Jennifer Yarger, PhD

Associate Researcher
Institute for Health Policy Studies
[email protected]
+1 415 514-2314

Dr. Jennifer Yarger is an Assistant Professor in the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, affiliated with the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health.

Her research focuses on access to sexual and reproductive health information and services and disparities in reproductive health outcomes, particularly among adolescents and young adults. She also develops and tests interventions to improve youth access to care and support reproductive autonomy.

Dr. Yarger was selected as a scholar in the UCSF-KPNC Urologic Epidemiology (UroEpi) K12 Career Development Program in 2023. She is expanding her research to include youth access to care for urinary tract infections (UTI) and other genitourinary conditions.

Dr. Yarger holds a PhD in Public Policy and Sociology from the University of Michigan, where she also received training in demography and population science.

Publications: 

Women’s Work Characteristics and Fertility Expectations

Popul Res Policy Rev

Yarger J, Brauner-Otto SR

Mental Health Distress and Delayed Contraception Among Older Adolescents and Young Adults.

Journal of women's health (2002)

Harper CC, Yarger J, Mangurian C, Hopkins K, Rossetto I, Elmes S, Hecht HK, Sanchez A, Hernandez R, Shokat M, Steinberg JR

Use of telemedicine to obtain contraception among young adults: Inequities by health insurance.

Contraception

Yarger J, Hopkins K, Elmes S, Rossetto I, Van Liefde D, De La Melena S, Harper CC

In the Know: A Cluster Randomized Trial of an In-person Sexual Health Education Program Integrating Digital Technologies for Adolescents.

The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine

Yarger J, Gutmann-Gonzalez A, Borgen N, Romero J, Decker MJ

Concern that contraception affects future fertility: How common is this concern among young people and does it stop them from using contraception?

Contraception: X

Watson A, Yarger J, Sedlander E, Urbina J, Hopkins K, Rodriguez MI, Fuentes L, Harper CC

Use of preferred contraceptive method among young adults in Texas and California: A comparison by state and insurance coverage.

PloS one

Hopkins K, Yarger J, Rossetto I, Sanchez A, Brown E, Elmes S, Mantaro T, White K, Harper CC

Educational Intervention Among Adolescents and Young Adults on Emergency Contraception Options.

The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine

Harper CC, Jones E, Brindis CD, Watson A, Schroeder R, Boyer CB, Edelman A, Trieu S, Yarger J

Perceived Access to Contraception via Telemedicine Among Young Adults: Inequities by Food and Housing Insecurity.

Journal of general internal medicine

Yarger J, Hopkins K, Elmes S, Rossetto I, De La Melena S, McCulloch CE, White K, Harper CC

Telehealth for Contraceptive Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Provider Perspectives.

Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health

Rao L, Comfort AB, Dojiri SS, Goodman S, Yarger J, Shah N, Folse C, Blum M, Hankin J, Harper CC

Educators' Perspectives on Integrating Technology Into Sexual Health Education: Implementation Study.

JMIR human factors

Decker MJ, Harrison S, Price M, Gutmann-Gonzalez A, Yarger J, Tenney R

Young people's romantic relationships and sexual activity before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BMC public health

Yarger J, Gutmann-Gonzalez A, Han S, Borgen N, Decker MJ

An Educational Intervention to Raise Awareness of Contraceptive Options Among Young People.

Journal of women's health (2002)

Yarger J, Schroeder R, Cabral MA, Lamme JS, McCulloch CE, Trieu SL, de Jounge A, Harper CC

Concerns About the Cost of Contraception Among Young Women Attending Community College.

Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health

Yarger J, Schroeder R, Blum M, Cabral MA, Brindis CD, Perelli B, Harper CC

Trends in Adolescent Birth Rates in California: Examining the Influence of Community Characteristics Through Geographic and Temporal Analysis.

The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine

Yarger J, Berglas NF, Campa M, Chabot M, Decker MJ

Young Adults Changing Insurance Status: Gaps in Health Insurance Literacy.

Journal of community health

Tilley L, Yarger J, Brindis CD

The Role of Publicly Funded Family Planning Sites In Health Insurance Enrollment.

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health

Yarger J, Daniel S, Biggs MA, Malvin J, Brindis CD

Rural-Urban Differences in Awareness and Use of Family Planning Services Among Adolescent Women in California.

The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine

Yarger J, Decker MJ, Campa MI, Brindis CD

Implementation in Practice: Adaptations to Sexuality Education Curricula in California.

The Journal of school health

Arons A, Decker M, Yarger J, Malvin J, Brindis CD

Does it matter how you ask? Question wording and males’ reporting of contraceptive use at last sex

Social Science Research

SarahBrauner-Otto, Jennifer Yarger, Joyce Abma

Role: 
Investigators