Adjunct Faculty
Adjunct faculty typically have an academic or research appointment at another institution and contribute or collaborate with one or more School of Medicine faculty members or programs.
Adjunct rank detailsRoman Shrestha, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor AdjunctDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Assistant Professor Adjunct
Biography
Dr. Shrestha is an Assistant Professor Adjunct at the Yale School of Medicine’s AIDS program. He is the Principal Investigator on the National Institute of Health funded K01 (NIDA: K01DA051346), R21 (NIDA: R21DA051934), and R21/R33 (FIC: R21TW011665) awards. His research has largely centered on enhancing the design, delivery, and placement of interventions that integrates evidence-based behavioral approach, biomedical components, and innovative use of mHealth strategies, aimed at improving health outcomes and the quality of life of underserved populations. Specifically, he is interested in syndemics of health issues that have profound implications for access to and utilization of healthcare services and overall HIV prevention efforts in a range of settings, including community and healthcare, addiction treatment, and criminal justice settings, both domestically and internationally. His current work focuses on reducing the HIV epidemic that disproportionately affects socioeconomically disadvantaged (i.e., drug users) and sexual minority group (i.e., men who have sex with men) using mHealth technologies as an innovative platform to scale-up prevention efforts.
Last Updated on April 19, 2025.
Appointments
Infectious Diseases
Assistant Professor AdjunctPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Research Associate
- University of Connecticut (2019)
- PhD
- University of Connecticut, Public Health (2017)
- MPH
- University of Connecticut, Public Health (2013)
Research
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Overview
Public Health Interests
Substance Use, Addiction; Behavioral Health; Clinical Trials; Community Health; Global Health; Health Equity, Disparities, Social Determinants and Justice; HIV/AIDS; Sexually-Transmitted Infections
ORCID
0000-0003-4340-3101
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Roman Shrestha's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Roman Shrestha's research output by year.
Jeffrey A. Wickersham, PhD
Frederick Lewis Altice, MD, MA
Kamal Gautam
Kiran Paudel
Zhao Ni, PhD, BMedSci, RN, FAAN, FAHA
Sheela Shenoi, MD, MPH, FIDSA
136Publications
2,506Citations
Publications
2025
Exploring perceived and enacted stigma with related factors among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Nepal
Sujan M, Khati A, Paudel K, Gautam K, Pandey A, Sharma S, Dhakal M, Wickersham J, Shrestha R. Exploring perceived and enacted stigma with related factors among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Nepal. Sexual Health 2025, 22 PMID: 40977232, DOI: 10.1071/sh25031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsEnacted stigmaPatient Health Questionnaire-9Stigma reduction initiativesCross-sectional studyMultivariate linear regression analysisSleep Quality ScaleStigma ScalePerceived stigmaBackground StigmaExploratory factor analysisComprehensive interventionDepressive symptomsGBMSMStigmaAnal sexLinear regression analysisGroup sexOlder individualsSexual behaviorAssociated FactorsTransactional sexWell-beingReduction initiativesParticipantsQuality scalePrevalence and determinants of excessive daytime sleepiness among men who have sex with men in Nepal: A cross-sectional study
Paudel K, Gautam K, Sharma M, Wickersham J, Sujan S, Ha T, Copenhaver M, Adhikari T, Shrestha R. Prevalence and determinants of excessive daytime sleepiness among men who have sex with men in Nepal: A cross-sectional study. Medicine 2025, 104: e42341. PMID: 40760630, PMCID: PMC12323900, DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000042341.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPrevalence of excessive daytime sleepinessSocial supportDepressive symptomsPatient Health QuestionnaireExcessive daytime sleepinessConfidence intervalsHealth care providersCross-sectional surveySevere depressive symptomsStrong social supportMiddle-income countriesCross-sectional studyModerate prevalenceFactors associated with excessive daytime sleepinessCare providersHealth QuestionnaireMultivariate logistic regression analysisPHQ-9Public health concernEffective careLogistic regression analysisHigher oddsStudy participantsMSMOdds ratioPrevalence of chemsex and associated factors among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Nepal: findings from an online national survey
