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Population, Family and Reproductive Health

Master's Essays

The master’s essay is the culminating project for students in a master’s degree program in PFRH. The goal of the essay is for scholars to apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired during their coursework and fieldwork to a public health issue of interest to them. Students select their topic and identify a faculty essay advisor. Students also choose an essay format, such as a research report, structured literature review, program evaluation, research proposal, or legislation position paper. In addition to the written essay, students present their findings in 10-minute presentations to faculty, staff, and other students in PFRH. Many students publish their master’s essays in peer-reviewed scholarly journals. The master’s essay is completed in the last two terms of enrollment in the master’s degree program.

2024 Master's Essays

March 11, 2024
Violence Against Transgender Women and Transfeminine People in Hostile Legal Environments: A Scoping Review and Ecological Analysis in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Navigating Identity and Understanding Barriers: A Comprehensive Examination of Mental Health Challenges and Current Policies Surrounding LGBT Youth in the United States
Contraception and Sexual Activity in Transgender Males: A Scoping Review
Youth-Led Reproductive Health Work at a Global Scale: A Case Study with USAID/Jhpiego Affiliates
May 1, 2024 - Session 1
Prenatal Melamine, Aromatic Amine, and Psychosocial Stress Exposures and Their Association with Gestational Diabetes in a San Francisco Pregnancy Cohort
Maternal Mediterranean-style diet adherence during pregnancy and metabolomic signature in postpartum plasma: Findings from the Boston Birth Cohort
The Vegan Diet During Pregnancy and the Implications for Fetal Growth and Development: A Scoping Reivew
The Evolution and Analysis of the US Food and Drug Administration’s Regulation of Mifepristone Through a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy Program
Population-level Estimates of Equitable Gender Norms:
May 1, 2024 - Session 2
The impact of green space valuation on depression among adolescents in Baltimore, Maryland
Pre- and postnatal maternal psychosocial factors and children’s cardiovascular health: a systematic review
A Scoping Review of Telemedicine-Provided Abortion Care: Evidence on Efficacy, Safety, and Patient Satisfaction
Abortion in Muslim-majority countries: a scoping literature review
May 1, 2024 - Session 3
Interplay Between Sickle-Cell Disease and Uterine Fibroids
Disparities in Cervical Cancer Prevention for Black women
Gaps in the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Need for Paid Leave Expansion in the United States: A Legislation Position Paper
A Qualitative Exploration of Experiences Related to Receipt of Pre-Abortion Ultrasound in United States Crisis Pregnancy Centers
May 8, 2024 - Session 1
Addressing economic violence and intimate partner violence among vulnerable young women in Kenya: A qualitative study
Maternal Health Issues in New Jersey: An Analysis of the Changing Landscape
The Association between Young People’s Adversity and Their Sexual & Reproductive Health Based on the Adverse Behaviors and Experiences Survey
The Association between Women’s Perception of Community Support for and Utilization of Maternity Healthcare Services in Ethiopia
May 8, 2024 - Session 2
Risk Factors Associated with Custody Loss of Opioid-Exposed Newborns during Delivery Hospitalization
School-Based Mental Health Interventions: Recent Advancements and Best Practices
Scoping Review: Violence against Women and Girls Response Interventions in Conflict Settings
May 8, 2024 - Session 3
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Perinatal Oral health and Pregnancy Complications in the United States (2003 - 2023)
Breastfeeding Practices and Guidelines in High-Risk Pregnancies: A Scoping Review
Post-Dobbs Reproductive Landscape: Addressing Maternal Morbidity & Mortality Alongside
Exploring Challenges and Opportunities to Enhancing Support and Care in Abortion Services: Evaluating Training Gaps, Counseling Disparities, and Referral Systems Within Healthcare Assistance Programs
May 15, 2024 - Session 1
Quality of family planning care among women wishing to delay or space pregnancies in Rajasthan, India
Evaluating the Implementation of a Personal-Agency-Based Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Curriculum and Its Effect on Personal-Agency Outcomes Among Out-of-School Young People (Ages 10-25) in Masindi, Uganda: A Proposal
Paternal involvement and its influence on the social, cognitive, and emotional development of children from birth to pre-k: A Systematic Review
Reforming Labor Laws to Reduce Stunting in Ecuador
May 15, 2024 - Session 2
Mobilizing Healthcare: A Narrative Review and Conceptual Framework For Mobile Health Clinic Advocacy
The Integration of Men into Ante-Natal Care (ANC) in Sub-Sharan Africa: A Case Study of Nigerian Context
Lived definitions of Intersectional Stigma, Discrimination, and Violence: Findings from cognitive interviews with  gay men and other men who have sex with men, and transgender women
Shifting Paradigms: Examining Gender Roles Among Nairobi Youth
May 15, 2024 - Session 3
Better for All the World: Understanding the Present and Historical Reproductive Subjugation of Disabled Americans Through Forced Sterilization and Imagining a Better Reproductive Future for All
Nurturing Roots: A Process Evaluation of “Show Me Strong Kids,” a Grassroots Child Health Initiative that Relies on Local Collaboration
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Maternal Drug Use: A scoping review

