The UAB Division of Adolescent Medicine performs transdisciplinary investigations that include behavioral science, intervention and outcomes research, as well as assessments of psychosocial and physiologic changes during growth and development. Specific areas of research include: immunizations, improving outcomes for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), HIV prevention, nutrition research, quality improvement, randomized clinical trials, health disparities, and adolescent health risk and resiliency research.

Tamera Coyne-Beasley, M.D., MPH, serves as the site co-principal investigator (PI) on 15-1175 PCORI, PESRAMHIP: Patient Empowered Strategy to Reduce Asthma Morbidity in Highly Impacted Populations. A pragmatic randomized control trial of African American and Hispanic adultswith moderate-to-severe asthma to an open-label Patient-Activated Reliever-Triggered Inhaled Corticosteroid (ICS) (beclomethasone dipropionate 80 mcg) Strategy (PARTICS) added to their usual asthma care (PARTICS+UC) or to continue usual care (UC). The primary endpoint was severe asthma exacerbations.  Secondary endpoints included monthly asthma control measured by the Asthma Control Test, preference-based quality of life measured by the Asthma Symptom Utility Index and participant-reported days lost from work, school, or usual activities. This project is sponsored by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

Dr. Coyne-Beasley serves as co-investigator on Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (PLUS). This study seeks to understand the impact of voiding and toileting behaviors on bladder health and lower urinary tract symptoms in adolescents and young adults. This project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She also serves as a member of the Data Safety Monitoring Board for ShootSafe, a research program to develop an innovative and educational website accessible by smartphone, tablet or computer that engages children to learn firearm safety.

Dr. Coyne-Beasley and Nefertiti Durant, M.D., serve as directors of #StayWell 2022 Teen Vaccine QI Collaborative, sponsored by Alabama Child Health Improvement Alliance (ACHIA). It is a program designed for practices who want to improve adolescent vaccines prior to age 13, improve QI skills, and learn from Alabama content experts and peers across the state.

Drs. Coyne-Beasley and Durant serve as the co-directors of the Adolescent Health Center COVID-19 Vaccinations Program. The goals of the program are to increase the rate of COVID-19 vaccination presentation by providers to patients in the adolescent health center and increase the rate of COVID-19 vaccine initiation and completion.

Tina Simpson, M.D., MPH, serves as principal investigator and medical faculty for the Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) Program. The LEAH Program offers trainees interdisciplinary leadership education through a comprehensive core of clinical, didactic research and experiential curricula in the following disciplines: medicine, nursing, nutrition, psychology and social work. The program is committed to improving the health status of adolescents, particularly those in the southeastern region of the U.S by training the next generation of adolescent health professionals in a model center of excellence in training, research and service that is adolescent-centered/family-involved, culturally competent and community-based. Heather Austin, Ph.D., serves as psychology faculty. This program is sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Dr. Simpson serves as the PI for the UAB Family Clinic Ryan White (RW) Part D program. The Family Clinic provides interdisciplinary comprehensive HIV care to women, infants, children and youth. The clinic is sponsored by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). 

She is the PI of Project ETC: Educate, Test, Connect—HIV Education, Testing and Linkage to Care for High-Risk Negative Individuals. This project provides HIV prevention, education and testing for adolescents and adults through home-based HIV self-testing as well as in outpatient substance abuse treatment facilities, residential housing communities and college campuses. This project is sponsored by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH).

Dr. Simpson is the site PI for AllyQuest, a theory-informed HIV antiretroviral therapy adherence and social support application. This NIH-funded study is assessing the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the app through a six-month intervention with young men who have sex with men and transgender women.

Aida Miles, EdD, MMSc, RDN, LD, serves as the principal investigator on the Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Health Nutrition Program grant sponsored by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Prior to Dr. Miles joining the division in August 2021, Stephenie Wallace, M.D., MPH and Dr. Tina Simpson served as co-PIs for the program. The Leadership Education in Pediatric Nutrition Program strives to improve the nutritional health status of infants, children, adolescents and families by providing leadership training, education and collaboration to health professionals to improve their knowledge and skills in MCH nutrition and physical activity.

Dr. Wallace is the local principal investigator for the Establishment of the Pediatric Obesity Weight Evaluation Registry (POWER): a prospective pilot project of children and adolescents presenting for weight management. The mission of POWER is to better understand and improve the health outcomes of children and adolescents with overweight and obesity who are participating in multi-component weight management programs. Multi-component programs offer treatments that address nutrition, physical activity and behavioral strategies.

