Erica Sedlander
Biographic Data
| ID | 4169088 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Erica Sedlander |
| GIVEN NAMES | Erica |
| FAMILY NAME | Sedlander |
| SIGNATURE | SEDLANDER E |
| AFFILIATIONS | Milken Institute |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5128-669X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 16 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 22 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 16 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2015 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
A snapshot of how U.S. funding cuts impacted HIV care in one county of Kenya
Introduction In January 2025, the United States government froze most foreign assistance and issued a 90-day stop-work order affecting many global health, education, and nutrition programs. Methods Using a qualitative case study approach, we examined perceptions about experiences around how this abrupt funding disruption affected HIV care in one county in Kenya through in-depth interviews with women and men living with HIV and with healthcare pro…
Perceptions About the Relationship Between HIV, Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), and Fecundity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) enable women living with HIV to safely conceive and give birth without vertical transmission. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 6 people experience infertility and women living with HIV face even higher rates. Research shows that ART and virologic suppression improve fertility/fecundity, yet this benefit is often overlooked in ART adherence education. To map the literature on people’s understandings and…
Influence of social networks on women’s contraceptive decision-making and action
Our study highlights how different types of social support from partners, relatives, and peers can either bolster or undermine women's agency in making contraceptive decisions. Informational support from relatives and peers can boost women's certainty in their intentions, while emotional support from partners boosts their confidence to act on these intentions. Multipronged approaches targeting these networks are necessary to promote women's agenc…
Analyzing fast and slow
Much of the methodological literature on rapid qualitative analysis describes processes used by a relatively small number of researchers focusing on one study site and using rapid analysis to replace a traditional analytical approach. In this paper, we describe the experiences of a transnational research consortium integrating both rapid and traditional qualitative analysis approaches to develop social theory while also informing program design. …
Adapting and Validating the G‐Norm (Gender Norms Scale) in Nepal
Research calls for the sexual and reproductive rights field to prioritize gender norms to ensure that women can act on their reproductive rights. However, there is a gap in accepted measures. We addressed this by including important theoretical components of gender norms: differentiating between descriptive and injunctive norms and adding a referent group. Our team originally developed and validated the G‐NORM, a gender norms scale, in India. In …
Dietary Diversity and Its Associations with Anemia among Women of Reproductive Age in Rural Odisha, India
The aim of this study is to examine diet diversity, predictors associated with it, and its associations with anemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive age in rural India. Baseline data from the Reductions in Anemia through Normative Innovations (RANI) project were used and included 980 non-pregnant women aged 15-49 years from Odisha, India. The Food and Agriculture Organization's Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) was used to asses…
The G-Norm Scale
Gender norms are increasingly recognized as important modifiers of health. Despite growing awareness of how gender norms affect health behavior, current gender norms scales are often missing two important theoretical components: differentiating between descriptive and injunctive norms and adding a referent group. We used a mixed-methods approach to develop and validate a novel gender norms scale that includes both theoretical components. Based on…
Communication as the crucial link
Social norms are informal rules within a group or society. Despite the consensus that social norms affect behavior, there is an inherent tension in the cross-disciplinary norms literature between the conceptualization of norms as individual and collective phenomena. The present paper capitalizes on the potential of communication as the link between different levels of social norms to develop an integrative approach to normative social influences.…
Determinants of work capacity (predicted VO2max) in non-pregnant women of reproductive age living in rural India
Clinical Trial Registry- India (CTRI) http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pmaindet2.php?trialid=26285&EncHid=&userName=CTRI/2018/10/016186 on 29 October 2018
Does the Belief That Contraceptive Use Causes Infertility Actually Affect Use? Findings from a Social Network Study in Kenya
The belief that contraceptive use causes infertility has been documented across sub‐Saharan Africa, but its quantitative association with actual contraceptive use has not been examined. We collected and analyzed sociocentric network data covering 74 percent of the population in two villages in rural Kenya. We asked respondents to nominate people from their village (their network), and then we matched their network (alters) to the individual parti…
