Debbie Humphries
PhD, MPH, MA
Instructor (Clinical); Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Research & Publications
Biography
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Research Summary
Dr. Humphries has a broad background in public health practice. She has consulting expertise in the areas of diet and physical activity behavior change, sustainability of community health programs, program monitoring and evaluation, and training in participatory monitoring and evaluation.
Dr. Humphries has research experience in relationships between nutritional deficiencies and infectious disease in resource-poor environments. She is interested in interdisciplinary research on nutrition, immune function, and disease.
Extensive Research Description
Dr. Humphries has a broad background in public health practice. She has consulting expertise in the areas of diet and physical activity behavior change, sustainability of community health programs, program monitoring and evaluation, and training in participatory monitoring and evaluation.
Dr. Humphries has research experience in relationships between nutritional deficiencies and infectious disease in resource-poor environments. She is interested in interdisciplinary research on nutrition, immune function, and disease.
Engaging with students in the classroom, on theses and internships provides Dr. Humphries with valuable insights and the opportunity to investigate different perspectives and approaches. She has supported students in conducting research in topics as varied as mapping access to health centers in Burkina Faso, developing a game for teaching communities about malaria transmission, mapping access to food and cigarettes in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and policy approaches to reducing the diabetes impact in India. She enjoys experimenting in the classroom with pedagogical methods that combine academic concepts with practical experience.
Relationship between hookworm infection, response to treatment, and nutritional status in school children in Ghana; measures of research capacity for community based organizations; impact of public health resource sharing on service cost and quality in Connecticut and Massachusetts
Coauthors
Research Interests
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Developing Countries; Ghana; HIV; Hookworm Infections; Malaria; Parasitology; Public Health; Vietnam; Global Health; Nutrition Policy
Public Health Interests
Community Health; Global Health; Health Care Management; HIV/AIDS; Infectious Diseases; Malaria; Nutrition; Parasitology; Community Engagement; Health Equity, Disparities, Social Determinants and Justice
Selected Publications
- Dogs and pigs are transport hosts of Necator americanus: Molecular evidence for a zoonotic mechanism of human hookworm transmission in Ghana.Boyko RH, Marie Harrison L, Humphries D, Galvani AP, Townsend JP, Otchere J, Wilson MD, Cappello M. Dogs and pigs are transport hosts of Necator americanus: Molecular evidence for a zoonotic mechanism of human hookworm transmission in Ghana. Zoonoses And Public Health 2020, 67: 474-483. PMID: 32529782, DOI: 10.1111/zph.12708.
- Are Household Expenditures on Food Groups Associated with Children's Future Heights in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam?Weingarten SE, Dearden KA, Crookston BT, Penny ME, Behrman JR, Humphries DL. Are Household Expenditures on Food Groups Associated with Children's Future Heights in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam? International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health 2020, 17 PMID: 32630270, PMCID: PMC7370180, DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17134739.
- Genetic Markers of Benzimidazole Resistance among Human Hookworms (Necator americanus) in Kintampo North Municipality, Ghana.Orr AR, Quagraine JE, Suwondo P, George S, Harrison LM, Dornas FP, Evans B, Caccone A, Humphries D, Wilson MD, Cappello M. Genetic Markers of Benzimidazole Resistance among Human Hookworms (Necator americanus) in Kintampo North Municipality, Ghana. The American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2019, 100: 351-356. PMID: 30734697, PMCID: PMC6367626, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0727.
- Critical Social and Cultural Influences on Eating in a Multiethnic Population of Working Women: It's Hard to Practice What You Know (P10-024-19).Dai J, Zulkefli NF, Moy FM, Keene D, Humphries D. Critical Social and Cultural Influences on Eating in a Multiethnic Population of Working Women: It's Hard to Practice What You Know (P10-024-19). Current Developments In Nutrition 2019, 3 PMID: 31224508, PMCID: PMC6574691, DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzz034.P10-024-19.
- In Ethiopia, India, and Peru, Household Expenditures on Fats Are More Strongly Associated with Children's Future Heights Than Expenditures on Other Food Groups (P10-006-19).Humphries D, Weingarten S, Dearden K, Crookston B, Penny M, Behrman J. In Ethiopia, India, and Peru, Household Expenditures on Fats Are More Strongly Associated with Children's Future Heights Than Expenditures on Other Food Groups (P10-006-19). Current Developments In Nutrition 2019, 3 PMID: 31223806, PMCID: PMC6573949, DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzz034.P10-006-19.