Paudel K, Gautam K, Pandey A, Bhandari P, Wickersham J, Dhakal M, Sujan M, Acharya B, Sapkota S, Shrestha A, Shrestha R. Prevalence of chemsex and associated factors among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Nepal: findings from an online national survey. Scientific Reports 2025, 15: 23087. PMID: 40603540, PMCID: PMC12222907, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-92449-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMultiple sex partnersAssociated with risky sexual behaviorSex partnersSexual health servicesRisky sexual behaviorFactors associated with engagementChemsex engagementMental health carePrevalence of chemsexGBMSMCross-sectional online surveyChemsexNational surveyCondomless sexHealth servicesMultivariate logistic regressionSexual behaviorHealth careNepalDepressive symptomsLogistic regressionOnline surveyEngagementMenPartnersDeterminants of loss to follow-up among people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy in a universal test and treat setting: A retrospective cohort study in Nepal
Shrestha A, Poudel L, Adhikari B, Bhandari S, Shrestha R, Kunwar R, Pandey L, KC M, Wilson E, Deuba K. Determinants of loss to follow-up among people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy in a universal test and treat setting: A retrospective cohort study in Nepal. Public Health In Practice 2025, 10: 100634. PMID: 40688743, PMCID: PMC12272902, DOI: 10.1016/j.puhip.2025.100634.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsLoss to follow-upFactors associated with loss to follow-upAntiretroviral therapyIncidence rateCumulative incidence of loss to follow-upRisk of loss to follow-upIncidence of loss to follow-upPerson years of observationFactors associated with higher oddsUniversal testingConfidence intervalsRoutine programme dataRate of loss to follow-upCumulative incidenceIncidence rate of loss to follow-upFollow-upWHO clinical stage 1Early adverse drug reactionsCox proportional hazards regression modelsMultivariate Cox proportional hazards regression modelsProportional hazards regression modelsNon-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitorsClinical stage 1Started antiretroviral therapyHazards regression modelsAn Evaluation a PrEP-Focused HIV Prevention Intervention Tailored for Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder and Cognitive Dysfunction
Mistler C, Huedo-Medina T, Shrestha R, Gunstad J, Zelenev A, Copenhaver M. An Evaluation a PrEP-Focused HIV Prevention Intervention Tailored for Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder and Cognitive Dysfunction. Neuropsychiatric Disease And Treatment 2025, 21: 1235-1248. PMID: 40584207, PMCID: PMC12205702, DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s490266.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsHIV risk behaviorsImprove HIV prevention effortsRisk behaviorsHIV prevention outcomesHIV prevention effortsPre-exposure prophylaxisExperimental group participantsCognitive dysfunctionRandomized Controlled TrialsLongitudinal regression analysisPrEP knowledgeIntervention tailoringPrEP outcomesIntervention effectsAdherence skillsPrevention outcomesOpioid use disorderGroup participantsPrevention effortsCompensatory strategiesCondom skillsMOUD patientsOutcome variablesInterventionMOUDNon-fatal Overdose and Associated Factors Among People Who Use Opioids: Findings From a Cross-sectional Study
Sujan M, Wickersham J, Khati A, Paudel K, Gautam K, Liautaud D, Crim H, Thapa A, Copenhaver M, Shrestha R. Non-fatal Overdose and Associated Factors Among People Who Use Opioids: Findings From a Cross-sectional Study. Journal Of Community Health 2025, 50: 912-921. PMID: 40381076, DOI: 10.1007/s10900-025-01480-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsNon-fatal overdoseOpioid dependenceCross-sectional studySuicidal ideationHistory of opioid useOpioid overdoseAlcohol use disorderNon-fatal opioid overdoseMental health symptomsAge of participantsParticipants self-reportedHarm reduction interventionsSocio-demographic characteristicsOpioid useEffective prevention strategiesUse disorderDepressive symptomsTargeted harm reduction interventionsHealth symptomsMultivariate logistic regression analysisLogistic regression analysisReduction interventionsOlder participantsCross-sector collaborationRisk of overdoseCorrelates of never testing for HIV among men who have sex with men in Nepal
