Epidemiology and Biostatistics Seminar Series Presents: Abenaa Jones, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the department of Mental Health at Bloomberg School of Public Health Johns Hopkins University

This presentation will center around the unique burden of addiction among women and will delve into the syndemic nature of criminal justice, HIV/AIDS, and victimization that complicates addiction recovery. Jones will identify unique barriers to substance use treatment among especially vulnerable groups of women involved in the criminal justice system, including racial/ethnic minorities and sex trading women. The presentation will also examine the utility and challenges of a peer-partnered case management intervention delivered in the context of the criminal justice system to curb the burden of addiction and co-occurring issues. Jones is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the department of Mental Health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. She received her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Florida in 2016. Jones has expertise in the social and structural determinants of substance use among vulnerable populations. Specifically, her work focuses on drug addiction and co-occurring factors associated with drug addiction (i.e., HIV/AIDS) as well as evaluating structural (i.e., judicial interventions, policies), and behavioral interventions aimed to reduce substance use and associated health and social consequences.