Nimisha Srikanth, MPH
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Biography
Nimisha Srikanth (she/her) is a Doctor of Philosophy student in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Yale University. She is a NIMH T-32 Predoctoral Fellow in the Yale AIDS Prevention Training Program (Y-APT) in the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA). Nimisha graduated from Texas A&M University in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and from the Yale University School of Public Health in May 2025 with a Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences, with a concentration in United States Health Justice. Her overall research goal is to synthesize research, program implementation, and policy advocacy into a comprehensive program aimed at improving adolescent sexual and reproductive health in the United States. Her career goal is to serve as a researcher-activist, teaching and working with young people to create progress in sexual and reproductive health.
At Yale, Nimisha is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Substances and Sexual Health (SASH) Lab. Her research at the SASH Lab has focused on adolescent sexual health, substance use, mental health, and social media patterns. She has also worked on community health education workshops and creates content for the lab’s social media team. Additionally, Nimisha works as a health policy fellow under the preceptorship of Rep. Jillian Gilchrest and aides the Reproductive Rights Caucus at the Connecticut General Assembly.
Last Updated on October 15, 2025.
Education & Training
- MPH
- Yale University, Social and Behavioral Sciences (2025)
- BS
- Texas A&M University, Public Health (2023)
Research
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Overview
Medical Research Interests
Adolescent Health; Reproductive Health; Sexual Health
Public Health Interests
Women's Health; Sexually-Transmitted Infections; Reproduction; HIV/AIDS; Community Engagement; Community Health; Health Policy
ORCID
0000-0002-0977-1392- View Lab Website
The SASH Lab
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Nimisha Srikanth's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Nimisha Srikanth's research output by year.
Sitara M Weerakoon, PhD, MPH
Ijeoma Opara, PhD, LMSW, MPH
Jaleah Rutledge
12Publications
68Citations
Publications
2025
Examining Pathways Among Teen Dating Violence, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation Among Black Girls: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Opara I, Weerakoon S, Srikanth N, Brooks Stephens J, Wan X, Willie T. Examining Pathways Among Teen Dating Violence, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation Among Black Girls: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal Of Interpersonal Violence 2025, 8862605251353484. PMID: 40741816, DOI: 10.1177/08862605251353484.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsTeen dating violenceSubstance useBlack adolescent girlsOdds ratioRates of teen dating violenceOdds of substance useAdolescent girlsBlack girlsConfidence intervalsAssociated with substance usePoor mental health outcomesYouth Risk Behavior Surveillance SystemBehavior Surveillance SystemA cross-sectional studyOdds of suicidal ideationSuicidal ideationBlack female adolescentsMental health challengesMental health outcomesDating violenceRisk factorsPublic health initiativesIndirect pathwaysFemale adolescentsViolenceSpatial Associations of Alcohol Outlet Density with Neighborhood Crime and Child Opportunity: A Hierarchical Bayesian Ecological Study
Weerakoon S, Takenaka B, Srikanth N, Warren J, Opara I. Spatial Associations of Alcohol Outlet Density with Neighborhood Crime and Child Opportunity: A Hierarchical Bayesian Ecological Study. Substance Use & Misuse 2025, 60: 1319-1327. PMID: 40289361, DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2025.2496932.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAlcohol outlet densityAlcohol outletsChild Opportunity IndexCensus tractsOutlet densityRates of property crimeExposure to crimePassaic CountyChildren’s opportunitiesDiverse racial compositionCensus tract levelHigh-risk neighborhoodsMitigate crimeProperty crimeCrime ratesImprove community healthHealth insuranceRacial compositionNew JerseyReduce alcohol outlet densityOpportunity IndexCrimeSignificant socioeconomic disparitiesPolicy interventionsTract levelTeen Dating Violence Among Asian American Adolescents: Insights from a National Survey (2015–2021)