2023 Master's Essays

May 3, 2023 - Group 1
Feasibility pilot of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to understand micro-environments on college campuses 
Child Marriage, Displacement, and the Perceived Impact of Family Planning on Marriage Dynamics among Adolescent Women in Yemen 
Health Professional PAC Campaign Contributions to Members of Congress – Voting Patterns on Abortion and Contraceptive Bills 
Conflict and Consent: Factors Associated with Marriage Decision-Making for Adolescent Girls in Yemen's Humanitarian Crisis 
Scoping Review of Implementation of Technological Interventions Addressing Gender-based Violence: Learning from the Dissemination/Implementation of a Web-Based Safety Planning Tool in Nairobi
May 3, 2023 - Group 2
An Assessment of the Influence of Comprehensive Sex Education Programs on Public School Students in the United States 
A scoping review on the measurement of contraceptive preferences 
Y2CONNECT.org Baltimore- A Mobile Friendly Youth-Focused Solution to Connect Adolescents to Local Cross-Sector Resources
May 3, 2023 - Group 3
Understanding and Addressing Postpartum Depression in the United States 
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Postpartum Morbidity 
Maternal Stress And In-Utero Autoimmune Disease Programming: Implications for Racial Health Inequities 
The Multi-level Predictors of Adherence to Nutritional Supplementation During Pregnancy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Factors and Barriers Informing Male Engagement in Fertility and Family Planning Decisions in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Literature Review
May 10, 2023 - Group 1
Exploring the Experiences of FGM/C Affected Migrant Women in Western Nations: A Scoping Review of Accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health Services 
Empathy Training As A Means For Provider Behavior Change In Private Family Planning Clinics In Burkina Faso: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Provider’s Perspective 
The Bridge: Promoting Clinical research participation among Black pregnant and postpartum birthing people 
Where there are no Data: A Case Study on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention in Nicaragua 
Quality of Contraceptive Counseling and Person-Centered Care: A Cross-sectional Study Among a National Sample of Women in Ethiopia
May 10, 2023 - Group 2
Does current contraceptive choice affect what other methods women are told about? A secondary analysis of counseling comprehensiveness in Ethiopia 
Addressing the Role Slavery and Racial Stereotypes Play in the Low Occurrence of Initiation and Continuation of Breastfeeding Among Black Mothers 
Bumps in the Road: Assessing Facility Preparedness to Address Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy in Ethiopia 
Identifying Community Strategies to Promote Breastfeeding Practices among American Indian and Alaska Natives: A Systematic Review of US and Canadian studies 
Scoping Review: Child Marriage and Childbearing among Adolescent Girls under Humanitarian Setting of LMIC
May 10, 2023 - Group 3
Use of Misoprostol to Prevent Postpartum Hemorrhage in Low-Resource Settings 
Can expansion of nurse-midwifery care improve birth outcomes of marginalized populations in the United States: A Systematic Review 
Exploring the prospective relationship between psychosocial beliefs in adolescence and later parenting in Baltimore City 
Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Quality of Care Checklist: A Pilot Project in Baltimore City 
Police Violence and Youth Traumatic Stress: A Systematic Review
May 17, 2023 - Group 1
Do covert contraceptive users engage with the health system differently? Understanding women’s care experiences in Kenya 
A Scoping Review about the Effect of Abortion Access on Women’s Wages and Employment 
Impact of testosterone therapy with and without oophorectomy among transmasculine and gender diverse individuals: A scoping review 
A Systematic Review of Acceptability of STI Self-Sampling and Self-Testing in Young Adults in the United States
May 17, 2023 - Group 2
Missed Opportunities in STI Screening of Pregnant Women: A study of the literature and practice patterns concerning STI and perinatal infections 
Determinants of Young Women’s Contraceptive Knowledge and Services in Nigeria Tanesha Mondestin Haitian Women's Birth Equity: A Case Study of the Maternal Health Crisis for Black Migrants in the United States 
Barriers to Proper Nutrition on College Campuses and its Contribution to Malnutrition among Undergraduate Students
May 17, 2023 - Group 3
Process and Outcomes of the HIV Hard-To-Reach Study in Uganda 
Vaginal microbiomes and risk of preterm Birth in HIV positive women: A scoping review 
Evaluation of the Quality of Online Asynchronous Humanitarian Health Education 
Lessons Learned Around Pediatric Home Equipment Decisions: From Social Context to Technological Platforms

