41337681, DOI: 10.1177/2752535x251406670.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEthnic identity explorationInternalizing symptomsSelf-EfficacyMental health experiencesNeighborhood violenceIdentity explorationAssociated with internalizing symptomsLatinx youthSymptoms of anxietyMinority stress theoryExposure to neighborhood violenceMental health challengesStructural equation modelingLatinx adolescentsMethodsUsing cross-sectional dataEquation modelingConclusionsThese findingsCross-sectional dataMinoritized youthAdolescentsSymptomsEthnic identityYouthLatinxHealth challengesExamining longitudinal associations between polysubstance use and firearm-related risk behaviors from adolescence into emerging adulthood: a group-based multi-trajectory modeling approach
Henson-Garcia M, Weerakoon S, Peskin M, Baumler E, Testa A, Malthaner L, Lu Y, Temple J. Examining longitudinal associations between polysubstance use and firearm-related risk behaviors from adolescence into emerging adulthood: a group-based multi-trajectory modeling approach. Injury Epidemiology 2025, 12: 74. PMID: 41189027, PMCID: PMC12584197, DOI: 10.1186/s40621-025-00627-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRisk behaviorsEmerging adulthoodPolysubstance useYears of annual dataRisk of firearm-related injuryFirearm-related risksFirearm-related behaviorsStorage of firearmsFirearm-related injuriesPolysubstance use patternsImpact of polysubstance useFirearm accessSubstance useMultivariate logistic regressionNo significant associationRisk trajectoriesFirearm storageTrajectory groupsYoung adulthoodAnnual dataPolysubstance usersAlcohol usersRisk factorsUse patternsFirearmExamining Pathways Among Teen Dating Violence, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation Among Black Girls: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Opara I, Weerakoon S, Srikanth N, Brooks Stephens J, Wan X, Willie T. Examining Pathways Among Teen Dating Violence, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation Among Black Girls: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal Of Interpersonal Violence 2025, 8862605251353484. PMID: 40741816, DOI: 10.1177/08862605251353484.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTeen dating violenceSubstance useBlack adolescent girlsOdds ratioRates of teen dating violenceOdds of substance useAdolescent girlsBlack girlsConfidence intervalsAssociated with substance usePoor mental health outcomesYouth Risk Behavior Surveillance SystemBehavior Surveillance SystemA cross-sectional studyOdds of suicidal ideationSuicidal ideationBlack female adolescentsMental health challengesMental health outcomesDating violenceRisk factorsPublic health initiativesIndirect pathwaysFemale adolescentsViolenceSpatial Associations of Alcohol Outlet Density with Neighborhood Crime and Child Opportunity: A Hierarchical Bayesian Ecological Study
Weerakoon S, Takenaka B, Srikanth N, Warren J, Opara I. Spatial Associations of Alcohol Outlet Density with Neighborhood Crime and Child Opportunity: A Hierarchical Bayesian Ecological Study. Substance Use & Misuse 2025, 60: 1319-1327. PMID: 40289361, DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2025.2496932.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol outlet densityAlcohol outletsChild Opportunity IndexCensus tractsOutlet densityRates of property crimeExposure to crimePassaic CountyChildren’s opportunitiesDiverse racial compositionCensus tract levelHigh-risk neighborhoodsMitigate crimeProperty crimeCrime ratesImprove community healthHealth insuranceRacial compositionNew JerseyReduce alcohol outlet densityOpportunity IndexCrimeSignificant socioeconomic disparitiesPolicy interventionsTract levelTeen Dating Violence Among Asian American Adolescents: Insights from a National Survey (2015–2021)
Weerakoon S, Srikanth N, Hansoti E, Takenaka B, Wan X, Opara I, Markham C, Lau M. Teen Dating Violence Among Asian American Adolescents: Insights from a National Survey (2015–2021). Journal Of Aggression Maltreatment & Trauma 2025, 34: 331-347. PMID: 40496760, PMCID: PMC12148240, DOI: 10.1080/10926771.2025.2471348.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTeen dating violenceSexual dating violenceDating violenceSchool violenceBullying victimizationAmerican adolescentsPhysical dating violenceSubstance useAsian American adolescentsU.S. high school studentsOdds ratioViolenceAssociated with increased oddsLogistic regression analysisCluster sampling studyVictimsBullyingSexual behaviorPublic health problemDepressive symptomsAdolescent malesUnited StatesAdolescent femalesHigh school studentsNational survey
2024
Predictors of HIV and STI testing among sexually active Black adolescents: Results from YRBSS 2019–2021
Weerakoon S, Srikanth N, Aivadyan C, Takenaka B, Rose R, Rutledge J, Sissoko G, Opara I. Predictors of HIV and STI testing among sexually active Black adolescents: Results from YRBSS 2019–2021. Journal Of HIV/AIDS & Social Services 2024, 23: 185-200. PMID: 41059105, PMCID: PMC12499896, DOI: 10.1080/15381501.2024.2435882.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSexually transmitted infection testingSexually transmitted infectionsPredictors of HIVE-cigarettesOdds of testingE-cigarette useYouth Risk Behavior Surveillance SystemBehavior Surveillance SystemBlack adolescentsCurrent substance usersCondom useHIVSexual partnersTesting behaviorInfluence testing behaviourPreventive health measuresSubstance usersSubstance useAdolescentsOddsPredictorsRegression modelsAgeSexMaleA Nationally Representative Analysis of Substance Use and Sexual Health Correlates Associated with HIV and STI Testing among Adolescents
Weerakoon S, Srikanth N, Aivadyan C, Takenaka B, Rose R, Rutledge J, Wan X, Opara I. A Nationally Representative Analysis of Substance Use and Sexual Health Correlates Associated with HIV and STI Testing among Adolescents. AIDS And Behavior 2024, 29: 919-932. PMID: 39661294, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04575-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchOdds of HIVSTI testingYouth Risk Behavior Surveillance SystemIncreased odds of HIVSexual healthIncreased oddsCDC's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance SystemOdds of HIV testingStepwise multivariate logistic regression modelsSubstance use behaviorsLifetime cocaine useSubstance useMultivariate logistic regression modelNationally representative analysisBehavior Surveillance SystemLogistic regression modelsPrescription drug misuseHIV/STI testingTailored HIVHIV testingSex of sexual partnersUnited StatesCocaine useHealth correlatesTesting servicesApplying a community‐engaged participatory machine learning model
Asabor E, Aneni K, Weerakoon S, Opara I. Applying a community‐engaged participatory machine learning model. American Journal Of Community Psychology 2024, 74: 262-268. PMID: 39279135, DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12765.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHealth researchCommunity psychologistsPublic health researchExperiences of peopleStructural humilityHealth inequalitiesHealth careCommunity stakeholdersPriority settingMachine learning techniquesTarget populationCommunity contextHealthLived experienceImprove outcomesCommunity insightsLearning techniquesProblem formationPsychologistsPositive membersStage of machine learningMachine learning researchCommunityDecision-makingCare