Assiamira Ferrara
Biographic Data
| ID | 3583092 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Assiamira Ferrara |
| GIVEN NAMES | Assiamira |
| FAMILY NAME | Ferrara |
| SIGNATURE | FERRARA A |
| AFFILIATIONS | Kaiser Permanente |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-7505-4826 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 32 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 14 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2004 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Wildfire-specific fine particulate matter and preterm birth
Do small effects matter more in vulnerable populations? an investigation using Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (Echo) cohorts
Vulnerable sub-populations with greater baseline percentages at high risk fare worse when exposed to a small insult compared to the general population. This illustrates another facet of health disparity in vulnerable individuals
Maternal education prospectively predicts child neurocognitive function
A large body of research has established a relation between maternal education and children's neurocognitive functions, such as executive function and language. However, most studies have focused on early childhood and relatively few studies have examined associations with changes in maternal education over time. Consequently, it remains unclear if early maternal education is longitudinally related to neurocognitive functions in children, adolesc…
Association of maternal education, neighborhood deprivation, and racial segregation with gestational age at birth by maternal race/ethnicity and United States Census region in the Echo cohorts
Background In the United States, disparities in gestational age at birth by maternal race, ethnicity, and geography are theorized to be related, in part, to differences in individual- and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES). Yet, few studies have examined their combined effects or whether associations vary by maternal race and ethnicity and United States Census region. Methods We assembled data from 34 cohorts in the Environmental influ…
Effects of Covid-19 Financial and Social Hardships on Infants’ and Toddlers’ Development in the Echo Program
Negative developmental changes from pre- to during-pandemic were found in boys, yet we did not find any associations between increased experience of pandemic-related hardships and children's development. E how pandemic hardships affect development using a larger sample size and with longer follow-up is warranted
Contributions of Covid-19 Pandemic-Related Stressors to Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health During Pregnancy
This study identified racial and ethnic disparities in mental health for pregnant Black and Hispanic people. Distress due to prenatal care changes contributed to the observed disparities in prenatal depression and anxiety for Black and Hispanic people and food insecurity additionally contributed to the observed disparities for Hispanic people. Addressing distress due to changes to prenatal care and food insecurity specifically in Black and Hispan…
Health Behavior Changes during the Covid-19 Pandemic
This longitudinal study compared children’s health behaviors before the COVID-19 pandemic versus during the pandemic. This analysis examined the association between individual-level characteristics and health behavior change. Four prospective cohort studies in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program contributed data. Children aged 4−12 years and their caregivers were recruited in California, Colorado, North Dakota, an…
A Randomized Study of Values Affirmation to Promote Interest in Diabetes Prevention Among Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test whether 2 interventions promote interest in diabetes prevention among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus, who face high lifetime risk for diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We designed an email outreach message promoting an existing preventive lifestyle program. The message incorporated values affirmation, a theory-based intervention that can improve openness to health info…
Moderate and Vigorous Intensity Exercise During Pregnancy and Gestational Weight Gain in Women with Gestational Diabetes
Lifestyle behaviors and ethnic identity among diverse women at high risk for type 2 diabetes
The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure—Revised
The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised (MEIM-R), a brief instrument assessing affiliation with one's ethnic group, is a promising advance in the ethnic identity literature. However, equivalency of its measurement properties across specific racial and ethnic groups should be confirmed before using it in diverse samples. We examined (a) the psychometric properties of the MEIM-R, including factor structure, measurement invariance, and intern…
Study of Women, Infant feeding, and Type 2 diabetes mellitus after GDM pregnancy (SWIFT), a prospective cohort study
This is the first, large prospective, community-based study involving a racially and ethnically diverse cohort of women with recent GDM that rigorously assesses lactation intensity and duration and examines their relationship to incident type 2 diabetes while accounting for numerous potential confounders not assessed previously
Understanding the Gap Between Good Processes of Diabetes Care and Poor Intermediate Outcomes
BACKGROUND: Performance of diabetes clinical care processes has improved recently, but control of hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and other vascular disease risk factors has improved more slowly. OBJECTIVES: To identify patient factors associated with control of vascular disease risk factors among diabetes patients receiving recommended care processes. POPULATION: Managed care enrollees who participated in the TRIAD (Translating Research into Action for Dia…
Missed Appointments and Poor Glycemic Control
OBJECTIVE: When patients miss scheduled medical appointments, continuity and effectiveness of healthcare delivery is reduced, appropriate monitoring of health status lapses, and the cost of health services increases. We evaluated the relationship between missed appointments and glycemic control (glycosylated hemoglobin or HbA1c) in a large, managed care population of diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Missed appointment rate was rela…
The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure—Revised
The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised (MEIM-R), a brief instrument assessing affiliation with one's ethnic group, is a promising advance in the ethnic identity literature. However, equivalency of its measurement properties across specific racial and ethnic groups should be confirmed before using it in diverse samples. We examined (a) the psychometric properties of the MEIM-R, including factor structure, measurement invariance, and intern…