- Assessing Research Activity and Capacity of Community-Based Organizations: Refinement of the CREAT Instrument Using the Delphi Method.Humphries D, Ma M, Collins N, Ray N, Wat E, Bazelon J, Pettinelli J, Fiellin DA. Assessing Research Activity and Capacity of Community-Based Organizations: Refinement of the CREAT Instrument Using the Delphi Method. Journal Of Urban Health : Bulletin Of The New York Academy Of Medicine 2019, 96: 912-922. PMID: 31350725, PMCID: PMC6904697, DOI: 10.1007/s11524-019-00374-0.
- Detection of elder abuse: Exploring the potential use of the Elder Abuse Suspicion Index© by law enforcement in the field.Kurkurina E, Lange BCL, Lama SD, Burk-Leaver E, Yaffe MJ, Monin JK, Humphries D. Detection of elder abuse: Exploring the potential use of the Elder Abuse Suspicion Index© by law enforcement in the field. Journal Of Elder Abuse & Neglect 2018, 30: 103-126. PMID: 28956731, DOI: 10.1080/08946566.2017.1382413.
- Albendazole Treatment Improves Work Capacity in Women Smallholder Farmers Infected with Hookworm: A Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial.Salmon M, Salmon C, Masoda M, Salumu JM, Bozzi C, Nieburg P, Harrison LM, Humphries D, Abaca Uvon N, Wendel SK, Trout C, Cappello M. Albendazole Treatment Improves Work Capacity in Women Smallholder Farmers Infected with Hookworm: A Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial. The American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2018, 98: 1419-1426. PMID: 29611504, PMCID: PMC5953358, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0403.
- Cross-Jurisdictional Resource Sharing in Local Health Departments: Implications for Services, Quality, and Cost.Humphries DL, Hyde J, Hahn E, Atherly A, O'Keefe E, Wilkinson G, Eckhouse S, Huleatt S, Wong S, Kertanis J. Cross-Jurisdictional Resource Sharing in Local Health Departments: Implications for Services, Quality, and Cost. Frontiers In Public Health 2018, 6: 115. PMID: 29755964, PMCID: PMC5932147, DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00115.
- Effectiveness of Albendazole for Hookworm Varies Widely by Community and Correlates with Nutritional Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study of School-Age Children in Ghana.Humphries D, Nguyen S, Kumar S, Quagraine JE, Otchere J, Harrison LM, Wilson M, Cappello M. Effectiveness of Albendazole for Hookworm Varies Widely by Community and Correlates with Nutritional Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study of School-Age Children in Ghana. The American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2017, 96: 347-354. PMID: 27895280, PMCID: PMC5303035, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0682.
- Household food group expenditure patterns are associated with child anthropometry at ages 5, 8 and 12 years in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam.Humphries DL, Dearden KA, Crookston BT, Woldehanna T, Penny ME, Behrman JR. Household food group expenditure patterns are associated with child anthropometry at ages 5, 8 and 12 years in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam. Economics And Human Biology 2017, 26: 30-41. PMID: 28222325, PMCID: PMC5555831, DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2017.02.001.
- Does household access to improved water and sanitation in infancy and childhood predict better vocabulary test performance in Ethiopian, Indian, Peruvian and Vietnamese cohort studies?Dearden KA, Brennan AT, Behrman JR, Schott W, Crookston BT, Humphries DL, Penny ME, Fernald LC. Does household access to improved water and sanitation in infancy and childhood predict better vocabulary test performance in Ethiopian, Indian, Peruvian and Vietnamese cohort studies? BMJ Open 2017, 7: e013201. PMID: 28270388, PMCID: PMC5353302, DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013201.
- Children with access to improved sanitation but not improved water are at lower risk of stunting compared to children without access: a cohort study in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam.Dearden KA, Schott W, Crookston BT, Humphries DL, Penny ME, Behrman JR. Children with access to improved sanitation but not improved water are at lower risk of stunting compared to children without access: a cohort study in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam. BMC Public Health 2017, 17: 110. PMID: 28114914, PMCID: PMC5259877, DOI: 10.1186/s12889-017-4033-1.
