As a reproductive epidemiologist, Dr. Ashley Hill investigates methods to reduce reproductive health disparities. Her work considers multiple co-occurring social systems and institutions that impact the reproductive health of minority women, allowing for a robust understanding of the unique characteristics of sexually transmitted infections (STI) risk. Dr. Hill aims to determine risk factors for sexual and reproductive health disparities and to suggest approaches and tools to aid in the development of prevention strategies to reduce morbidity. To do this, Dr. Hill utilized multiple mixture modeling approaches (e.g., latent class analysis, latent transition analysis, structural equation modeling) and apply social determinants of health frameworks.
For example, she examined the characteristics of young adults at high risk for STI and was grounded in a Syndemic framework. Syndemic theory details the co-occurrence, convergence, and interaction of disease with social and environmental factors, and suggests that social conditions, behaviors, and disease occur simultaneously to increase individual risk for adverse health outcomes. Applying a Syndemic framework in prevention studies can improve their efficacy and sustainability, ultimately contributing to health equity for women of color.
Dr. Hill was the lead evaluator for the Pittsburgh adaptation and implementation of a violence prevention and sexual health promotion program, Sisterhood 2.0, where she specifically focused on the feasibility and acceptability of the program in community settings and preliminary effectiveness of the program improving contraception uptake. Additionally, she examined the associations between gender attitudes, experiences of relationship violence, and sexual health among Sisterhood 2.0 participants. Dr. Hill's work expanded to determine appropriate community-level prevention interventions that are evidence-based and effective for adolescents. Including adolescents’ exposures to multiple co-occurring social states (e.g. adolescent relationship abuse, substance and alcohol use) allows for a robust understanding of the unique characteristics of risk for STI.
Most recently, she led syndemic analysis of preliminary data from the YoungMoms cohort (PI: De Genna 3R01DA046401) and found a perinatal syndemic of pregnancy symptoms, substance use, experiences with partner violence, and depressive symptoms.
Dr. Hill has a current Loan Repayment Award where she examines the influence of syndemic factors, including social and structural determinants of sexual and reproductive health (e.g. racism, discrimination) on disparities in sexual health, pregnancy, and birth outcomes.
Additionally, Dr. Hill has a Research Supplement to Promote Diversity through NIMHD investigating links between experiences of race-based discrimination and sexual health among Black adolescent girls.
Dr. Hill is a co-investigator for a University of Pittsburgh-funded study that uses a mixed-methods approach to examine challenges faced by Black undergraduate women who experience sexual misconduct victimization (sexual assault, IPV, stalking, and sexual harassment), including possible barriers to utilizing relevant campus resources.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Hill engaged in work that examined parents' intention to vaccinate their children when recommended and am co-PI of an internally funded University of Pittsburgh study to examine racial inequities in COVID-19 testing and vaccination.