Allison E. Gaffey, PhD
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Appointments
Contact Info
About
Titles
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine)
Biography
Allison E. Gaffey, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist within the Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, and a clinician investigator in cardiovascular medicine and women's health at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. Her research concerns the contributions of nontraditional factors - stress, sleep, trauma, and social determinants of health - to incident hypertension, cardiovascular disease and prognosis, comorbid psychiatric conditions, the pathophysiology underlying this risk, and determining associations that are unique to women. Other translational interests include developing and testing the efficacy and effectiveness of behavioral and integrated care interventions to improve cardiovascular health, related outcomes, and quality of life. Her clinical practice is focused on providing psychological and behavioral health services, education, and support to preventive and integrated care initiatives in cardiology.
Appointments
Cardiovascular Medicine
Assistant ProfessorPrimaryPsychiatry
InstructorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Advanced Fellowship in Women's Health (Research)
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System (2020)
- Clinical Fellowship
- Rush University Medical Center (2018)
- PhD
- University of Notre Dame
- Predoctoral Residency
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University (2016)
- MA
- University of Notre Dame
- BA
- University of Connecticut
Research
Overview
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
ORCID
0000-0002-2960-2772
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Sally Haskell, MD
Matthew Burg, PhD
James Dziura, MPH, PhD
Lori Bastian, MD, MPH
Jason Jonathon Sico, MD, MHS, FAHA, FAAN (Neurology), FANA, FACP
Cynthia Brandt, MD, MPH
Anxiety
Hypertension
Stress, Psychological
Depression
Sleep
Blood Pressure
Publications
Featured Publications
The Yale Roadmap for Health Psychology and Integrated Cardiovascular Care
Gaffey AE, Harris KM, Mena-Hurtado C, Sinha R, Jacoby DL, Smolderen KG. The Yale Roadmap for Health Psychology and Integrated Cardiovascular Care. Health Psychology 2022, 41: 779-791. PMID: 35201804, DOI: 10.1037/hea0001152.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsCardiovascular careCardiovascular diseaseHealth care systemRisk factorsBehavioural risk factor managementTraditional atherosclerotic risk factorsWagner's Chronic Care ModelCare systemAtherosclerotic risk factorsRisk factor managementChronic Care ModelCause of morbidityMental health burdenBehavioral risk factorsChronic cardiovascular diseaseHigh-intensity careAdverse health outcomesMental health disordersHealth psychologyEvidence-based approachComplex multimorbidityRisk patientsCardiovascular populationFactor managementChronic diseasesScreening for Psychological Distress and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Related Mortality
Gaffey AE, Gathright EC, Fletcher LM, Goldstein CM. Screening for Psychological Distress and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Related Mortality. Journal Of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation And Prevention 2022, 42: 404-415. PMID: 36342683, PMCID: PMC9646240, DOI: 10.1097/hcr.0000000000000751.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsIncident cardiovascular diseasePost-traumatic stress disorderCardiovascular diseasePsychological distressCVD preventionPsychosocial stressGeneral mental health symptomsCVD risk profilePast psychiatric diagnosisMental health servicesMental health symptomsHigh psychological distressCVD onsetProspective evidenceRelated mortalityPsychiatric diagnosisHealth servicesHealth symptomsRisk profileGreater riskStress disorderPractice recommendationsSelf-report instrumentDistressAdditional investigationMilitary sexual trauma and incident hypertension: a 16-year cohort study of young and middle-aged men and women
Gaffey AE, Rosman L, Sico JJ, Haskell SG, Brandt CA, Bathulapalli H, Han L, Dziura J, Skanderson M, Burg MM. Military sexual trauma and incident hypertension: a 16-year cohort study of young and middle-aged men and women. Journal Of Hypertension 2022, 40: 2307-2315. PMID: 35983872, DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000003267.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsIncident hypertensionRisk factorsPsychiatric disordersMultivariate Cox proportional hazards modelVeterans Health Administration dataGreater riskCox proportional hazards modelTrauma-related psychiatric disordersMiddle-aged veteransCardiovascular risk factorsBaseline blood pressureElevated cardiovascular riskLarge prospective cohortHealth Administration dataMiddle-aged menProportional hazards modelSex-specific analysesPosttraumatic stress disorderMilitary sexual traumaCardiovascular riskCohort studyProspective cohortBlood pressureTreatment attenuatesCardiovascular impactIntensive Behavioral Counseling in Cardiovascular Care Opportunities to Improve Health Equity
Vela A, Gaffey A, Carroll A, Cavanagh C, Brewer L, Hayman L, Burg M. Intensive Behavioral Counseling in Cardiovascular Care Opportunities to Improve Health Equity. JACC Advances 2023, 2: 100678. PMID: 38938497, PMCID: PMC11198138, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2023.100678.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricInsomnia and Early Incident Atrial Fibrillation: A 16‐Year Cohort Study of Younger Men and Women Veterans