- Diabetes knowledge and self-efficacy among rural women in Gujarat, India.Mehta NV, Trivedi M, Maldonado LE, Saxena D, Humphries DL. Diabetes knowledge and self-efficacy among rural women in Gujarat, India. Rural And Remote Health 2016, 16: 3629. PMID: 26976745.
- Indigenous Food Systems and Climate Change: Impacts of Climatic Shifts on the Production and Processing of Native and Traditional Crops in the Bolivian Andes.Keleman Saxena A, Cadima Fuentes X, Gonzales Herbas R, Humphries DL. Indigenous Food Systems and Climate Change: Impacts of Climatic Shifts on the Production and Processing of Native and Traditional Crops in the Bolivian Andes. Frontiers In Public Health 2016, 4: 20. PMID: 26973824, PMCID: PMC4776077, DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00020.
- Editorial: Food, Nature, and Health: Dueling Epistemologies.Humphries DL, Anderson MD, Venkatasubramanian P. Editorial: Food, Nature, and Health: Dueling Epistemologies. Frontiers In Public Health 2016, 4: 180. PMID: 27610360, PMCID: PMC4997043, DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00180.
- Acceptability and use of ready-to-use supplementary food compared to corn-soy blend as a targeted ration in an HIV program in rural Haiti: a qualitative study.Beckett AG, Humphries D, Jerome JG, Teng JE, Ulysse P, Ivers LC. Acceptability and use of ready-to-use supplementary food compared to corn-soy blend as a targeted ration in an HIV program in rural Haiti: a qualitative study. AIDS Research And Therapy 2016, 13: 11. PMID: 26893605, PMCID: PMC4757996, DOI: 10.1186/s12981-016-0096-9.
- How Connecticut health directors deal with public health budget cuts at the local level.Prust ML, Clark K, Davis B, Pallas SW, Kertanis J, O'Keefe E, Araas M, Iyer NS, Dandorf S, Platis S, Humphries D. How Connecticut health directors deal with public health budget cuts at the local level. American Journal Of Public Health 2015, 105 Suppl 2: S268-73. PMID: 25689206, PMCID: PMC4355696, DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302499.
- Resilience, stress, and life quality in older adults living with HIV/AIDS.Fang X, Vincent W, Calabrese SK, Heckman TG, Sikkema KJ, Humphries DL, Hansen NB. Resilience, stress, and life quality in older adults living with HIV/AIDS. Aging & Mental Health 2015, 19: 1015-21. PMID: 25633086, PMCID: PMC4520800, DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2014.1003287.
- Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Household Food Security and Child Anthropometry at Ages 5 and 8 Years in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam.Humphries DL, Dearden KA, Crookston BT, Fernald LC, Stein AD, Woldehanna T, Penny ME, Behrman JR. Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Household Food Security and Child Anthropometry at Ages 5 and 8 Years in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam. The Journal Of Nutrition 2015, 145: 1924-33. PMID: 26084361, PMCID: PMC4516765, DOI: 10.3945/jn.115.210229.
- Effects of Economic Conditions and Organizational Structure on Local Health Jurisdiction Revenue Streams and Personnel Levels in Connecticut, 2005-2012.Pallas SW, Kertanis J, O'Keefe E, Humphries DL. Effects of Economic Conditions and Organizational Structure on Local Health Jurisdiction Revenue Streams and Personnel Levels in Connecticut, 2005-2012. Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974) 2015, 130: 704-21. PMID: 26556942, PMCID: PMC4612179, DOI: 10.1177/003335491513000620.
- Boundary development in the field of international nutrition science.Centrone Stefani M, Humphries DL. Boundary development in the field of international nutrition science. Advances In Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) 2014, 5: 193-8. PMID: 24618761, PMCID: PMC3951802, DOI: 10.3945/an.113.004713.
- Households across all income quintiles, especially the poorest, increased animal source food expenditures substantially during recent Peruvian economic growth.Humphries DL, Behrman JR, Crookston BT, Dearden KA, Schott W, Penny ME. Households across all income quintiles, especially the poorest, increased animal source food expenditures substantially during recent Peruvian economic growth. PloS One 2014, 9: e110961. PMID: 25372596, PMCID: PMC4220962, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110961.
