I Opara
Biographic Data
| ID | 31825 |
|---|---|
| NAME | I Opara |
| GIVEN NAMES | I |
| FAMILY NAME | Opara |
| SIGNATURE | OPARA I |
| AFFILIATIONS | Yale University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1118-4699 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 35 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 27 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 35 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2018 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Objectification and adultification of black girls in the USA
Gendered racism has a negative impact on Black girls in the USA and can contribute to their adultification and the objectification of their bodies, leading to poorer health outcomes. This study sought to analyse the historical and sociocultural factors that shape this sexual objectification and adultification. Intersectionality theory and objectification theory were used to frame our examination of how gendered racial stereotypes impact Black gir…
Hair‐esteem toolkit for Black girls
For Black adolescent girls, hair is a significant aspect of gender and ethnic identity, influencing both intrapersonal reflections and interpersonal interactions. Gendered racism and Eurocentric beauty standards marginalize Black girls and their hair, causing them to experience high rates of hair-related harassment and discrimination. These experiences negatively affect the self-esteem of Black girls, which has critical implications for various h…
Hear our voices”
Navigating an STI diagnosis
Black women face a myriad of challenges that heighten their susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), resulting in a disproportionate impact of STIs among this population. Yet, there is a lack of research that explores how women navigate these diagnoses with resilience. Instead, much of the prevention research on Black women's sexual health and wellness reflects a deficit orientation and focuses on risk. In the current study, we a…
Spatial Associations of Alcohol Outlet Density with Neighborhood Crime and Child Opportunity
BACKGROUND: Passaic county, New Jersey (NJ) has a high population density and diverse racial composition, with significant socioeconomic disparities that vary by city. Such disparities expose residents, and particularly children, to environmental conditions that may be harmful to their health and wellbeing such as high exposure to crime, violence, and high amounts of alcohol outlets. This study explores the association between alcohol outlet dens…
The Application of Intersectionality Theory in Family‐Based Substance Use Prevention for Urban Black Adolescents
The harmful consequences of substance use are particularly concerning for Black adolescents in urban communities, many of whom face additional environmental challenges that disrupt their transition into adulthood. Families play a pivotal role in prevention, and some have been successful, as substance use rates among Black adolescents are lower than their racial–ethnic peers. Yet, prevention research often overlooks the influence of place, Black f…
A Nationally Representative Analysis of Substance Use and Sexual Health Correlates Associated with HIV and STI Testing among Adolescents
Power to the People
Applying a community‐engaged participatory machine learning model
Although predictive algorithms have been described as the definitive solution to bias in health care, machine learning techniques may also propagate existing health inequities within the community context. However, there may be ways in which machine learning techniques can help community psychologists, public health researchers and practitioners identify patterns in data in a way that empowers improved outcomes. Incorporating community insight in…
School Absenteeism and Neighborhood Deprivation and Threat
Leveraging publicly available data about schools” absenteeism from the New Jersey Department of Education, the present study examined how neighborhood-level resource deprivation and violent crime related to chronic absenteeism in Passaic County's elementary, middle, and high schools. Results highlighted geographic disparities in Passaic County, New Jersey, whereby predominantly racial/ethnic, under-resourced, communities of color have significant…
Faith Leaders' Perspectives on Involvement in HIV Prevention for Urban Black Youth in New Jersey, USA
This qualitative study takes place in an urban community that has high rates of HIV among Black youth. Six faith leaders were interviewed (five identified as Christian and one identified as Muslim). Three major themes arose from the interviews, including (1) the role of sex and HIV; (2) hindrances to sexual health conversations with youth; and (3) considering religious principles to prevent HIV in Black youth. Findings from this study can be used…
Utilizing Community-Centered Approaches to Address Black Maternal Mortality
The rise of Black maternal mortality rates throughout the country demonstrates a great need to utilize innovative frameworks to craft solutions that improve health outcomes for Black birthing people. Previous research and interventions have examined individual- and policy-level factors to reduce maternal mortality; however, these methods may lack a true community-centered approach to understanding the experiences of Black birthing people in local…
Teaching Note—#BlackGirlsMatter and the Social Work Curriculum
Black girls in the United States face a double or triple jeopardy that places them at risk compared to White girls and other ethnic minority girls. Furthermore, their voices and experiences are often ignored and not discussed fully within the social work classrooms. Since the social work profession is founded on social justice and equity, we urge educators to center the experiences of Black girls within their curriculum by recognizing their exper…
Young Adults at the National Epicenter of the Covid-19 Outbreak
