About
Project Title/Research Interests: This Ain't Yo Laboratory: Centering Home to Examine the Relationship Between Racial Residential Segregation, Medical Underservice, and Community Health Center Expansion Nationally and Locally
Background:
Ms. Bradford has a bachelor’s of science in community health and business management from the University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign in 2012 and received her master’s of science in community health in 2014, also from the University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign. In 2009, Ms. Bradford was one of 2 freshmen from over 200 national applicants chosen to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Minority Research Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. As a SUMR Scholar, she conducted a pilot study that assessed access to outpatient cancer clinics for uninsured patients. In a separate study, she used information from focus groups to help create a culturally relevant HIV prevention program for African American adolescent girls. She also participated twice in the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, the first time analyzing geographic differences in the availability of healthy food and physical activity resources in the U.S. and the second time investigating variations in the provision of hospital charity care by location and ownership type. She also participated in the NIH-funded Summer Institute for Training in Biostatistics program at the University of South Florida. Ms. Bradford’s research interests focus on the social determinants of health and healthcare disparities among racial/ethnic minorities and low-income populations. She is particularly interested in the role of place and the geographic distribution of quality, affordable health resources in underserved communities. As a doctoral student, Ms. Bradford hopes to develop expertise on healthcare disparities among vulnerable populations, especially as it relates to the demand for and supply of healthcare services. She would like to extend her research to include advanced economic analysis and policy implications of health reform on healthcare disparities.