Gaffey A, Rosman L, Lampert R, Yaggi H, Haskell S, Brandt C, Enriquez A, Mazzella A, Skanderson M, Burg M. Insomnia and Early Incident Atrial Fibrillation: A 16‐Year Cohort Study of Younger Men and Women Veterans. Journal Of The American Heart Association 2023, 12: e030331. PMID: 37791503, PMCID: PMC10757545, DOI: 10.1161/jaha.123.030331.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsObstructive sleep apneaIncident atrial fibrillationAtrial fibrillationHealth care utilizationSleep apneaAF onsetCohort studyCare utilizationAF riskMultivariate Cox proportional hazards modelVeterans Health Administration (VHA) careRisk of AFCox proportional hazards modelCases of AFEarly cardiovascular riskIncident AF riskAssociation of insomniaProportional hazards modelCommon sleep disorderPost-9/11 veteransElectronic health recordsAF incidenceCardiovascular riskClinical comorbiditiesLifestyle factorsStrengthening the Pillars of Cardiovascular Health: Psychological Health is a Crucial Component
Gaffey A, Rollman B, Burg M. Strengthening the Pillars of Cardiovascular Health: Psychological Health is a Crucial Component. Circulation 2024, 149: 641-643. PMID: 38408143, PMCID: PMC10924771, DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.123.066132.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricDepressive Symptoms and Incident Heart Failure in the Jackson Heart Study: Differential Risk Among Black Men and Women
Gaffey AE, Cavanagh CE, Rosman L, Wang K, Deng Y, Sims M, O’Brien E, Chamberlain AM, Mentz RJ, Glover LM, Burg MM. Depressive Symptoms and Incident Heart Failure in the Jackson Heart Study: Differential Risk Among Black Men and Women. Journal Of The American Heart Association 2022, 11: e022514. PMID: 35191315, PMCID: PMC9075063, DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.022514.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsIncident heart failureHigher depressive symptomsHF risk factorsHeart failureDepressive symptomsCause mortalityGreater riskLifestyle factorsRisk factorsCases of HFHistory of HFJackson Heart Study participantsSignificant depressive symptomsBaseline depressive symptomsJackson Heart StudyProportional hazards modelSex-specific associationsSex-specific managementCardiovascular outcomesUnadjusted associationsUnadjusted modelsHeart StudyHazards modelSymptomsStudy participantsPosttraumatic Stress Disorder, Antidepressant Use, and Hemorrhagic Stroke in Young Men and Women
Gaffey AE, Rosman L, Burg MM, Haskell SG, Brandt CA, Skanderson M, Dziura J, Sico JJ. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Antidepressant Use, and Hemorrhagic Stroke in Young Men and Women. Stroke 2020, 52: 121-129. PMID: 33297868, PMCID: PMC7770089, DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.120.030379.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderHemorrhagic strokeHealth care utilizationUse of SSRIsGreater riskSSRI useStroke riskCare utilizationStress disorderEffects of PTSDIncident hemorrhagic strokeMiddle-aged veteransModifiable risk factorsNon-pharmacological treatmentMultivariate Cox modelNorepinephrine reuptake inhibitorsOverall incidence rateHemorrhagic stroke riskSNRI useIncident strokeAntidepressant useReuptake inhibitorsComorbid conditionsLifestyle factorsPsychiatric comorbidityPerceived Stress, Subjective, and Objective Symptoms of Disturbed Sleep in Men and Women with Stable Heart Failure
Gaffey AE, Jeon S, Conley S, Jacoby D, Ash GI, Yaggi HK, O’Connell M, Linsky SJ, Redeker NS. Perceived Stress, Subjective, and Objective Symptoms of Disturbed Sleep in Men and Women with Stable Heart Failure. Behavioral Sleep Medicine 2020, 19: 363-377. PMID: 32394733, PMCID: PMC7658015, DOI: 10.1080/15402002.2020.1762601.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsDysfunctional beliefsCognitive abilitiesMental healthCognitive behavioral therapySymptom severitySleep disturbance questionnaireSleep disturbancesHF patientsSelf-reported sleep disturbanceHeart failurePerceived Stress ScaleBehavioral therapyInsomnia Severity IndexPerceived stressStress ScaleBaseline stressPittsburgh Sleep Quality IndexDisturbance QuestionnaireLower symptomsSleep Quality IndexNew York Heart Association classification ISF-36 mental healthSleep-related characteristicsStable heart failureSleep Scale
2024
Electronic Health Record Concordance with Survey-Reported Military Sexual Trauma Among Younger Veterans: Associations with Health Care Utilization and Mental Health Diagnoses
Gaffey A, Burg M, Skanderson M, Deviva J, Brandt C, Bastian L, Haskell S. Electronic Health Record Concordance with Survey-Reported Military Sexual Trauma Among Younger Veterans: Associations with Health Care Utilization and Mental Health Diagnoses. Journal Of Women's Health 2024 PMID: 38946553, DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2023.0993.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsElectronic health recordsHealth care utilizationAssociated with health care utilizationMilitary sexual traumaVeterans Health AdministrationCare utilizationPosttraumatic stress disorderVeteran health care utilizationMental health visitsPrimary care utilizationMental health diagnosesCross-sectional associationsService-related characteristicsPost-9/11 veteransSexual traumaLikelihood of posttraumatic stress disorderEHR screensPrimary careVHA careHealth visitsOlder veteransHealth recordsYounger veteransDepression diagnosisExperience MST
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
activity Reviewer
Journal ServiceJAMA Network OpenDetails2023 - Presentactivity Reviewer
Journal ServiceAmerican Heart JournalDetails03/01/2024 - Presentactivity Reviewer
Journal ServiceAmerican Journal of Preventive MedicineDetails2020 - Presentactivity Reviewer
Journal ServiceHealth PsychologyDetails2018 - Presentactivity Reviewer
Journal ServicePsychosomatic MedicineDetails2018 - Present
Links & Media
News
- May 20, 2024
Meet Yale Internal Medicine: Allison Gaffey, PhD
- April 15, 2024Source: Everyday Health
Exercise May Improve Heart Health by Reducing Stress
- February 13, 2024Source: Yale Medicine
Yes, Stress Can Hurt Your Heart: 3 Things to Know
- January 07, 2024
Psychological Factors Impact Cardiovascular Health