April Bell, PhD, MPH
Dr. Bell is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Preterm Birth Initiative at the University of California San Francisco.
She obtained her PhD in Epidemiology from the Indiana University School of Public Health at Bloomington. She received her MPH with a dual concentration in Epidemiology and Social & Behavioral Sciences from the Indiana University School of Medicine and her BA in Human Biology from Stanford University. Dr. Bell's research is focused on decreasing reproductive health inequities among women and youth by addressing the impacts of societal and structural biases on adverse birth outcomes, sexually transmitted infections, HIV acquisition, abortion access, and unintended pregnancy. Having worked extensively in both the US and across sub-Saharan Africa, she is interested in using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including digital storytelling, to bridge the expanse between US and African settings.
She has conducted research and evaluated programs in domestic and international settings during her 10 years at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 5 years at AMPATH, one of the largest and most successful HIV treatment programs in sub-Saharan Africa; and 18 months in Ghana as a Fogarty Research Fellow conducting maternal/child health and reproductive/sexual health research under the auspices of the University of Michigan. Since 2016, she has focused her work in the United States. She is a Society for Family Planning Emerging Leader and was awarded a research grant to fund her pilot project aimed at assessing the impact of digital storytelling on abortion stigma.
Dr. Bell is Certified in Public Health and a Certified Clinical Research Professional. She is also a Governing Councilor for the Sexual and Reproductive Health Section of the American Public Health Association. Other professional affiliations include the Society of Family Planning, Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health, and Society for Epidemiologic Research.
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Elevating Women's Voices: The Illinois Maternal Health Digital Storytelling Project. Health Promot Pract. 2023 Apr 10; 15248399231166422. Holicky A, Glassgow AE, Myers A, Bell AJ. PMID: 37038618.
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Police brutality and unmet need for mental health care. Health Serv Res. 2021 12; 56(6):1104-1113. Alang S, Rogers TB, Williamson LD, Green C, Bell AJ. PMID: 34350595; PMCID: PMC8586484.
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The association of COVID-19 infection in pregnancy with preterm birth: A retrospective cohort study in California. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2021 Oct; 2:100027. Karasek D, Baer RJ, McLemore MR, Bell AJ, Blebu BE, Casey JA, Coleman-Phox K, Costello JM, Felder JN, Flowers E, Fuchs JD, Gomez AM, Karvonen K, Kuppermann M, Liang L, McKenzie-Sampson S, McCulloch CE, Oltman SP, Pantell MS, Piao X, Prather AA, Schmidt RJ, Scott KA, Spellen S, Stookey JD, Tesfalul M, Rand L, Jelliffe-Pawlowski LL. PMID: 34642685; PMCID: PMC8497178.
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'Asram is really killing us here': attribution for pregnancy losses and newborn mortality in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. J Biosoc Sci. 2021 07; 53(4):497-507. Bakari A, Bell AJ, Oppong S, Woodford J, Kaselitz E, Moyer CA. PMID: 32578530.
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Neonatal near-misses in Ghana: a prospective, observational, multi-center study. BMC Pediatr. 2019 12 23; 19(1):509. Bakari A, Bell AJ, Oppong SA, Bockarie Y, Wobil P, Plange-Rhule G, Goka BQ, Engmann CM, Adanu RM, Moyer CA. PMID: 31870340; PMCID: PMC6927122.
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Is abortion justified to save the life or health of a woman? Evidence of public opinion from Accra, Ghana. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2019 Oct; 147(1):115-119. Rominski SD, Bell AJ, Yawson AE, Nakua EK, Moyer CA. PMID: 31314906.
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'This sickness is not hospital sickness': a qualitative study of the evil eye as a source of neonatal illness in Ghana. J Biosoc Sci. 2020 03; 52(2):159-167. Bell AJ, Arku Z, Bakari A, Oppong SA, Youngblood J, Adanu RM, Moyer CA. PMID: 31203826; PMCID: PMC6917980.
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"We call them miracle babies": How health care providers understand neonatal near-misses at three teaching hospitals in Ghana. PLoS One. 2018; 13(5):e0198169. Bell AJ, Wynn LV, Bakari A, Oppong SA, Youngblood J, Arku Z, Bockarie Y, Adu J, Wobil P, Plange-Rhule G, Goka B, Adanu RM, Moyer CA. PMID: 29847603; PMCID: PMC5976150.
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Predictors of stillbirths and neonatal deaths in rural western Uganda. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2016 Aug; 134(2):190-3. Moyer CA, Kolars CK, Oppong SA, Bakari A, Bell A, Busingye P. PMID: 27177508.
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"These are good problems to have…": establishing a collaborative research partnership in East Africa. J Gen Intern Med. 2013 Sep; 28 Suppl 3:S625-38. Tierney WM, Nyandiko WN, Siika AM, Wools-Kaloustian K, Sidle JE, Kiplagat J, Bell A, Inui TS. PMID: 23797916; PMCID: PMC3744278.