Dr. Wallace is a co-principal investigator for the Physical Therapy Assessment in Overweight Children study. The study evaluates a clinic-based protocol for Physical Therapist examining initial and ongoing cardiovascular endurance for obese children attending a multi-disciplinary weight management clinic.

Samantha Hill, M.D., MPH, serves as co-investigator on Administrative Supplement Opportunity: Strategic Partnerships to End the HIV Epidemic in America’s Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations—Promoting PrEP Use among African American Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in the Deep South At-risk for HIV, Provider and Client Perspectives. This is a qualitative study evaluating provider and youth perspectives and experiences with PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) access in urban, suburban and rural Alabama. This project is sponsored by the NIH Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)/AIDS Research Centers (ARC).

She also serves as clinical point person/provider managing prescribing on ePrEP: Testing an electronic PrEP initiation and maintenance home care system to promote PrEP among adolescent MSM (males who have sex with males) in rural and small-town areas. The aim of this grant is to facilitate extended access to PrEP among MSM in rural settings. This project is sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

She is also a faculty member involved on implementation of HIV testing and linkage to PrEP at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in Alabama. This two-year award focuses on improving knowledge, access and uptake among Black college students attending an HBCU.

Dr. Hill is a faculty member assisting with PrEP Pro: Adapting a multi-component intervention to train and support providers to promote PrEP for AGYM in the Deep South. The purpose of this proposal is to adapt and pilot test a multi-component PrEP prescribing intervention (PrEP-Pro), including education about HIV and PrEP, gender-neutral sexual history taking, and PrEP champion support through mixed-methods project based on intervention mapping.

She is a faculty member assisting with UAB Center for AIDS Research-EHE Implementation Science Hub. This program grant focuses on increasing the development of researchers and research using implementation methodology.

Dr. Hill is assisting with the Trusted Adult Social Supports as a Strategy to Increase PrEP Uptake and Persistence in the Context of Reproductive Health for Black AGYMin the South. This two-year early career investigator award focuses on understanding African American adolescent girls’ and young women’s preferences for communicating with adult support persons about PrEP and integrating PrEP into reproductive health services.

She is serving as a faculty member at the Alabama/North Carolina Regional STD/HIV Prevention Training Center. This five-year grant focuses on providing education to community providers throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida about HIV and sexually transmitted infections in addition to leveraging the STI clinic infrastructure within these states to expand PrEP access. It also will analyze the success of these interventions.

Dr. Durant serves as the principal director for the Transition Readiness (TRAQ) program. The goals of this program are to assess adolescent transition readiness and facilitate skills development for patients to take charge of their health based on the core elements of health care transition.

Heather Austin, Ph.D., serves as the principal investigator for the UAB Center for the Study of Community Health, Community Health Scholars Grant. The grant is for community-based participatory research (CBPR) to address issues connected to health in the community, especially social determinants of health.

Rebekah Savage, M.D. MSPH, serves as the site coordinator for Project LEAP (Linkage, Education and Prevention), a SAMSHA-funded project to improve HIV prevention education for adolescents using drugs or alcohol in the Birmingham area.

Arch Sex Behav. 2021 May;50(4):1743-1754. Multilevel Factors Shaping Awareness of and Attitudes Toward Pre-exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention among Criminal Justice-Involved Women. Emily F Dauria, Andrew Levine, Samantha V Hill, Marina Tolou-Shams, Katerina Christopoulos.

BMC Public Health. 2021 Jun 29;21(1):1266. Enrolling a rural community pharmacy as a Vaccines for Children provider to increase HPV vaccination: a feasibility study. Casey L Daniel, Frances Lawson, Macy Vickers, Chelsea Green, Anna Wright, Tamera Coyne-Beasley, Hee Y Lee, Stacie Turberville.

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2021 Sep 9; 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-21-0307. Reducing Poverty-Related Disparities in Cervical Cancer: The Role of HPV Vaccination. Jennifer C Spencer, Noel T Brewer, Tamera Coyne-Beasley, Justin G Trogdon, Morris Weinberger, Stephanie B Wheeler.