As the first epicenter of COVID-19 in the United States, New York represents an important location for prevention researchers to learn about how COVID-19 affected a diverse population of young adults. It is essential that researchers and practitioners proactively develop early and appropriate interventions to address the ongoing mental health crisis and also plan for future crises
HIV knowledge and protective factors among racial-ethnic minority youth
Due to systemic racism and homophobia, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer (LGBQ+) youth of color are disproportionately affected by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) / AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and viral hepatitis (VH). Innovative approaches that acknowledge strengths such as ethnic identity need to be examined to understand specific protective factors that can support LGBQ+ youth of color. This study aimed to examine the moderati…
Schools’ Neighborhoods and Characteristics
Racial/ethnic disparities in PM2.5-attributable cardiovascular mortality burden in the United States
Ethnic Identity, Empowerment, Social Support and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Black Adolescent Girls
Strong Black Women
This qualitative study examines how the “Strong Black Woman” (SBW) label can have potentially negative health effects for African American/Black women that contribute to eating disorders. This study addresses the gap in literature on racial disparities that are present in understanding eating disorders that contribute to obesity and obesityrelated issues. Through semi-structured individual interviews conducted with ( N = 11) Black female higher e…
Role of the Intersections of Gender, Race and Sexual Orientation in the Association between Substance Use Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Infections in a National Sample of Adults with Recent Crimi…
Limited research has focused on how substance use and sexual risk behaviors differ among individuals impacted by the criminal legal system based on social identities. Using the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, we estimated relative risk for reporting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) among intersectional social groups with criminal legal involvement using a modified Poisson regression. We then utilized multivariate logistic regression…
Feeling Invisible and Unheard
Gendered racism can impact how Black teen girls perceive themselves in relation to the world and influence their behaviors. This form of discrimination tends to manifest in stereotypes that promote the victimization and mistreatment of Black teen girls. This qualitative study, using Black feminist thought through a Black Girlhood lens as a guiding framework, aims to understand how Black teen girls are affected by gendered-racist stereotypes and h…
Measuring Intrapersonal Psychological Empowerment and Ethnic Identity
Limited research has examined intrapersonal psychological empowerment (PE) among Black girls solely. This study aims to fill a gap in empowerment literature by examining the factor structure of the Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) among Black girls ( N = 377) between the ages of 14-17 years old. We also examine the association with ethnic identity as a conceptually related variable. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to ex…
A Spatial Analysis of Alcohol Outlet Density Type, Abandoned Properties, and Police Calls on Aggravated Assault Rates in a Northeastern U.S. City
Background: Community-based research and prevention scholarship has shown a growing interest in examining the impact of the ecological structure of neighborhoods on community violence. Ecological structures such as higher numbers of alcohol outlets and abandoned/vacant properties in geographically dense, poor, and socially isolated communities are critically important to consider. Further, disadvantaged urban communities are burdened by greater p…
Ethnic Identity as a Moderator Between HIV Knowledge, Viral Hepatitis Knowledge, and Psychological Antecedents Among Racial-Ethnic Minority Youth Living in an Urban Community
Reframing Sexual Health for Black Girls and Women in HIV/STI Prevention Work
While Black girls and women are disproportionately impacted by sexual health disparities, there continues to be an overwhelming focus on individual risk behaviors within prevention initiatives, which offers a fragmented narrative of the multidimensional nature of risk and plausibly limits effectiveness of prevention programs and attenuates reductions in disparities. Because sexual health is experienced within an individual's beliefs/values, inter…
It All Starts With the Parents”
Using intersectionality theory as a theoretical framework, this qualitative study uncovered the protective factors present among black and Hispanic adolescent girls living in an urban, under-resourced neighborhood in the Northeastern United States. The sample used in this study includes eight focus groups that consisted of adolescent females only ( N = 57). Female participants were sampled through six youth-serving summer programs throughout the …
Psychological sense of community, community civic participation, and ethnic identity on social justice orientation and psychological empowerment between LGBQ and Non-LGBQ youth of color
For lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) youth of color, the intersection of identifying as both LGBQ and a person of color results in not only managing racial stereotypes, but also heterosexism and genderism. Developing a critical understanding of oppressive social conditions and ways to engage in social action is a form of resistance for these youth. Research is needed among LGBQ youth of color that examines the range of predictors an…
School Absenteeism and Neighborhood Deprivation and Threat