- In vitro screening of compounds against laboratory and field isolates of human hookworm reveals quantitative differences in anthelmintic susceptibility.Treger RS, Otchere J, Keil MF, Quagraine JE, Rai G, Mott BT, Humphries DL, Wilson M, Cappello M, Vermeire JJ. In vitro screening of compounds against laboratory and field isolates of human hookworm reveals quantitative differences in anthelmintic susceptibility. The American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2014, 90: 71-4. PMID: 24297811, PMCID: PMC3886431, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.12-0547.
- Application of a Poisson distribution quality control measure to the analysis of two human hookworm drug treatment studies in Ghana.Kotze AC, Dobson RJ, Humphries D, Wilson M, Cappello M. Application of a Poisson distribution quality control measure to the analysis of two human hookworm drug treatment studies in Ghana. International Journal For Parasitology. Drugs And Drug Resistance 2014, 4: 64-70. PMID: 24596670, PMCID: PMC3940077, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2014.01.001.
- Assessing research activity and capacity of community-based organizations: development and pilot testing of an instrument.Humphries DL, Carroll-Scott A, Mitchell L, Tian T, Choudhury S, Fiellin DA. Assessing research activity and capacity of community-based organizations: development and pilot testing of an instrument. Progress In Community Health Partnerships : Research, Education, And Action 2014, 8: 421-32. PMID: 25727974, DOI: 10.1353/cpr.2014.0067.
- Hookworm infection among school age children in Kintampo north municipality, Ghana: nutritional risk factors and response to albendazole treatment.Humphries D, Simms BT, Davey D, Otchere J, Quagraine J, Terryah S, Newton S, Berg E, Harrison LM, Boakye D, Wilson M, Cappello M. Hookworm infection among school age children in Kintampo north municipality, Ghana: nutritional risk factors and response to albendazole treatment. The American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2013, 89: 540-8. PMID: 23836564, PMCID: PMC3771297, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.12-0605.
- Portion size variably affects food intake of 6-year-old and 4-year-old children in Kunming, China.Smith L, Conroy K, Wen H, Rui L, Humphries D. Portion size variably affects food intake of 6-year-old and 4-year-old children in Kunming, China. Appetite 2013, 69: 31-8. PMID: 23702260, PMCID: PMC4319705, DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.05.010.
- Exploring culture in the world of international nutrition and nutrition sciences.Centrone Stefani M, Humphries DL. Exploring culture in the world of international nutrition and nutrition sciences. Advances In Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) 2013, 4: 536-8. PMID: 24038249, PMCID: PMC3771141, DOI: 10.3945/an.113.004218.
- Nutritional interventions in depression and perinatal depression.Rechenberg K, Humphries D. Nutritional interventions in depression and perinatal depression. The Yale Journal Of Biology And Medicine 2013, 86: 127-37. PMID: 23766734, PMCID: PMC3670433.
- The promise and pitfalls of mass drug administration to control intestinal helminth infections.Humphries D, Nguyen S, Boakye D, Wilson M, Cappello M. The promise and pitfalls of mass drug administration to control intestinal helminth infections. Current Opinion In Infectious Diseases 2012, 25: 584-9. PMID: 22903231, DOI: 10.1097/QCO.0b013e328357e4cf.
- Epidemiology of hookworm infection in Kintampo North Municipality, Ghana: patterns of malaria coinfection, anemia, and albendazole treatment failure.Humphries D, Mosites E, Otchere J, Twum WA, Woo L, Jones-Sanpei H, Harrison LM, Bungiro RD, Benham-Pyle B, Bimi L, Edoh D, Bosompem K, Wilson M, Cappello M. Epidemiology of hookworm infection in Kintampo North Municipality, Ghana: patterns of malaria coinfection, anemia, and albendazole treatment failure. The American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2011, 84: 792-800. PMID: 21540391, PMCID: PMC3083749, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.11-0003.
- Sustainability of NGO capacity building in southern Africa: successes and opportunities.Humphries D, Gomez L, Hartwig K. Sustainability of NGO capacity building in southern Africa: successes and opportunities. The International Journal Of Health Planning And Management 2011, 26: e85-101. PMID: 20556742, DOI: 10.1002/hpm.1029.
