Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD, MHS
Associate Dean for Health Equity Research and C.N.H. Long Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine), of Epidemiology (Chronic Disease) and of Public Health (Social And Behavioral Sciences) & Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine)Cards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Founding Director, Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC), Yale School of Medicine
Director, Center for Research Engagement (CRE)
Director, Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity
Deputy Director for Health Equity Research and Workforce Development, Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI)
Director, Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership
Publications Overview
- 107 Publications
- 4,002 Citations
- 73 Yale Co-Authors
Appointments
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Founding Director, Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC), Yale School of Medicine
Director, Center for Research Engagement (CRE)
Director, Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity
Deputy Director for Health Equity Research and Workforce Development, Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI)
Director, Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership
Publications Overview
- 107 Publications
- 4,002 Citations
- 73 Yale Co-Authors
Appointments
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Founding Director, Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC), Yale School of Medicine
Director, Center for Research Engagement (CRE)
Director, Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity
Deputy Director for Health Equity Research and Workforce Development, Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI)
Director, Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership
Publications Overview
- 107 Publications
- 4,002 Citations
- 73 Yale Co-Authors
About
Titles
Associate Dean for Health Equity Research and C.N.H. Long Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine), of Epidemiology (Chronic Disease) and of Public Health (Social And Behavioral Sciences) & Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine)
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Founding Director, Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC), Yale School of Medicine; Director, Center for Research Engagement (CRE); Director, Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity; Deputy Director for Health Equity Research and Workforce Development, Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI); Director, Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership
Biography
Dr. Nunez-Smith is Inaugural Associate Dean for Health Equity Research; C.N.H Long Professor of Internal Medicine, Public Health, and Management; Founding Director of the Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC); Director of the Center for Research Engagement (CRE); Associate Cancer Center Director for Community Outreach and Engagement at Yale Cancer Center; Chief Health Equity Officer at Smilow Cancer Hospital; Deputy Director for Health Equity Research and Workforce Development at the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation; Core Faculty in the National Clinician Scholars Program; Research Faculty in the Global Health Leadership Initiative; Director of the Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership; and Co-Director of the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship.
Dr. Nunez-Smith’s research focuses on promoting health and healthcare equity for structurally marginalized populations with an emphasis on centering community engagement, supporting healthcare workforce diversity and development, developing patient reported measurements of healthcare quality, and identifying regional strategies to reduce the global burden of non-communicable diseases. Dr. Nunez-Smith has extensive expertise in examining the effects of social and structural determinants of health, systemic influences contributing to health disparities, health equity improvement, and community-academic partnered scholarship. In addition to primary data collection, management, and analysis, ERIC has institutional expertise in qualitative and mixed methods, population health, and medical informatics.
Dr. Nunez-Smith is the principal investigator on many NIH and foundation-funded research projects, including an NIH-funded project to develop a tool to assess patient reported experiences of discrimination in healthcare. She has conducted an investigation of the promotion and retention of diversity in academic medical school faculty and has published numerous articles on the experiences of minority students and faculty. Funded by NIH/NIMHD, she established the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN), a research collaborative across four Eastern Caribbean islands, supporting several chronic disease research projects and enhancing health outcomes research and leadership capacity in the region; the flagship ECHORN Cohort Study recruited and is following a community-dwelling adult cohort (n=3000) to examine novel chronic disease risk and protective factors. She received NIH/NHLBI funding to build upon this work by recruiting children into an expanded intergenerational ECHORN cohort, inclusive of a biorepository. She is also PI on one of five NIH/NIMHD-funded Transdisciplinary Collaborative Centers on Health Disparities focused on Precision Medicine which leverages the ECHORN infrastructure to conduct collaborative research on hypertension and diabetes.
Most recently, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shed national attention on the health and healthcare disparities of marginalized populations, she received NIH funding to leverage ECHORN to improve the COVID-19 testing cascade in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Further, she was called upon to chair the Governor’s ReOpen CT Advisory Group Community Committee and was subsequently named co-chair of the Biden-Harris Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board. She served as Senior Advisor to the White House COVID-19 Response and Chair of the Presidential COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Dr. Nunez-Smith has mentored dozens of trainees since completing fellowship and has received numerous awards for teaching and mentoring. An elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Nunez-Smith is board certified in internal medicine, having completed residency training at Harvard University’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and fellowship at the Yale Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program, where she also received a Masters in Health Sciences.
Originally from the US Virgin Islands, she attended Jefferson Medical College, where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, and she earned a BA in Biological Anthropology and Psychology at Swarthmore College.