Contemp Clin Trials. 2021 Sep 2;110:106551. Effectiveness of a smoking cessation algorithm integrated into HIV primary care: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Samantha M McKetchnie, Conall O'Cleirigh, Heidi M Crane, Samantha V Hill, David Prior, Matteo Peretti, Mariel Parman, Douglas E Levy, Dustin Long, Karen Cropsey.

J Adolesc Health. 2021 Apr 1;S1054-139X(21)00093-8. COVID-19 Vaccination of Adolescents and Young Adults of Color: Viewing Acceptance and Uptake with a Health Equity Lens. Tamera Coyne-Beasley, Samantha V Hill, Gregory Zimet, Nuray Kanbur, David Kimberlin, Marissa Raymond-Flesch, Tina Simpson, Maria Veronica Svetaz, Maria Trent, Leslie Walker-Harding.

J Adolesc Health. 2021 Dec; COVID-19 Vaccine Sentiments Among African American or Black Adolescents in Rural Alabama. Henna Budhwani, Tiffani Maycock, Wilnadia Murrell, Tina Simpson.

J Adolesc Health. 2021 Feb 10;S1054-139X(21)00023-9. International Adolescent Health Week: Nothing About Them Without Them. Ngozi Oketah, Chinwendu Wokoma, Jonathan D Klein, Preeti Galagali, Tina Simpson, Laura Offutt.

J Adolesc Health. 2021 Jan 8;S1054-139X(20)30691-1. Call to Action Against Femicide: Illuminating a Shadow Pandemic as a Global Public Health Emergency. Nuray Kanbur, Romina Barral, Yvette Efevbera, Michele A Kelley, Maria Veronica Svetaz, Elizabeth Miller, Swati Bhave, Tamera Coyne-Beasley, Marissa Raymond-Flesch.

J Adolesc Health. 2021 Oct 16;S1054-139X(21)00450-X. Twenty-First Century Cures Act Final Rule and Adolescent Health Care: Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) Program Experiences. Carol A Ford, Fabienne Bourgeois, Sara M Buckelew, S Jean Emans, Abigail English, Yolanda N Evans, Charles E Irwin Jr, Laura P Richardson, Sara Sherer, Sonja Short, Renee E Sieving, Tina Simpson, Diane Tanaka, Krishna White.

J Pediatr Urol. 2021 May 11;S1477-5131(21)00228-X. Non-invasive bladder function measures in healthy, asymptomatic female children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Melanie R Meister, Jincheng Zhou, Haitao Chu, Tamera Coyne-Beasley, Sheila Gahagan, D Yvette LaCoursiere , Elizabeth R Mueller, Peter Scal, Laura Simon, Ann E Stapleton, Carolyn R T Stoll, Siobhan Sutcliffe, Amanda Berry, Jean F Wyman, Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (PLUS) Research Consortium.

JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Mar 1;4(3):e212544. The Use of Protective Caregiving to Create Positive Racial-Ethnic Socialization and Mitigate Psychological Outcomes of Racial Discrimination. Samantha V Hill, Tamera Coyne-Beasley.

Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 Aug 10;ntab159. Correlates of Tobacco and Nicotine Use among Transgender and Gender Diverse People: A Systematic Review Guided by the Minority Stress Model. Caitlin Wolford-Clevenger, Samantha V Hill, Karen Cropsey.

Nurs Clin North Am. 2021 Jun;56(2):189-202. Nature-Based Therapies for Sleep Disorders in People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Gibran Mancus, Samantha V Hill, Patricia Carter, Pamela Payne-Foster, Mangala Krishnamurthy, Abigail Kazembe, Shameka L Cody.

PLoS One. 2021 Mar 19;16(3):e0248858. Exploring adults as support persons for improved pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV use among select adolescents and young adults in the Deep South. Samantha V Hill, Jarvis Johnson, Fazlur Rahman, Emily F Dauria, Michael Mugavero, Lynn T Matthews, Tina Simpson, Latesha Elopre.

Prevention Science. 2021 Oct 29:1-12.doi: 10.1007/s11124-021-01321-9. Addressing Barriers to Primary Care Screening and Referral to Prevention for Youth Risky Health Behaviors: Evidence Regarding Potential Cost-Savings and Provider Concerns. Ty A Ridenour, Desiree W Murray, Jesse Hinde, Cristie Glasheen, Andra Wilkinson, Hannah Rackers, Tamera Coyne-Beasley.