Leveraging publicly available data about schools” absenteeism from the New Jersey Department of Education, the present study examined how neighborhood-level resource deprivation and violent crime related to chronic absenteeism in Passaic County's elementary, middle, and high schools. Results highlighted geographic disparities in Passaic County, New Jersey, whereby predominantly racial/ethnic, under-resourced, communities of color have significant…
Feeling Invisible and Unheard
Gendered racism can impact how Black teen girls perceive themselves in relation to the world and influence their behaviors. This form of discrimination tends to manifest in stereotypes that promote the victimization and mistreatment of Black teen girls. This qualitative study, using Black feminist thought through a Black Girlhood lens as a guiding framework, aims to understand how Black teen girls are affected by gendered-racist stereotypes and h…
Measuring Intrapersonal Psychological Empowerment and Ethnic Identity
Limited research has examined intrapersonal psychological empowerment (PE) among Black girls solely. This study aims to fill a gap in empowerment literature by examining the factor structure of the Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) among Black girls ( N = 377) between the ages of 14-17 years old. We also examine the association with ethnic identity as a conceptually related variable. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to ex…
Nativity and Cardiovascular Dysregulation
Racial/ethnic disparities in PM2.5-attributable cardiovascular mortality burden in the United States
Examining African American Parent-Daughter HIV Risk Communication Using a Black Feminist-Ecological Lens
Using a framework of ecological systems theory and Black feminist theory, this article provides a conceptual exploration of barriers and facilitators to HIV risk communication between African American parents and daughters. African American female adolescents are disproportionately diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and are more likely to engage in sexually risky behaviors, which increases their risk of contracting HIV. Researche…
It All Starts With the Parents”
Using intersectionality theory as a theoretical framework, this qualitative study uncovered the protective factors present among black and Hispanic adolescent girls living in an urban, under-resourced neighborhood in the Northeastern United States. The sample used in this study includes eight focus groups that consisted of adolescent females only ( N = 57). Female participants were sampled through six youth-serving summer programs throughout the …
The Role of Empowerment-Based Protective Factors on Substance Use Among Youth of Color
The Cognitive Empowerment Scale
Suicide among Black Children
Recently, research has reported that the rates of suicide among Black children between the ages of 5 to 12-years-old are increasing as they are now more likely to commit suicide than White children. Yet, there are very few, if any, frameworks being used by researchers to explain the risks of suicide among Black children. Suicide research has overwhelmingly been focused on White youth thus leaving a critical gap in suicide research. This conceptua…
Intrapersonal psychological empowerment profiles on ethnic identity, social support, and lifetime drug use among Hispanic adolescent girls
The abbreviated Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) factor structure, used to measure intrapersonal psychological empowerment, was tested among a sample of Hispanic adolescent girls ( N = 490). Confirmatory factor analysis and latent class analyses were conducted, and five distinct cluster groups emerged. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to examine conceptually related variables and support the two-factor structure and val…
A Spatial Analysis of Alcohol Outlet Density Type, Abandoned Properties, and Police Calls on Aggravated Assault Rates in a Northeastern U.S. City
Background: Community-based research and prevention scholarship has shown a growing interest in examining the impact of the ecological structure of neighborhoods on community violence. Ecological structures such as higher numbers of alcohol outlets and abandoned/vacant properties in geographically dense, poor, and socially isolated communities are critically important to consider. Further, disadvantaged urban communities are burdened by greater p…
Ethnic Identity as a Moderator Between HIV Knowledge, Viral Hepatitis Knowledge, and Psychological Antecedents Among Racial-Ethnic Minority Youth Living in an Urban Community
Reframing Sexual Health for Black Girls and Women in HIV/STI Prevention Work
While Black girls and women are disproportionately impacted by sexual health disparities, there continues to be an overwhelming focus on individual risk behaviors within prevention initiatives, which offers a fragmented narrative of the multidimensional nature of risk and plausibly limits effectiveness of prevention programs and attenuates reductions in disparities. Because sexual health is experienced within an individual's beliefs/values, inter…
Associations between Parent–Child Communication on Sexual Health and Drug Use and Use of Drugs during Sex among Urban Black Youth
Black youth and their families living in urban settings may experience unique stressors that contribute to underlying issues due to the environmental context. Such factors may exacerbate and promote drug use and engagement in risky sexual behaviors, unknowingly. Little is known about how family factors, peer pressure, condom use, and other related factors are associated with substance use and engaging in sexual behaviors while on drugs among urba…
Sociopolitical control as a mediator between ethnic identity and social support on 30-day drug use among black girls