Lifestyle behaviors and ethnic identity among diverse women at high risk for type 2 diabetes
Maternal education prospectively predicts child neurocognitive function
A large body of research has established a relation between maternal education and children's neurocognitive functions, such as executive function and language. However, most studies have focused on early childhood and relatively few studies have examined associations with changes in maternal education over time. Consequently, it remains unclear if early maternal education is longitudinally related to neurocognitive functions in children, adolesc…
Missed Appointments and Poor Glycemic Control
OBJECTIVE: When patients miss scheduled medical appointments, continuity and effectiveness of healthcare delivery is reduced, appropriate monitoring of health status lapses, and the cost of health services increases. We evaluated the relationship between missed appointments and glycemic control (glycosylated hemoglobin or HbA1c) in a large, managed care population of diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Missed appointment rate was rela…
Understanding the Gap Between Good Processes of Diabetes Care and Poor Intermediate Outcomes
BACKGROUND: Performance of diabetes clinical care processes has improved recently, but control of hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and other vascular disease risk factors has improved more slowly. OBJECTIVES: To identify patient factors associated with control of vascular disease risk factors among diabetes patients receiving recommended care processes. POPULATION: Managed care enrollees who participated in the TRIAD (Translating Research into Action for Dia…
Study of Women, Infant feeding, and Type 2 diabetes mellitus after GDM pregnancy (SWIFT), a prospective cohort study
This is the first, large prospective, community-based study involving a racially and ethnically diverse cohort of women with recent GDM that rigorously assesses lactation intensity and duration and examines their relationship to incident type 2 diabetes while accounting for numerous potential confounders not assessed previously
The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure—Revised
The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised (MEIM-R), a brief instrument assessing affiliation with one's ethnic group, is a promising advance in the ethnic identity literature. However, equivalency of its measurement properties across specific racial and ethnic groups should be confirmed before using it in diverse samples. We examined (a) the psychometric properties of the MEIM-R, including factor structure, measurement invariance, and intern…
Moderate and Vigorous Intensity Exercise During Pregnancy and Gestational Weight Gain in Women with Gestational Diabetes
Lifestyle behaviors and ethnic identity among diverse women at high risk for type 2 diabetes
A Randomized Study of Values Affirmation to Promote Interest in Diabetes Prevention Among Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test whether 2 interventions promote interest in diabetes prevention among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus, who face high lifetime risk for diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We designed an email outreach message promoting an existing preventive lifestyle program. The message incorporated values affirmation, a theory-based intervention that can improve openness to health info…
Contributions of Covid-19 Pandemic-Related Stressors to Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health During Pregnancy
This study identified racial and ethnic disparities in mental health for pregnant Black and Hispanic people. Distress due to prenatal care changes contributed to the observed disparities in prenatal depression and anxiety for Black and Hispanic people and food insecurity additionally contributed to the observed disparities for Hispanic people. Addressing distress due to changes to prenatal care and food insecurity specifically in Black and Hispan…
Health Behavior Changes during the Covid-19 Pandemic
This longitudinal study compared children’s health behaviors before the COVID-19 pandemic versus during the pandemic. This analysis examined the association between individual-level characteristics and health behavior change. Four prospective cohort studies in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program contributed data. Children aged 4−12 years and their caregivers were recruited in California, Colorado, North Dakota, an…
Association of maternal education, neighborhood deprivation, and racial segregation with gestational age at birth by maternal race/ethnicity and United States Census region in the Echo cohorts
Background In the United States, disparities in gestational age at birth by maternal race, ethnicity, and geography are theorized to be related, in part, to differences in individual- and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES). Yet, few studies have examined their combined effects or whether associations vary by maternal race and ethnicity and United States Census region. Methods We assembled data from 34 cohorts in the Environmental influ…
Effects of Covid-19 Financial and Social Hardships on Infants’ and Toddlers’ Development in the Echo Program
Negative developmental changes from pre- to during-pandemic were found in boys, yet we did not find any associations between increased experience of pandemic-related hardships and children's development. E how pandemic hardships affect development using a larger sample size and with longer follow-up is warranted
Do small effects matter more in vulnerable populations? an investigation using Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (Echo) cohorts
Vulnerable sub-populations with greater baseline percentages at high risk fare worse when exposed to a small insult compared to the general population. This illustrates another facet of health disparity in vulnerable individuals
Maternal education prospectively predicts child neurocognitive function
A large body of research has established a relation between maternal education and children's neurocognitive functions, such as executive function and language. However, most studies have focused on early childhood and relatively few studies have examined associations with changes in maternal education over time. Consequently, it remains unclear if early maternal education is longitudinally related to neurocognitive functions in children, adolesc…
Wildfire-specific fine particulate matter and preterm birth
Medicine (12 works) · Environmental health (7 works) · Internal Medicine (6 works) · Pregnancy (6 works) · Diabetes mellitus (5 works) · Ethnic group (5 works) · Population (5 works) · Demography (4 works) · Gestation (4 works) · Gestational diabetes (4 works)