2022 Master's Essays

May 3, 2022 - Group 1

 

Variation and Correlates of Psychosocial Wellbeing Among Women with Preeclampsia in the nuMoM2b Cohort 
Picture This: Identifying Barriers in the Home Environment Among Families of Children with Medical Complexity 
Summarizing the Evidence for Screening and Prevention of Postpartum Depression in Rural Women in High Income Countries 
Illinois Crisis Pregnancy Centers: A Public Health Case Study on State-Sponsored Reproductive Coercion 
Future directions for sexual and reproductive health: A scoping review of evidence on utility and use of online-to-offline interventions in low- and middle-income countries
May 4, 2022 - Group 2
Literature Review on Barriers Associated with WIC Participation and How COVID-19 Related Changes Impacted the Program 
Preterm birth and the vaginal microbiome: a literature review 
Assessing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness and its association with PrEP uptake within nine sub-Saharan African countries using Google Health Trends and PEPFAR data
May 10, 2022 - Group 3
Assessment of Data Systems Utilized by USAID’s Key Populations Program in South Africa: An Evaluation of Barriers and Facilitators Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research 
Improving Family Economic Well-being through Home Visiting: The Moderating Effects of Maternal Motivation on Program Impacts 
Maternal and Child Health Promotion in Ceará, Brazil: A Field Observation Using the Health-Promoting Family Conceptual Framework 
Social Environments of Sexual Violence on College Campuses in the United States: Rethinking the Value of Bystanders 
Prioritizing Warning Signs Education in Home Visiting Programs: A Qualitative Evaluation of the EMPOWER Moms Pilot
May 11, 2022 - Group 4
Utilization of Critical Race Theory in Public Health Research 
Patterns of contraceptive use and unmet need in late reproductive age in Southeast Asia 
Evaluating the Reproductive Autonomy Scale in Egypt: A Qualitative Approach 
Barriers to contraceptive use among adolescent girls in Sub-Saharan Africa and insights on how to address the barriers 
Machine Learning & Predictive Analytics for Children’s Public Health and Social Services Using Administrative Data

 

May 17, 2022 - Group 5
Women’s Empowerment as a Pathway to Improving Maternal Health in sub-Saharan Africa
Communication Strategies for the Title V Maternal & Child Health Block Grant: A Case Study 
Substance Use and Breastfeeding: A systematic review on cannabis, buprenorphine, and methadone use during breastfeeding 
Perceived Barriers to Post-Partum Weight Loss: A Scoping Review and Lived Experiences of Participants in the Healthy for Two/Healthy for You Study 
The Impact of Bodily Autonomy Violations on HIV Partner Disclosure: Results from the PLHIV Stigma Index 2.0 in Ukraine
May 18, 2023 - Group 6
The Steel Frame of India: Training the Indian Administrative Service Officers to Strengthen the Public Health System 
Characterizing the Hereditary Risk for Aggressive Prostate Cancer 
Assessing Teachers’ Experiences in Implementing Trauma-Informed Approaches in School-Based Sex Education in Baltimore City: A Qualitative Analysis 
A Qualitative Analysis of Health Teachers’ Experiences with, and Perceptions of, Condom Programming in Schools 
A Qualitative Exploration of Reproductive Coercion Experiences in Geo-culturally Diverse sub-Saharan African Settings