While Black girls have lower rates of drug use, they face worse health and wellbeing consequences associated with drug use. Understanding which strengths-based factors serve as buffers to limit adverse outcomes related to drug use among Black girls is essential for prevention. This study investigated the mediating role of sociopolitical control on drug use among Black girls (n = 340). Using path analysis, models were tested to include the variabl…
Psychological sense of community, community civic participation, and ethnic identity on social justice orientation and psychological empowerment between LGBQ and Non-LGBQ youth of color
For lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) youth of color, the intersection of identifying as both LGBQ and a person of color results in not only managing racial stereotypes, but also heterosexism and genderism. Developing a critical understanding of oppressive social conditions and ways to engage in social action is a form of resistance for these youth. Research is needed among LGBQ youth of color that examines the range of predictors an…
Nativity and Cardiovascular Dysregulation
Ethnic Identity, Empowerment, Social Support and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Black Adolescent Girls
Strong Black Women
This qualitative study examines how the “Strong Black Woman” (SBW) label can have potentially negative health effects for African American/Black women that contribute to eating disorders. This study addresses the gap in literature on racial disparities that are present in understanding eating disorders that contribute to obesity and obesityrelated issues. Through semi-structured individual interviews conducted with ( N = 11) Black female higher e…
Role of the Intersections of Gender, Race and Sexual Orientation in the Association between Substance Use Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Infections in a National Sample of Adults with Recent Crimi…
Limited research has focused on how substance use and sexual risk behaviors differ among individuals impacted by the criminal legal system based on social identities. Using the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, we estimated relative risk for reporting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) among intersectional social groups with criminal legal involvement using a modified Poisson regression. We then utilized multivariate logistic regression…
Feeling Invisible and Unheard
Gendered racism can impact how Black teen girls perceive themselves in relation to the world and influence their behaviors. This form of discrimination tends to manifest in stereotypes that promote the victimization and mistreatment of Black teen girls. This qualitative study, using Black feminist thought through a Black Girlhood lens as a guiding framework, aims to understand how Black teen girls are affected by gendered-racist stereotypes and h…
Measuring Intrapersonal Psychological Empowerment and Ethnic Identity
Limited research has examined intrapersonal psychological empowerment (PE) among Black girls solely. This study aims to fill a gap in empowerment literature by examining the factor structure of the Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) among Black girls ( N = 377) between the ages of 14-17 years old. We also examine the association with ethnic identity as a conceptually related variable. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to ex…
Utilizing Community-Centered Approaches to Address Black Maternal Mortality
The rise of Black maternal mortality rates throughout the country demonstrates a great need to utilize innovative frameworks to craft solutions that improve health outcomes for Black birthing people. Previous research and interventions have examined individual- and policy-level factors to reduce maternal mortality; however, these methods may lack a true community-centered approach to understanding the experiences of Black birthing people in local…
Teaching Note—#BlackGirlsMatter and the Social Work Curriculum
Black girls in the United States face a double or triple jeopardy that places them at risk compared to White girls and other ethnic minority girls. Furthermore, their voices and experiences are often ignored and not discussed fully within the social work classrooms. Since the social work profession is founded on social justice and equity, we urge educators to center the experiences of Black girls within their curriculum by recognizing their exper…
Young Adults at the National Epicenter of the Covid-19 Outbreak
As the first epicenter of COVID-19 in the United States, New York represents an important location for prevention researchers to learn about how COVID-19 affected a diverse population of young adults. It is essential that researchers and practitioners proactively develop early and appropriate interventions to address the ongoing mental health crisis and also plan for future crises
HIV knowledge and protective factors among racial-ethnic minority youth
Due to systemic racism and homophobia, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer (LGBQ+) youth of color are disproportionately affected by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) / AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and viral hepatitis (VH). Innovative approaches that acknowledge strengths such as ethnic identity need to be examined to understand specific protective factors that can support LGBQ+ youth of color. This study aimed to examine the moderati…
Schools’ Neighborhoods and Characteristics
Racial/ethnic disparities in PM2.5-attributable cardiovascular mortality burden in the United States
A Nationally Representative Analysis of Substance Use and Sexual Health Correlates Associated with HIV and STI Testing among Adolescents
Psychology (25 works) · Sociology (23 works) · Medicine (19 works) · Social Psychology (15 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (11 works) · Political science (11 works) · Developmental psychology (10 works) · Ethnic group (10 works) · Gender Studies (10 works) · Psychiatry (10 works)