Moving beyond individual barriers and identifying multi-level strategies to reduce anemia in Odisha India
Interventions should address multiple barriers to iron supplement use along the socio-ecological model. They should also be tailored to a woman's reproductive life course stage: adolescents, pregnancy, and non-pregnant women of reproductive age because social norms and available services differ between the subpopulations
The reduction in anemia through normative innovations (Rani) project
This trial was registered with Clinical Trial Registry- India (CTRI) (CTRI/2018/10/016186) on 29 October 2018
It Allows You to Challenge Your Beliefs”
Variation in Self-Perceived Fecundity among Young Adult U.S. Women
They Destroy the Reproductive System”
A common reason for nonuse of modern contraceptives is concern about side effects and health complications. This article provides a detailed characterization of the belief that modern contraceptives cause infertility, and an examination of how this belief arises and spreads, and why it is so salient. We conducted focus group discussions and key informant interviews in three rural communities along Kenya's eastern coast, and identified the followi…
Opportunities and Challenges for Adolescent Health Under the Affordable Care Act
They Destroy the Reproductive System”
A common reason for nonuse of modern contraceptives is concern about side effects and health complications. This article provides a detailed characterization of the belief that modern contraceptives cause infertility, and an examination of how this belief arises and spreads, and why it is so salient. We conducted focus group discussions and key informant interviews in three rural communities along Kenya's eastern coast, and identified the followi…
Communication as the crucial link
Social norms are informal rules within a group or society. Despite the consensus that social norms affect behavior, there is an inherent tension in the cross-disciplinary norms literature between the conceptualization of norms as individual and collective phenomena. The present paper capitalizes on the potential of communication as the link between different levels of social norms to develop an integrative approach to normative social influences.…
Does the Belief That Contraceptive Use Causes Infertility Actually Affect Use? Findings from a Social Network Study in Kenya
The belief that contraceptive use causes infertility has been documented across sub‐Saharan Africa, but its quantitative association with actual contraceptive use has not been examined. We collected and analyzed sociocentric network data covering 74 percent of the population in two villages in rural Kenya. We asked respondents to nominate people from their village (their network), and then we matched their network (alters) to the individual parti…
Analyzing fast and slow
Much of the methodological literature on rapid qualitative analysis describes processes used by a relatively small number of researchers focusing on one study site and using rapid analysis to replace a traditional analytical approach. In this paper, we describe the experiences of a transnational research consortium integrating both rapid and traditional qualitative analysis approaches to develop social theory while also informing program design. …
Adapting and Validating the G‐Norm (Gender Norms Scale) in Nepal
Research calls for the sexual and reproductive rights field to prioritize gender norms to ensure that women can act on their reproductive rights. However, there is a gap in accepted measures. We addressed this by including important theoretical components of gender norms: differentiating between descriptive and injunctive norms and adding a referent group. Our team originally developed and validated the G‐NORM, a gender norms scale, in India. In …
The G-Norm Scale
Gender norms are increasingly recognized as important modifiers of health. Despite growing awareness of how gender norms affect health behavior, current gender norms scales are often missing two important theoretical components: differentiating between descriptive and injunctive norms and adding a referent group. We used a mixed-methods approach to develop and validate a novel gender norms scale that includes both theoretical components. Based on…
Opportunities and Challenges for Adolescent Health Under the Affordable Care Act
They Destroy the Reproductive System”
A common reason for nonuse of modern contraceptives is concern about side effects and health complications. This article provides a detailed characterization of the belief that modern contraceptives cause infertility, and an examination of how this belief arises and spreads, and why it is so salient. We conducted focus group discussions and key informant interviews in three rural communities along Kenya's eastern coast, and identified the followi…
Moving beyond individual barriers and identifying multi-level strategies to reduce anemia in Odisha India
Interventions should address multiple barriers to iron supplement use along the socio-ecological model. They should also be tailored to a woman's reproductive life course stage: adolescents, pregnancy, and non-pregnant women of reproductive age because social norms and available services differ between the subpopulations
The reduction in anemia through normative innovations (Rani) project
This trial was registered with Clinical Trial Registry- India (CTRI) (CTRI/2018/10/016186) on 29 October 2018