Sex Transm Dis. 2021 Jan 12.;10.1097/olq.0000000000001372 Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis Infection in Young Women and Associated Predictors. Kanupriya Gupta, Sally A Harrison, Nkele A Davis, Matilda L Culp, Samuel C Hand, Tina Simpson, Barbara Van Der Pol, James W Galbraith, Nicholas J Van Wagoner, Sandra G Morrison, Richard P Morrison, William M Geisler.

 

Chapters

Tamera Coyne-Beasley. Immunization in Adolescent and College Populations. in Red Book 2021-24 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases 32nd Edition.

Maria Veronica Svetaz, Tamera Coyne-Beasley and Kenneth Ginsburg. Helping Our Teens to Rise Above the Noise and Find Their Own Rhythm in Congrats! You’re Having a Teen! published by The American Academy of Pediatrics (in press).

Samantha V. Hill and Tamera Coyne-Beasley. The Epidemiology of Adolescent Health Problems. in Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics 22nd Edition (in press).

Samantha V. Hill and Tamera Coyne-Beasley. Delivery of Healthcare to Adolescents. in Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics 22nd Edition (in press).

Tamera Coyne-Beasley, Nefertiti H. Durant, Samantha V. Hill. Sexually Transmitted Infections. in Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics 22nd Edition (in press).

Heather Austin, Ph.D.

• Dr. Austin was elected as the public education chair for the Alabama Psychological Association.
• She also serves as the chair of the Legislative Advocacy Committee.
• She is the assistant chair for the Networking & Career Development Program Planning Committee.

Tamera Coyne-Beasley, M.D., MPH

• Dr. Coyne-Beasley serves as an elected member of the Board of Directors for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
• She was the 2021 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Visiting Professor at Yale University.
• She is a key informant with Health Services Research, Policy and Administration’s Transitions of Care from Pediatric to Adult Services for Children with Special Healthcare Needs.
• She is an elected member the Governing Council of NCD Child.
• She is a member of the Committee on Pediatric Research of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a liaison for the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.
• She was appointed to the Govenor’s Task Force to Improve Alabama’s Image.
• She is an NIH Study section member, NICHD, Health Behavior and Context Committee.
• She was elected to the Council of the American Pediatric Society.
• She was appointed to co-chair the Committee on Diversity, Inclusion and Equity of the American Pediatric Society.
• She was appointed to the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine Committee on Gulf Health and Resilience: Updates and Next Steps.

Nefertiti H. Durant, M.D., MPH

• Dr. Durant is an editorial member for the Editorial Board of Childhood Obesity.
• She is co-chair for the Education and Advocacy Committee, Foundation for Women and Girls Bleeding Disorders

Samantha Hill, M.D., MPH

• Dr. Hill received the Birmingham Black Pride Leadership Award.

Aida Miles, EdD, MMSc, RDN, LD

• Dr. Miles is a consultant for the Clinic4Kidz, Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program.
• She is the awards co-chair and chair of the Weight Management Dietetics Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• She is a board member for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Political Action Committee.
• She was the past chair for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
• She is the editor-in-chief for the Pediatric Nutrition Care Manual at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Rebekah Savage, M.D. MSPH

• Dr. Savage is a member and advisory board member of the Addiction Prevention Coalition.
• She is on the Scholarship Oversight Committee for Adolescent Fellows.
• She is on the American Academy of Pediatrics PREP SA editorial board and Author: Adolescent Medicine and Pediatrics.

Tina Simpson, M.D., MPH

• Dr. Simpson is a member of the YMCA Medical Advisory Task Force. This task force has been charged with ensuring that Birmingham YMCA is adequately meeting the health needs of the community.
• She serves as a board member for the Crisis Center.

Stephenie Wallace, M.D., MSPH

• Dr. Wallace served as the president of the Southeast Region of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.
• She served as an elected member of the National Nominating Committee for the Society for Adolescent Medicine.
• She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Adolescence Health that is responsible for developing adolescent health policy statements.