Paudel K, Gautam K, Pandey A, Bhandari P, Dhakal M, Sujan S, Wickersham J, Shrestha R. Correlates of never testing for HIV among men who have sex with men in Nepal. PLOS Global Public Health 2025, 5: e0004432. PMID: 40354346, PMCID: PMC12068604, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0004432.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsSexually transmitted infectionsHIV testingRespondent-driven samplingIncrease HIV testing ratesHIV self-test kitsHIV testing ratesMulti-level barriersHIV self-testingDiagnosis of sexually transmitted infectionsSelf-test kitsTransactional sexPre-exposure prophylaxisHigh-risk sexual behaviorTested HIVParticipant characteristicsClinical servicesHigher oddsTargeted interventionsTesting ratesCondomless sexHIV transmissionMSMTreatment of HIVHIVPerceived importanceOral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) receipt and persistence among opioid-dependent people who inject drugs initiating PrEP for HIV prevention
Khati A, Copenhaver M, Xu R, Altice F, Wickersham J, Gautam K, Paudel K, Shrestha R. Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) receipt and persistence among opioid-dependent people who inject drugs initiating PrEP for HIV prevention. Journal Of Substance Use And Addiction Treatment 2025, 173: 209693. PMID: 40222706, PMCID: PMC12477707, DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2025.209693.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsOpioid-dependent PWIDPre-exposure prophylaxisPrEP prescriptionPrEP useInjected drugsOral pre-exposure prophylaxisBehaviours related to sexFollow-up periodOpioid dependencePrEP continuum of careAssociated with higher persistenceFactors associated with persistenceMultivariable ordinal logistic regressionOpioid-dependent peopleDrug useAssess sociodemographic characteristicsPrEP persistenceRelated to sexHIV outbreakContinuum of careEarly 40sParticipantsPrEP continuumHIV preventionHIVPatterns of Alcohol Use and Daily Smoking Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Nepal
Paudel K, Gautam K, Hossain Sujan M, Adhikari P, Bhusal S, Wickersham J, Bhakta K, Sapkota S, Dhakal M, Adhikari T, Shrestha R. Patterns of Alcohol Use and Daily Smoking Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Nepal. Journal Of Community Health 2025, 50: 638-645. PMID: 40042735, DOI: 10.1007/s10900-025-01456-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPatterns of alcohol useAlcohol useDaily smokingAssociated with alcohol useElevated risk of adverse health outcomesRisk of adverse health outcomesPolice detentionSex workHistory of drug useSmoking cessation programAdverse health outcomesCondomless sexDrug useMultivariate logistic regression analysisHealth outcomesBagmati ProvinceLogistic regression analysisNepalCessation programsMSMElevated riskSmokingMenIndependent correlatesRegression analysisHIV risk perception and problematic alcohol use among urban slum residents in Bangladesh: findings from a cross-sectional survey
Sujan S, Sikder T, Siddique A, Hossain J, Hossen I, Saikat E, Uddin M, Keya S, Paudel K, Gautam K, Ha T, Shrestha R. HIV risk perception and problematic alcohol use among urban slum residents in Bangladesh: findings from a cross-sectional survey. AIDS Care 2025, 37: 1076-1084. PMID: 40043190, PMCID: PMC12213132, DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2025.2473941.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsHIV risk perceptionUrban slum residentsProblematic alcohol useSexually transmitted infectionsAlcohol useSlum residentsHigh HIV risk perceptionRisk perceptionHistory of sexually transmitted infectionsPoor mental healthUrban slum settingsParticipants' mean ageCross-sectional surveyGlobal public health issueCross-sectional studyDecreased alcohol usePublic health issueMultivariate linear regression analysisHIV perceptionMental healthSlum settingsHIV epidemicHealth issuesUrban slumsLinear regression analysis
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
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Activities
activity mHealth App Development for HIV prevention
03/01/2020 - PresentResearchDetailsKuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysiaactivity Expanding PrEP access to PWID (EPIC-P)
01/06/2020 - PresentResearchDetailsNew Haven, CT, United States
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