It Allows You to Challenge Your Beliefs”
Variation in Self-Perceived Fecundity among Young Adult U.S. Women
Determinants of work capacity (predicted VO2max) in non-pregnant women of reproductive age living in rural India
Clinical Trial Registry- India (CTRI) http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pmaindet2.php?trialid=26285&EncHid=&userName=CTRI/2018/10/016186 on 29 October 2018
Does the Belief That Contraceptive Use Causes Infertility Actually Affect Use? Findings from a Social Network Study in Kenya
The belief that contraceptive use causes infertility has been documented across sub‐Saharan Africa, but its quantitative association with actual contraceptive use has not been examined. We collected and analyzed sociocentric network data covering 74 percent of the population in two villages in rural Kenya. We asked respondents to nominate people from their village (their network), and then we matched their network (alters) to the individual parti…
Dietary Diversity and Its Associations with Anemia among Women of Reproductive Age in Rural Odisha, India
The aim of this study is to examine diet diversity, predictors associated with it, and its associations with anemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive age in rural India. Baseline data from the Reductions in Anemia through Normative Innovations (RANI) project were used and included 980 non-pregnant women aged 15-49 years from Odisha, India. The Food and Agriculture Organization's Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) was used to asses…
The G-Norm Scale
Gender norms are increasingly recognized as important modifiers of health. Despite growing awareness of how gender norms affect health behavior, current gender norms scales are often missing two important theoretical components: differentiating between descriptive and injunctive norms and adding a referent group. We used a mixed-methods approach to develop and validate a novel gender norms scale that includes both theoretical components. Based on…
Communication as the crucial link
Social norms are informal rules within a group or society. Despite the consensus that social norms affect behavior, there is an inherent tension in the cross-disciplinary norms literature between the conceptualization of norms as individual and collective phenomena. The present paper capitalizes on the potential of communication as the link between different levels of social norms to develop an integrative approach to normative social influences.…
Analyzing fast and slow
Much of the methodological literature on rapid qualitative analysis describes processes used by a relatively small number of researchers focusing on one study site and using rapid analysis to replace a traditional analytical approach. In this paper, we describe the experiences of a transnational research consortium integrating both rapid and traditional qualitative analysis approaches to develop social theory while also informing program design. …
Adapting and Validating the G‐Norm (Gender Norms Scale) in Nepal
Research calls for the sexual and reproductive rights field to prioritize gender norms to ensure that women can act on their reproductive rights. However, there is a gap in accepted measures. We addressed this by including important theoretical components of gender norms: differentiating between descriptive and injunctive norms and adding a referent group. Our team originally developed and validated the G‐NORM, a gender norms scale, in India. In …
Influence of social networks on women’s contraceptive decision-making and action
Our study highlights how different types of social support from partners, relatives, and peers can either bolster or undermine women's agency in making contraceptive decisions. Informational support from relatives and peers can boost women's certainty in their intentions, while emotional support from partners boosts their confidence to act on these intentions. Multipronged approaches targeting these networks are necessary to promote women's agenc…
A snapshot of how U.S. funding cuts impacted HIV care in one county of Kenya
Introduction In January 2025, the United States government froze most foreign assistance and issued a 90-day stop-work order affecting many global health, education, and nutrition programs. Methods Using a qualitative case study approach, we examined perceptions about experiences around how this abrupt funding disruption affected HIV care in one county in Kenya through in-depth interviews with women and men living with HIV and with healthcare pro…
Perceptions About the Relationship Between HIV, Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), and Fecundity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) enable women living with HIV to safely conceive and give birth without vertical transmission. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 6 people experience infertility and women living with HIV face even higher rates. Research shows that ART and virologic suppression improve fertility/fecundity, yet this benefit is often overlooked in ART adherence education. To map the literature on people’s understandings and…
Medicine (10 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (6 works) · Environmental health (6 works) · Psychology (6 works) · Public health (5 works) · Qualitative research (5 works) · Reproductive Health and Technologies (5 works) · Anemia (4 works) · Child Nutrition and Water Access (4 works) · Demography (4 works)