The UAB Adolescent Medicine Fellowship Program provides a wide array of clinical and scholarly experiences, enabling fellows to gain sufficient knowledge and skills in all areas of adolescent health and medicine. As part of their clinical curriculum, fellows train in both primary care and subspecialty consultation. During their training, our fellows gain experience in interdisciplinary collaboration in research, teaching, advocacy and clinical care. Our fellows are actively involved in the teaching of medical students, residents and other health care trainees. As part of their scholarly activities, our fellows can participate in master’s-level training in public health, health administration or other health-related fields, as suits their individual interests. Our fellows also participate in the interdisciplinary Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Bureau funded Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) Training Program, which encompasses MCH leadership training, community program development and involvement, policy and advocacy training, and professional networking opportunities.

2021–2022 Fellows

Charisse Graham, M.D.
Second-Year Fellow
Residency: Morehouse School of Medicine

Chinwe Efuribe, M.D.
Visiting Clinical Instructor
Residency: Crozer-Chester Medical Center

Program Director

Tina Simpson, M.D., MPH

Program Coordinator

Adrianne Marbury, MPA

The purpose of the UAB Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) Program is to improve the health status of adolescents and young adults, particularly those in the southeastern region of the U.S. This purpose will be accomplished by:

1. Training health professionals at the graduate and postgraduate levels in the five core adolescent health disciplines (medicine, nutrition, nursing, psychology and social work), as well as Maternal and Child Health (MCH) pipeline students to become MCH leaders in the field of adolescent health through an interdisciplinary, theory-informed approach that integrates biological, developmental, mental health, social, economic, educational and environmental health training within a public health framework.
2. Developing and implementing continuing education programs for health professionals in the region and nation, as well as providing consultation and technical assistance through collaboration with public health, education, youth development, and human service agencies.
3. Developing, providing and/or enhancing exemplary, interdisciplinary, comprehensive clinical care services in environments that are adolescent-centered, community-based, culturally and linguistically competent.
4. Providing for the conduct of collaborative research and policy development by faculty and trainees aimed at improving adolescent health and well-being and eliminating health inequities for adolescents and young adults, including those with special health care needs.
   

2021–2022 Trainees

Grace Albright
LEAH Psychology Pre-Doc
Graduate Student: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Kathryn Prendergast King
LEAH Psychology Pre-Doc
Graduate Student: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Queenisha Crichlow
LEAH Psychology Pre-Doc
Graduate Student: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Sarah Mitchum Keen
LEAH Nursing Trainee
Graduate Student: Samford University

Jada Lowery
LEAH Social Work Trainee
Graduate Student: University of Alabama

Auriel Thompson
LEAH Public Health/MPA Trainee
Graduate Student: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Delisia Chapman
LEAH Public Health Trainee
Graduate Student: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Program Director

Tina Simpson, M.D., MPH
Principal Investigator

Program Coordinator

Adrianne Marbury, MPA

The purpose of the Leadership Education in Pediatric Nutrition (LEPN) Program is to improve the nutritional health status of infants, children, adolescents and families by providing leadership training, education and collaboration to health professionals to improve their knowledge and skills in MCH nutrition and physical activity. Long-term training is provided for graduate and post-graduate dietitians, which includes stipend support. Training is also provided to other nutrition and health professionals via the Pediatric Intensive Course, Advance Motivational Interviewing, and Behavioral Counselling Institute. Faculty and trainees participate in clinical and community research related to nutrition and physical activity. Some areas of research interest include: childhood/adolescent obesity, eating disorders, school-based interventions, and behavioral counseling. Interdisciplinary care focuses on child and adolescent health and nutritional issues including obesity, eating disorders, metabolic diseases, musculoskeletal health, weight loss, weight gain and sports nutrition.

2020–2021 Trainees

Ashley Blackwell
LEPN/LEAH Trainee
Graduate Student: Samford University

Breanne Hurst
LEPN/LEAH Trainee
Graduate Student: University of Alabama at Birmingham

2021–2022 Trainees

Alicia Eidsaune
LEPN Trainee
Graduate Student: University of Alabama

Kelly Katherine Trumbull
LEPN Trainee
Graduate Student: Samford University

Elizabeth A. Thomas
LEPN Trainee
Graduate Student: University of Alabama

Marielle Menke
LEPN Trainee
Graduate Student: Grand Valley State University

Program Director

Aida Miles, EdD, MMSc, RDN, LD
Principal Investigator
Program Director starting September 2021

Stephenie Wallace, M.D., MSPH
Associate Director, starting September 2021
Co-Principal Investigator through August 2021

Tina Simpson, M.D., MPH
Co-Principal Investigator through August 2021