Angela Walter

Angela Wangari Walter, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

College
Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences
Department
Public Health
Phone
(978) 934-5374
Fax
(978) 934-3012
Office
O'Leary Library, Room 540-K
Email
angela_walter@uml.edu
Links

Expertise

Community engagement, HIV/STI infections, Mental health and substance use, Implementation science, Program evaluation methods

Education

  • Postdoc: Health Policy and Management, (2014), Boston University School of Public Health - Boston, MA
  • Ph.D, (2013), Brandeis University, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management - Waltham, MA
  • MPH: Social and Behavioral Sciences, (2008), Boston University School of Public Health - Boston, MA
  • MSW: Macro Social Work Practice, (2007), Boston University School of Social Work - Boston, MA
  • BS: Health Policy and Management, (2003), Providence College - Providence, RI

Biosketch

Angela Wangari Walter, Ph.D., M.PH., M.S.W. is a health services researcher and an implementation scientist dedicated to understanding and improving health and social outcomes among marginalized and minoritized (MaM) populations, and other socially and economically disadvantaged groups. Her research focuses on developing and implementing behavioral interventions to improve health outcomes for individuals with alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use (ATOD) disorders and co-occurring conditions (e.g., mental illness, cancer). Her community-engaged research (CEnR) has contributed to understanding the relationships between social determinants of health and wellbeing; and the impact of culturally relevant and integrated care for adults with co-occurring substance use and mental illness. Dr. Walter is actively engaged in community efforts addressing racial and social injustices, serving as an advocate, educator, volunteer, and nonprofit board and advisory member.

Selected Awards and Honors

  • 30 Inspiring & Impactful Alumni (2020) - Health Career Connection
  • Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching (2018), Teaching - Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Community Research Innovative Scholar (2017), Scholarship/Research - University of Massachusetts Center for Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Selected Publications

  • Walter, AW, Lee JW, Streck JM, Gareen IG, Kircher SM, Herman BA, Carlos RC, Kumar SK, Mayer I, Saba NF, Fenske TS, Neal JW, Atkins MB, Hodi FS, Kyriakopoulos CE, Tempany-Afdhal CM, Shanafelt TD, Wagner LI, Land S, Ostroff JS, Park ER. (2023). The effect of neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage on smoking status, quit attempts, and receipt of cessation support among adults with cancer: Results from nine ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (EA) trials. Cancer. 2023 
  • Rajabiun S, Heath C, Walter, AW, Scott J, Downes A, Jennings E, Cabral H, Flores-Rodriguez C, Sprague Martinez L. The Black Women First Initiative: Using Implementation Science to examine Bundled Interventions to Improve Care and Treatment Coordination for Black women with HIV. BMC Health Services Research. 2023; 23:551. 
  • Sprague Martinez L, Scott JC, Rocco M, Walter, AW, Rajabiun S. How is COVID-19 impacting you? A community-based photovoice workshop. American Journal of Public Health. 2022;112(11):1541–1542. 
  • Goshe BM, Rasmussen AW, Wagner LI, Sicks JD, Gareen IF, Carlos RC, Herman BA, Walter, AW, Regan S, Levy DE, Mahon I, Muzikansky A, Neil JM, Lui M, Dilip D, Malloy L, Gonzalez I, Finkelstein-Fox L, McCann C, Perez E, Ostroff JS, Park ER. Study protocol for a hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation trial testing virtual tobacco treatment in oncology practices [Smokefree Support Study 2.0]. BMC Public Health. 2022 (22),1359. 
  • Walter, AW, Morocho, C. HIV related knowledge, HIV testing decision-making, and perceptions of alcohol use as a risk factor for HIV among Black and African American women. (2021). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. (18), 4535. 
  • Walter, AW, Julce, C, Sidduri, N, Yinusa-Nyahkoon, L, Howard, J, Reichert, M, Bickmore, T, Jack, BW (2020). Study protocol for the implementation of the Gabby Preconception Care System - an evidence-based, health information technology intervention for Black and African American women. BMC health services research,20(1) 889. 
  • Walter, AW, Morocho, C, Chassler, D, Sousa, J, De Jesús, D, Longworth-Reed, L, Stewart, E, Guzman, M, Sostre, J, Linsenmeyer, A, Lundgren, L (2019). Evaluating culturally and linguistically integrated care for Latinx adults with mental and substance use disorders. Ethnicity & health, 1-13. 
  • Sprague-Martinez, L, Lundgren, L, Walter, AW, Sousa, J, Tahoun, N, Steketee, G, Hahm, H, Mueser, KT, Krull, I, Do, DL, Saitz, R (2019). Behavioral Health, Primary Care Integration, and Social Work’s Role in Improving Health Outcomes in Communities of Color: A Systematic Review. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research,10(3). 
  • Walter, AW, Yuan, Y, Cesar, M, Thekkedath, R (2018). Facilitators and barriers to family engagement and retention of young children in mental health care: A qualitative study of caregivers’ perspectives. Social Work in Mental Health,17(2). 
  • Walter, AW, Morocho, C, King, L, Bartlett, J, Kelsey, D, DeSousa, M, Biesecker, G, Punnett, L (2018). Preventing Opioid Use Disorders among Fishing Industry Workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,15(4). 
  • Sprague Martinez, L, Walter, AW, Acevedo, A, Marilis Lopez, L, Lundgren, L, (2018). Context matters: Health disparities in substance use disorders and treatment. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions,18(1) 84-98. 
  • Walter, AW, Sprague Martinez, L, Lopez, LM (2018). Mental health care in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) era: Harnessing the power of communities (3 pp. 314-327). Routledge 
  • Walter, AW, Cheng, DM, Lloyd-Travaglini, CA, Samet, JH, Bernstein, J, Saitz, R (2016). Are decreases in drug use risk associated with reductions in HIV sex risk behaviors among adults in an urban hospital primary care setting? Preventive Medicine Reports,4 410-416. 
  • Walter, AW, Yvonne, R, Robbie, T, Kress, H, Morningstar, B, MacArthur, B, Daniels, A (2016). Leadership matters: How hidden biases perpetuate institutional racism in organizations. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance,4(3) 213-221. 
  • Walter, AW, Lundgren, L, Umez-Eronini, A, Ritter, GA (2016). Alcohol use and HIV testing in a national sample of women. AIDS and Behavior,20(1) 84-96

Research Currently in Progress

  • Adapting a co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder multicomponent intervention for women. This project will adapt an efficacious multi-component team-based intervention for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder (COD) to meet the unique needs of women with COD. This research will enhance engagement in care and improve behavioral health and social outcomes for women with COD. Walter, A.W & Gaba A. 
  • Organizational readiness and engagement of community oncology practices in implementing tobacco use assessment and treatment. The project is examining organizational contexts that influence adoption of tobacco use assessment and treatment interventions; and identifying strategies to facilitate implementation of evidence-based tobacco treatment interventions in community cancer care settings. This project is funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Walter, A.W., Park, E.R., Ostroff, J.S. 
  • Improving Care and Treatment Coordination for Black Women with HIV – The Evaluation and Technical Assistance Provider. This project supports 12 demonstration sites across the US by developing, evaluating, and disseminating interventions that engage and retain Black women with HIV in care and treatment. We examine implementation processes and outcomes of bundled interventions to inform the replication of interventions to Ending the HIV Epidemic (EtHE). This project is funded by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), HIV/AIDS Bureau. Rajabiun, S., Walter, A.W., Tucker, K.L.