Shayna Cunningham, MHS, PhD
Assistant Professor AdjunctDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Assistant Professor Adjunct
Biography
Shayna Cunningham, PhD, is a Research Scientist in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at the Yale School of Public Health. Working in both the private sector and in academic settings, she has been engaged in education, advocacy, and scholarship with the goal of promoting deeper understanding of the fundamental determinants of sexual and reproductive health disparities as well as solutions to reduce or eliminate them. She has led and collaborated on a wide variety of applied research projects focused on the multilevel factors that influence individuals' health behaviors and outcomes. Her areas of expertise include the use of mixed methods research design, implementation science, and program and policy development and evaluation. She has extensive experience working in multi-disciplinary teams, and collaborating with individuals from government, the private-sector, community-based organizations, and academic institutions.
Departments & Organizations
- Obesity Research Working Group
- Yale School of Public Health - NEW
Education & Training
- PhD
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2007)
- MHS
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2002)
Research
Overview
Dr. Cunningham is currently the Principal Investigator for an evaluation, funded by Merck for Mothers, on the use of community health workers to improve outcomes among pregnant women with chronic disease in three United States cities and a co-investigator for Yale's Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (PLUS) Research Consortium. Recent past projects include a United Health Foundation-sponsored initiative to develop and implement an innovative group prenatal care model and assess its impact on perinatal outcomes and healthcare costs and a Health Resources and Services Administration-funded study aimed at describing patterns and identifying multi-level factors that impact variation in utilization and costs of maternity services.
Public Health Interests
Health Equity, Disparities, Social Determinants and Justice; Mental Health; Reproduction; Community Health; Aging; Chronic Diseases
ORCID
0000-0001-8876-9962
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Shayna Cunningham's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Shayna Cunningham's research output by year.
Jeannette Ickovics, PhD
Jessica Lewis, PhD, LMFT
Leslie M. Rickey, MD, MPH
Ashley Hagaman, PhD, MPH
Claire Masters, MS, PMP
Deepa Camenga, MD, MHS, FAAP
13Publications
99Citations
Publications
2024
Bladder Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs among US Adolescent Women
Camenga D, Brady S, Bilger A, Klusaritz H, Lipman T, Levin E, Brown O, Cunningham S, LaCoursiere D, James A, Gahagan S, Hebert-Beirne J, Low L, Brubaker L, Mueller E, Acevedo-Alvarez M, Fitzgerald C, Hardacker C, Hebert-Beirne J, Griffith J, Kenton K, Simon M, Brown O, Geynisman-Tan J, Mueller M, Markland A, Vaughan C, Coyne-Beasley T, Burgio K, Lewis C, McGwin G, Williams B, Lukacz E, LaCoursiere D, Gahagan S, Nodora J, Low L, Miller J, Smith A, McGwin G, Rudser K, Brady S, Fok C, Harlow B, Scal P, Rockwood T, Newman D, Smith A, Berry A, Bilger A, Lipman T, Klusaritz H, Stapleton A, Wyman J, Sutcliffe S, James A, Lowder J, Meister M, Rickey L, Camenga D, Cunningham S, Brubaker L, Bethesda, Norton J. Bladder Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs among US Adolescent Women. Journal Of Pediatric And Adolescent Gynecology 2024 PMID: 39374689, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpag.2024.09.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPrevention of Lower Urinary Tract SymptomsPrevent lower urinary tract symptomsLower urinary tract symptomsBladder healthUrinary tract symptomsFocus groupsData related to knowledgeWomen's overall healthQuality of lifeExposure to formal educationRelated to knowledgeHealthy behaviorsWomen's knowledgeEnvironmental barriersPreventive interventionsHealth knowledgeOverall healthInductive approachLife courseHealthBladder functionLack of informationAdolescent womenStigmaBladderExploring women's bladder self‐care practices: A qualitative secondary analysis
Wyman J, Burgio K, Newman D, Cunningham S, Hebert‐Beirne J, Low L, Meister M, Stapleton A, Gahagan S, Williams B, Consortium T. Exploring women's bladder self‐care practices: A qualitative secondary analysis. Journal Of Advanced Nursing 2024 PMID: 38864346, DOI: 10.1111/jan.16257.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsSelf-care practicesStandards for Reporting Qualitative ResearchBladder healthPrevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Research ConsortiumWomen's experiencesHealth promotion interventionsSemi-structured discussion groupsReporting Qualitative ResearchPromote bladder healthSelf-care behaviorsPublic health professionalsSocial ecological modelQualitative secondary analysisPublic health messagesPelvic floor musclesFocus group studyPromotion interventionsPhysical activityHealth professionalsNational Institute of DiabetesHealth messagesFocus groupsAdult women's experiencesSecondary analysisCommunity-dwelling adult womenBuilding Community Engagement Capacity in a Transdisciplinary Population Health Research Consortium.