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Experience implementing electronic health records in the antenatal clinic of a teaching and referral hospital in Kenya. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2013; 192:1126. Chemwolo B, Caloia D, Wools-Kaloustian K, Sidle J, Spitzer RF, Were M, Bell A, Tierney WM. PMID: 23920900.
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Short-Term Rationing of Combination Antiretroviral Therapy: Impact on Morbidity, Mortality, and Loss to Follow-Up in a Large HIV Treatment Program in Western Kenya. AIDS Res Treat. 2012; 2012:814564. Bell AJ, Wools-Kaloustian K, Kimaiyo S, Liu H, Katschke A, Shen C, Simiyu G, Musick BS, Sidle JE, Siika A, Braitstein P. PMID: 22690332; PMCID: PMC3368312.
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Determinants of condom use among female sex workers in Kenya: a case-crossover analysis. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2011 May; 20(5):733-8. Gallo MF, Warner L, Bell AJ, Bukusi EA, Sharma A, Njoroge B, Ngugi E, Jamieson DJ, Eschenbach DA. PMID: 21438697.
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Assessment of changes in condom use among female sex workers in a prospective cohort study introducing diaphragm use for disease prevention. Am J Epidemiol. 2010 Sep 01; 172(5):606-12. Gallo MF, Warner L, Bell AJ, Wiener J, Eschenbach DA, Bukusi EA, Sharma A, Njoroge B, Ngugi E, Jamieson DJ. PMID: 20660519.
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Diaphragm for STI and HIV prevention: is it a safe method for women at high risk? Sex Transm Dis. 2010 Jun; 37(6):382-5. Njoroge B, Gallo MF, Sharma A, Bukusi EA, Nguti R, Bell AJ, Jamieson DJ, Williams D, Eschenbach DA. PMID: 20473244.
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Intravaginal practices among female sex workers in Kibera, Kenya. Sex Transm Infect. 2010 Aug; 86(4):318-22. Gallo MF, Sharma A, Bukusi EA, Njoroge B, Nguti R, Jamieson DJ, Bell AJ, Eschenbach DA. PMID: 20410077.
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Adherence to diaphragm use for infection prevention: a prospective study of female sex workers in Kenya. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol. 2009; 2009:420196. Bukusi EA, Gallo MF, Sharma A, Njoroge B, Jamieson DJ, Nguti R, Bell AJ, Eschenbach DA. PMID: 20224648; PMCID: PMC2833308.
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Experience implementing electronic health records in three East African countries. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2010; 160(Pt 1):371-5. Tierney WM, Achieng M, Baker E, Bell A, Biondich P, Braitstein P, Kayiwa D, Kimaiyo S, Mamlin B, McKown B, Musinguzi N, Nyandiko W, Rotich J, Sidle J, Siika A, Were M, Wolfe B, Wools-Kaloustian K, Yeung A, Yiannoutsos C, Tanzania-Uganda Openmrs Consortium. PMID: 20841711.
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Promoting continuous use as a strategy for achieving adherence in a trial of the diaphragm with candidate microbicide. AIDS Educ Prev. 2009 Dec; 21(6):512-25. Penman-Aguilar A, Swezey T, Turner AN, Bell AJ, Ramiandrisoa FN, Legardy-Williams J, Randrianasolo B, Van Damme K, Dulyx J, Behets F, Jamieson DJ. PMID: 20030496.
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Predictors of adherent use of diaphragms and microbicide gel in a four-arm, randomized pilot study among female sex workers in Madagascar. Sex Transm Dis. 2009 Apr; 36(4):249-57. Turner AN, Van Damme K, Jamieson DJ, Khan MR, Pettifor AE, Swezey TA, Bell AJ, Newman DR, Penman-Aguilar A, Raharinivo MS, Randrianasolo B, Ramiandrisoa FN, Behets FM, Mad STI Prevention Group. PMID: 19265745; PMCID: PMC5824631.
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Vaginal microbicide and diaphragm use for sexually transmitted infection prevention: a randomized acceptability and feasibility study among high-risk women in Madagascar. Sex Transm Dis. 2008 Sep; 35(9):818-26. Behets FM, Turner AN, Van Damme K, Rabenja NL, Ravelomanana N, Swezey TA, Bell AJ, Newman DR, Williams DL, Jamieson DJ, Mad STI Prevention Group. PMID: 18562985; PMCID: PMC5826650.
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Barriers to the use of modern contraceptives and implications for woman-controlled prevention of sexually transmitted infections in Madagascar. J Biosoc Sci. 2008 Nov; 40(6):879-93. Randrianasolo B, Swezey T, Van Damme K, Khan MR, Ravelomanana N, Lovaniaina Rabenja N, Raharinivo M, Bell AJ, Jamieson D, MAD STI Prevention Group, Behets F. PMID: 18198005; PMCID: PMC3390975.
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Phase I safety trial of two vaginal microbicide gels (Acidform or BufferGel) used with a diaphragm compared to KY jelly used with a diaphragm. Sex Transm Dis. 2007 Dec; 34(12):977-84. Williams DL, Newman DR, Ballagh SA, Creinin MD, Barnhart K, Weiner DH, Bell AJ, Jamieson DJ. PMID: 18080349.