- Building capacity for AIDS NGOs in southern Africa: evaluation of a pilot initiative.Hartwig KA, Humphries D, Matebeni Z. Building capacity for AIDS NGOs in southern Africa: evaluation of a pilot initiative. Health Promotion International 2008, 23: 251-9. PMID: 18407925, DOI: 10.1093/heapro/dan013.
- Food, alcohol and cigarette availability and consumption in Almaty, Kazakstan: results and appraisal of a rapid assessment.Yim A, Humphries D, Abuova G. Food, alcohol and cigarette availability and consumption in Almaty, Kazakstan: results and appraisal of a rapid assessment. Public Health Nutrition 2003, 6: 791-800. PMID: 14641950, DOI: 10.1079/phn2003503.
- Focus groups on cardiovascular health in rural women: implications for practice.Krummel DA, Humphries D, Tessaro I. Focus groups on cardiovascular health in rural women: implications for practice. Journal Of Nutrition Education And Behavior 2002, 34: 38-46. PMID: 11917670, DOI: 10.1016/s1499-4046(06)60223-6.
- The use of human faeces for fertilizer is associated with increased intensity of hookworm infection in Vietnamese women.Humphries DL, Stephenson LS, Pearce EJ, The PH, Dan HT, Khanh LT. The use of human faeces for fertilizer is associated with increased intensity of hookworm infection in Vietnamese women. Transactions Of The Royal Society Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 1997, 91: 518-20. PMID: 9463654.
- Increased CD4+ T cell-dependent anti-erythrocyte antibody levels following the onset of parasite egg production in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice.Humphries D, Vella AT, Pearce EJ. Increased CD4+ T cell-dependent anti-erythrocyte antibody levels following the onset of parasite egg production in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. Parasite Immunology 1994, 16: 469-77. PMID: 7838596.
- Investigating the Relationship between Food Insecurity and Fertility Preferences in Tanzania.DiClemente K, Grace K, Kershaw T, Bosco E, Humphries D. Investigating the Relationship between Food Insecurity and Fertility Preferences in Tanzania. Maternal And Child Health Journal 2021, 25: 302-310. PMID: 33185825, PMCID: PMC7878326, DOI: 10.1007/s10995-020-03022-1.
- Emerging patterns of hookworm infection: influence of aging on the intensity of Necator infection in Hainan Province, People's Republic of China.Bethony J, Chen J, Lin S, Xiao S, Zhan B, Li S, Xue H, Xing F, Humphries D, Yan W, Chen G, Foster V, Hawdon JM, Hotez PJ. Emerging patterns of hookworm infection: influence of aging on the intensity of Necator infection in Hainan Province, People's Republic of China. Clinical Infectious Diseases : An Official Publication Of The Infectious Diseases Society Of America 2002, 35: 1336-44. PMID: 12439796, DOI: 10.1086/344268.
- Assessing community health research capacity across stakeholders: adapting a tool.Humphries D, Gupta R, Dukpa T, Wangmo D. Assessing community health research capacity across stakeholders: adapting a tool. Health Promotion International 2021, 36: 1198-1208. PMID: 33270872, DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daaa105.
- Using Positive Deviance to Understand the Uptake of Optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices by Mothers in an Urban Slum of Mumbai.D'Alimonte MR, Deshmukh D, Jayaraman A, Chanani S, Humphries DL. Using Positive Deviance to Understand the Uptake of Optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices by Mothers in an Urban Slum of Mumbai. Maternal And Child Health Journal 2016, 20: 1133-42. PMID: 26694045, DOI: 10.1007/s10995-015-1899-3.
- Nutrition and Infectious DiseasesHumphries, Debbie, Scott, Marilyn, Vermund, Sten H. Nutrition and Infectious Diseases: Shifting the Clinical Paradigm. 2021, Springer Nature, Switzerland.
- The Importance of Sociocultural Context When Choosing to Eat Healthier.Dai J, Zulkefli NF, Moy FM, Humphries DL. The Importance of Sociocultural Context When Choosing to Eat Healthier. Journal Of Nutrition Education And Behavior 2022, 54: 143-150. PMID: 34952802, DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2021.08.019.