James A, Nodora J, Maki J, Harlow B, Low L, Coyne-Beasley T, Cunningham S, El-Fahmawi A, Klusaritz H, Lipman T, Simon M, Hebert-Beirne J. Building Community Engagement Capacity in a Transdisciplinary Population Health Research Consortium. Journal Of Community Engagement And Scholarship 2024, 16: 10. PMID: 39055611, PMCID: PMC11271685, DOI: 10.54656/jces.v16i2.496.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsCommunity engagementCommunity-engaged research approachCommunity-engaged researchNational Institutes of HealthEngagement capacityInstitutes of HealthResearch translationLong-term engagementResearch ConsortiumImpact of findingsResearch prioritiesMarginalized populationsNational InstituteResearch qualityConsortium membersBuilding momentumEngagementCommunityConsortiumResearch approachHealthStrategic planningIncreasing inclusionReal-life situationsReciprocal engagementAssociation between mindful and practical eating skills and eating behaviors among racially diverse pregnant women in four selected clinical sites in the United States.
Carandang R, Epel E, Radin R, Lewis J, Ickovics J, Cunningham S. Association between mindful and practical eating skills and eating behaviors among racially diverse pregnant women in four selected clinical sites in the United States. Nutrition And Health 2024, 2601060241246353. PMID: 38584400, DOI: 10.1177/02601060241246353.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsEating skillsEating behaviorsEmotional eatingNutritional intakePregnant womenQuality of nutritional intakeRacially diverse pregnant womenClinical sitesDiverse pregnant womenPregnant woman's abilityMethods:</b> ParticipantsHunger cuesHealthy eatingResidual change scoresChange scoresMyPlateFood diariesPredicted emotional eatingMindful eatingLogistic regressionWomen's abilityRegular useThird trimesterEatingPregnancyDiscrimination and perinatal depressive symptoms: The protective role of social support and resilience
Masters C, Lewis J, Hagaman A, Thomas J, Carandang R, Ickovics J, Cunningham S. Discrimination and perinatal depressive symptoms: The protective role of social support and resilience. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2024, 354: 656-661. PMID: 38484882, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.03.039.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsPerinatal depressive symptomsGroup prenatal careAdverse effects of discriminationSocial supportDepressive symptomsPrenatal careEffects of discriminationPregnant peopleAssociated with less depressive symptomsAssociated with depressive symptomsEffect of social supportModerating effect of social supportHigh social supportLess depressive symptomsPerinatal depressionSocial determinantsMonths postpartumLinear regression modelsSelf-report measuresPostpartum periodTrimester of pregnancyPostpartumPsychological factorsRegression modelsCareGroup prenatal care successes, challenges, and frameworks for scaling up: a case study in adopting health care innovations
Masters C, Carandang R, Lewis J, Hagaman A, Metrick R, Ickovics J, Cunningham S. Group prenatal care successes, challenges, and frameworks for scaling up: a case study in adopting health care innovations. Implementation Science Communications 2024, 5: 20. PMID: 38439113, PMCID: PMC10913654, DOI: 10.1186/s43058-024-00556-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsGroup prenatal carePrenatal careGroup prenatal care sessionsLeadership buy-inQuality of careHealth care innovationsNon-adoptersFocus group discussionsOrganization-wide goalsCare implementationCare innovationsIntervention designCare sessionsCase study approachImprovement initiativesTransformative changeAdministrative dataHealthcare innovationOrganizational goalsCareOrganization leadershipClinical sitesGroup careTrial registrationTheBuy-inAssociation Between Maternal Depression and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Their Primary School-Age Daughters