Appointments
Office of the Dean, School of Medicine
Associate DeanDualGeneral Internal Medicine
ProfessorPrimaryChronic Disease Epidemiology
ProfessorSecondarySocial and Behavioral Sciences
ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Cancer Prevention and Control
- Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity (CEHE)
- Chronic Disease Epidemiology
- Climate Change and Health
- Dean's Advisory Council for LGBTQI Affairs
- Diabetes Research Center
- Directories
- Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC)
- General Internal Medicine
- Global Health Studies
- Internal Medicine
- MORE
- Obesity Research Working Group
- Office of Health Equity Research
- Office of the Dean, School of Medicine
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Yale Cancer Center
- Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI)
- Yale Center for Implementation Science (YCIS)
- Yale Institute for Global Health
- Yale Medicine
- Yale Medicine Outlist
- Yale School of Public Health
- Yale TCC
- Yale Ventures
- Yale-New Haven Hospital Primary Care Center
- YCC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Education & Training
- MHS
- Yale University
- Post-doctoral Fellow
- Yale University School of Medicine
- Resident
- Brigham & Women's Hospital
- Chief Resident
- Veteran Affairs Medical Center, West Roxbury
- Intern
- Brigham & Women’s Hospital
- MD
- Jefferson Medical College
- BA
- Swarthmore College
Research
Overview
Medical Research Interests
Public Health Interests
ORCID
0000-0003-2797-4756- View Lab Website
Equity Research and Innovation Center
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Leslie Curry, PhD, MPH
Harlan Krumholz, MD, SM
Josefa L. Martinez, PhD, MHS
Mayur M. Desai, PhD, MPH, FACE
Carol Oladele, PhD, MPH
Karen Wang, MD, MHS
Healthcare Disparities
Caribbean Region
COVID-19
Socioeconomic Factors
Chronic Disease
Internal Medicine
Publications
2024
Supporting diversity in clinical trials: the equitable breakthroughs in medicine site maturity model
Harris T, Nunez-Smith M, Suttiratana S, Fretz S, Leonard S, Linnander E, Curry L. Supporting diversity in clinical trials: the equitable breakthroughs in medicine site maturity model. Trials 2024, 25: 764. PMID: 39543751, PMCID: PMC11566401, DOI: 10.1186/s13063-024-08594-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSocial determinants of healthQuantitative self-report dataDeterminants of healthCommunity engagementHealth care providersRepresentation of diverse populationsSelf-reported dataSocial determinantsCare providersContent validityPotential participantsClinical trial capabilitiesClinical trial diversityDiverse populationsInclusion of diverse participantsClinical trialsAssessment of capabilitiesTrial infrastructureDiverse participantsU.S. sitesClinical researchAbstract BackgroundParticipantsDiversity effortsStructural assessmentDisentangling gender, sex, and biology: a mixed methods study of gender identity data collection tools
Alpert A, Hernandez T, Ruddick R, Manzano C, Adams S, Rivers L, Ramos-Pibernus A, Sevelius J, Poteat T, Obedin-Maliver J, Cicero E, Radix A, Lett E, Operario D, Chapman B, Wittink M, Cupertino A, Murchison G, Nunez-Smith M, Cartujano-Barrera F. Disentangling gender, sex, and biology: a mixed methods study of gender identity data collection tools. Patient Education And Counseling 2024, 130: 108473. PMID: 39471780, DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2024.108473.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTGD peopleGender identity questionTGD participantsConflation of sexConcepts of sexIdentical questionsTGD adultsGender identityCommunity membersTGDContextual factorsQualitative dataGenderDecrease stigmaPeopleData collection toolTemplate analysisQuantitative dataAnalyzed quantitative dataCisgenderismCollective preferencesQuestionsTransgenderMedical careMixing methodDiagnostic experiences of Black and White patients with uterine cancer: A qualitative study
Britton M, Izampuye E, Clark M, Ornstein R, Nunez-Smith M, Wright J, Xu X. Diagnostic experiences of Black and White patients with uterine cancer: A qualitative study. Gynecologic Oncology 2024, 191: 67-73. PMID: 39362045, DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2024.09.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsDiagnosis of uterine cancerUterine cancerRacial disparitiesHealthcare systemSocial determinants of healthNon-Hispanic White (WhiteGynecologic careDeterminants of healthDiscriminatory experiencesSemi-structured interviewsPatient engagementSocial determinantsAcceptance of discomfortHealthcare accessPerceived barriersPatient experienceThematic analysisDiagnostic journeyQualitative studyAudio-recordedBlack respondentsWhite patientsNegative experiencesHealthcareStage II-IV diseaseUnderstanding Barriers and Facilitators to Disaster Preparedness in Federally Qualified Health Centers in the United States: A Mixed Methods Study
Hassan S, Wiciak M, Escobar K, del Mar González Montalvo M, Richards T, Villanueva H, Ortiz J, Evans D, Nunez-Smith M. Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Disaster Preparedness in Federally Qualified Health Centers in the United States: A Mixed Methods Study. Disaster Medicine And Public Health Preparedness 2024, 18: e138. PMID: 39291834, DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2024.102.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsFederally Qualified Health CentersNon-communicable diseasesMultiple non-communicable diseasesMixed-methods study designDisaster preparednessQualified Health CentersQualitative dataMixed methods studyMental health disordersQualitative in-depth interviewsKnowledge of disaster preparednessExperiences of staffHealth disparitiesIn-depth interviewsUnderstanding barriersHealth centersMethods studyHealth disordersStudy designPuerto RicoQuantitative surveyCareNarrative approachPreparednessPerceived gapPeripheral Arterial Disease prevalence and risk factors in the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) cohort
