Kathryn Whetten, Associate Professor of Public Policy Studies and Community and Family Medicine and Director, Center for Health Policy; Director, Health Inequalities Program  

Kathryn Whetten

Office Location: 122 Rubenstein Hall and 230 Trent
Office Phone: 919.613.9366
Email Address: k.whetten@duke.edu

Areas of Expertise:
Health Policy
International

Education:
PhD, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1994

Research Categories: Global Health Disparities

Current projects: Positive Outcomes for Children Orphaned by AIDS, Coping with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, Integrative Treatment Model for Women in Russia, Secondary Analysis of Alcohol and HIV/AIDS Data, Coping with HIV/AIDS in the Rural South (CHASE) , North Carolina HIV/AIDS Training Network, Duke's Global Health Initiative

Research Description: Whetten’s research examines the health behaviors and outcomes of disadvantaged communities and individuals. She seeks to understand the interrelationships among individual and community psychosocial dynamics, health behaviors, health, provider characteristics and public policies. Whetten views these relationships as multidirectional. She examines and clarifies underlying group characteristics that can be addressing to improve individual and community well-being. Whetten is one of a small group of researchers examining adult health outcomes as they relate to a life-course of events and influences starting with childhood experiences within families and communities and continuing through present-day conditions that may be manipulated through intervention. All of Whetten’s research is grounded in the idea that public policies can make a difference in people’s lives. Whetten has lead more than 15 federally funded research grants and is the author of 2 books and over 50 peer reviewed articles. Currently Whetten and her intervention, service and research team have research projects that address issues surrounding HIV/AIDS, mental health, substance abuse, being orphaned, social justice, and poverty in the US Deep South and in less wealthy nations. She and her team work with colleagues in: the US Deep South; Tanzania; Kenya; Ethiopia; India; Cambodia and Russia conducting research and interventions. A few of the research projects are: “Positive Outcomes for Children Orphaned by AIDS;” "Coping with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania;" “Integrative Treatment Model for Women in Russia;” “Secondary Analysis of Alcohol and HIV/AIDS Data;” “Coping with HIV/AIDS in the Rural South (CHASE);” and the “North Carolina HIV/AIDS Training Network;” and she is working closely with Duke's Global Health Initiative.

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

  1. Ford C.L., K. Whetten, S.A. Hall, A.D. Thrasher, J.S. Kaufman. "Black Sexuality, Social Construction, and Research Targeting "The Down Low" ("The DL")." Annals of Epidemiology 17.3 (2007): 209-16.
  2. Whetten, K., J. Leserman, K. Lowe, D. Stangl, N. Thielman, M. Swartz, L. Hanisch, L. Van Scoyoc.. "Prevalence of Childhood Sexual Abuse in a Southern HIV-Positive Cohort." American Journal of Public Health 96.6 (2006): 970–973.  [abs]
  3. Whetten K., J. Leserman, R. Whetten, J. Ostermann, N. Thielman, M. Swartz, D. Stangl. ". “Exploring Trust as a Barrier to Health Service Use." American Journal of Public Health 96.4 (2006): 716–721.  [abs]
  4. Reif S.S., K. Whetten, K. Lowe, J. Ostermann. "Association of unmet needs for support services with medication use and adherence among HIV-infected individuals in the Southeastern United States." AIDS Care 18.4 (2006): 277-283.  [abs]
  5. Whetten K., J. Leserman, R. Whetten, J. Ostermann, N. Thielman, M. Swartz, D. Stangl. "Exploring Trust in Care Providers and the Government as a Barrier to Health Service Use." American Journal of Public Health 96.4 (2006): 716-721.

Curriculum Vitae

Highlight:
Kathryn Whetten is an Associate Professor of Public Policy, Nursing, and Community and Family Medicine. She part of the Duke Global Health Institute and is the Director of Duke University’s Center for Health Policy and the Health Inequalities Program. Whetten is the Research Director of the Hart Fellows Program. Whetten's work focuses on the understanding of health disparities.