Cunningham S, Lindberg S, Joinson C, Shoham D, Chu H, Newman D, Epperson N, Brubaker L, Low L, Camenga D, LaCoursiere D, Meister M, Kenton K, Sutcliffe S, Markland A, Gahagan S, Coyne-Beasley T, Berry A, Brubaker L, Mueller E, Acevedo-Alvarez M, Fitzgerald C, Hardacker C, Hebert-Beirne J, Lavender M, Shoham D, Kenton K, Griffith J, Simon M, Geynisman-Tan J, Markland A, Coyne-Beasley T, Burgio K, Lewis C, McGwin G, Vaughan C, Williams B, Lukacz E, Gahagan S, LaCoursiere D, Nodora J, Miller J, Low L, Harlow B, Rudser K, Brady S, Chu H, Fok C, Scal P, Rockwood T, Lindberg S, Newman D, Smith A, Berry A, Bilger A, Klusaritz H, Lipman T, Stapleton A, Wyman J, Sutcliffe S, James A, Lowder J, Meister M, Rickey L, Camenga D, Cunningham S, Brubaker L, Barthold J. Association Between Maternal Depression and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Their Primary School-Age Daughters. Journal Of Wound Ostomy And Continence Nursing 2024, 51: 53-60. PMID: 38215298, PMCID: PMC10794027, DOI: 10.1097/won.0000000000001039.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Psychosocial Factors Associated with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms One Year Postpartum
Cunningham S, Carandang R, Boyd L, Lewis J, Ickovics J, Rickey L. Psychosocial Factors Associated with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms One Year Postpartum. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health 2023, 21: 40. PMID: 38248505, PMCID: PMC10815698, DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21010040.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsLower urinary tract symptomsDepressive symptomsGreater depressive symptomsBladder healthYear postpartumPsychosocial factorsFrequent lower urinary tract symptomsMore lower urinary tract symptomsSocial supportUrinary tract symptomsLower Urinary TractGroup prenatal careModifiable psychosocial factorsBladder painTract symptomsCohort studyPostpartum patientsUrinary incontinenceDaytime frequencyPrenatal careUrinary tractHigher oddsLower oddsSymptomsSubstantial riskThe brain, gut, and bladder health nexus: A conceptual model linking stress and mental health disorders to overactive bladder in women
Smith A, Berry A, Brubaker L, Cunningham S, Gahagan S, Low L, Mueller M, Sutcliffe S, Williams B, Brady S, Consortium T. The brain, gut, and bladder health nexus: A conceptual model linking stress and mental health disorders to overactive bladder in women. Neurourology And Urodynamics 2023, 43: 424-436. PMID: 38078701, PMCID: PMC10872494, DOI: 10.1002/nau.25356.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2017
Association Between Maternal Comorbidities and Emergency Department Use Among a National Sample of Commercially Insured Pregnant Women
Cunningham SD, Magriples U, Thomas JL, Kozhimannil KB, Herrera C, Barrette E, Shebl FM, Ickovics JR. Association Between Maternal Comorbidities and Emergency Department Use Among a National Sample of Commercially Insured Pregnant Women. Academic Emergency Medicine 2017, 24: 940-947. PMID: 28471532, DOI: 10.1111/acem.13215.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsEmergency department usePregnant womenMaternal comorbiditiesEmergency careED visitsED useDepartment useMore visitsAcute unscheduled careRetrospective cohort studyMore ED visitsLive singleton birthsMore comorbid conditionsMedical claims dataWomen ages 18Health Care Cost InstituteResidential zip codeComorbidity burdenGestational diabetesCohort studyED utilizationHospital admissionComorbid conditionsNational sampleSingleton births
News
News
- April 12, 2023
Applied public health practice course supports students and communities
- October 09, 2018
Prenatal care reduces preterm birth and low birth weight
- October 09, 2018
Group prenatal care reduces preterm birth and low birth weight
- December 20, 2015
Mothers-to-be and babies benefit from group prenatal care, study finds
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