Adams O, Galusha D, Martinez-Brockman J, Morris E, Hassan S, Maharaj R, Nazario C, Nunez M, Nunez-Smith M. Peripheral Arterial Disease prevalence and risk factors in the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) cohort. PLOS ONE 2024, 19: e0306918. PMID: 39186495, PMCID: PMC11346651, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306918.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsEastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research NetworkAnkle brachial indexPeripheral arterial disease prevalencePeripheral arterial diseasePotential risk factorsSample of community-dwelling peopleRisk factorsCommunity-dwelling peopleAssociation of potential risk factorsFemale sexLower educational attainmentHistory of heart diseaseRisk factors of peripheral arterial diseaseCohort Study participantsAssociated with peripheral arterial diseaseHigh school educationHeart diseaseBody mass indexMultivariate logistic regressionOscillometric deviceAssociation of increasing ageSmoking statusYears of ageStudy participantsHeart disease historyPrevalence and correlates of alcohol use among the elderly in the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) cohort study
Ransome Y, Martinez-Brockman J, Galusha D, Thompson T, Adams O, Nazario C, Nunez M, Nunez-Smith M, Maharaj R. Prevalence and correlates of alcohol use among the elderly in the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) cohort study. Addictive Behaviors 2024, 153: 108001. PMID: 38447411, DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsEastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research NetworkCorrelates of alcohol useCohort studyAlcohol useAlcohol problemsBinge drinking daysResearch NetworkDrinking daysLogistic regression analysisDrinking statusDescriptive statisticsCollege educationReligious attendanceCaribbean peopleSample characteristicsAlcohol measuresLongitudinal studySchool educationReligious servicesRegression analysisDrinking problemsOddsAlcohol dependenceCohortPrevalenceThe Case for Data Visibility
Nunez-Smith M. The Case for Data Visibility. Daedalus 2024, 153: 18-20. DOI: 10.1162/daed_a_02046.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
The Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) Cohort Study: Design, Methods, and Baseline Characteristics
Thompson T, Desai M, Martinez-Brockman J, Tessier-Sherman B, Nunez M, Adams O, Nazario C, Maharaj R, Nunez-Smith M. The Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) Cohort Study: Design, Methods, and Baseline Characteristics. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health 2023, 21: 17. PMID: 38276805, PMCID: PMC10815461, DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21010017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsBlack-White differences in uterine cancer symptomatology and stage at diagnosis
Xu X, Chen L, Nunez-Smith M, Clark M, Ferris J, Hershman D, Wright J. Black-White differences in uterine cancer symptomatology and stage at diagnosis. Gynecologic Oncology 2023, 180: 118-125. PMID: 38091770, PMCID: PMC10922746, DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2023.11.029.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsAdvanced stage diagnosisWhite patientsPostmenopausal bleedingPatient characteristicsEnd Results-Medicare databaseBlack-white differencesBlack-White disparitiesBlack patientsUterine cancerCancer symptomsHigh riskPatientsAdvanced stageSymptomsDiagnosisCancer symptomatologyRegression modelsRiskLarge proportionBleedingHistologyCancerEpidemiologySymptomatologyMonthsRisk factors for household food insecurity in the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network cohort study
Martinez-Brockman J, Hromi-Fiedler A, Galusha D, Oladele C, Acosta L, Adams O, Maharaj R, Nazario C, Nunez M, Nunez-Smith M, Pérez-Escamilla R, Group O. Risk factors for household food insecurity in the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network cohort study. Frontiers In Public Health 2023, 11: 1269857. PMID: 38074748, PMCID: PMC10702572, DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1269857.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsEastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) Cohort StudyCohort studyRisk factorsHousehold food insecurityPrevalence of HHFIPopulation-based longitudinal cohort studyBivariate analysisCaribbean Food Security ScaleSex stratified analysisImportant risk factorLongitudinal cohort studyPotential risk factorsCohort study dataYears of ageSelf-rated physical healthEnvironmental risk factorsCross-sectional analysisHFI statusPrimary outcomeMultivariable analysisSmoking statusFood insecuritySevere food insecurityOrdinal logistic regressionStratified analysis
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Sight-saving Engagement and Evaluation in New Haven (SEEN) Program
HIC ID2000031731RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2022Recruiting Participants
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
honor Elected Member to the National Academy of Medicine
National AwardNational Academy of MedicineDetails10/18/2021United States
Clinical Care
Overview
Clinical Specialties
Yale Medicine News
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News
- November 21, 2024
Research Assessment Model Strives to Enhance Diversity in Clinical Trials
- October 22, 2024
Health Equity Summit Celebrates Achievements, Plans Future Solutions
- October 01, 2024
Connecticut Health Foundation launches advisory committee for statewide blueprint on maternal health equity
- September 17, 2024Source: The Associated Press
Yale Leaders Share Health-Equity Lessons Learned From COVID-19 Pandemic at Upcoming Summit