Weerakoon S, Srikanth N, Hansoti E, Takenaka B, Wan X, Opara I, Markham C, Lau M. Teen Dating Violence Among Asian American Adolescents: Insights from a National Survey (2015–2021). Journal Of Aggression Maltreatment & Trauma 2025, 34: 331-347. PMID: 40496760, PMCID: PMC12148240, DOI: 10.1080/10926771.2025.2471348.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsTeen dating violenceSexual dating violenceDating violenceSchool violenceBullying victimizationAmerican adolescentsPhysical dating violenceSubstance useAsian American adolescentsU.S. high school studentsOdds ratioViolenceAssociated with increased oddsLogistic regression analysisCluster sampling studyVictimsBullyingSexual behaviorPublic health problemDepressive symptomsAdolescent malesUnited StatesAdolescent femalesHigh school studentsNational survey
2024
Predictors of HIV and STI testing among sexually active Black adolescents: Results from YRBSS 2019–2021
Weerakoon S, Srikanth N, Aivadyan C, Takenaka B, Rose R, Rutledge J, Sissoko G, Opara I. Predictors of HIV and STI testing among sexually active Black adolescents: Results from YRBSS 2019–2021. Journal Of HIV/AIDS & Social Services 2024, 23: 185-200. PMID: 41059105, PMCID: PMC12499896, DOI: 10.1080/15381501.2024.2435882.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsSexually transmitted infection testingSexually transmitted infectionsPredictors of HIVE-cigarettesOdds of testingE-cigarette useYouth Risk Behavior Surveillance SystemBehavior Surveillance SystemBlack adolescentsCurrent substance usersCondom useHIVSexual partnersTesting behaviorInfluence testing behaviourPreventive health measuresSubstance usersSubstance useAdolescentsOddsPredictorsRegression modelsAgeSexMaleA Nationally Representative Analysis of Substance Use and Sexual Health Correlates Associated with HIV and STI Testing among Adolescents
Weerakoon S, Srikanth N, Aivadyan C, Takenaka B, Rose R, Rutledge J, Wan X, Opara I. A Nationally Representative Analysis of Substance Use and Sexual Health Correlates Associated with HIV and STI Testing among Adolescents. AIDS And Behavior 2024, 29: 919-932. PMID: 39661294, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04575-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsOdds of HIVSTI testingYouth Risk Behavior Surveillance SystemIncreased odds of HIVSexual healthIncreased oddsCDC's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance SystemOdds of HIV testingStepwise multivariate logistic regression modelsSubstance use behaviorsLifetime cocaine useSubstance useMultivariate logistic regression modelNationally representative analysisBehavior Surveillance SystemLogistic regression modelsPrescription drug misuseHIV/STI testingTailored HIVHIV testingSex of sexual partnersUnited StatesCocaine useHealth correlatesTesting services
2023
Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome by household food insecurity status in the United States adolescent population, 2001–2020: a cross-sectional study
Messiah S, Xie L, Kapti E, Chandrasekhar A, Srikanth N, Hill K, Williams S, Reid A, Mathew M, Barlow S. Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome by household food insecurity status in the United States adolescent population, 2001–2020: a cross-sectional study. American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition 2023, 119: 354-361. PMID: 38042411, DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.11.014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsNational Health and Nutrition Examination SurveyPrevalence of MetSHousehold FI statusHousehold FICross-sectional studyFI statusEstimated prevalenceFI householdsDisproportionate burdenModifiable social determinants of healthSocial determinants of healthNational Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataHealth and Nutrition Examination SurveyHigher prevalence of MetSHousehold food insecurity statusDeterminants of healthPrevalence of metabolic syndromeFood insecurityBurden of MetSNon-Hispanic blacksChronic health outcomesNutrition Examination SurveyNon-Hispanic whitesFood insecurity statusPediatric population-based studiesPreconception paternal ethanol exposures induce alcohol-related craniofacial growth deficiencies in fetal offspring
Thomas K, Srikanth N, Bhadsavle S, Thomas K, Zimmel K, Basel A, Roach A, Mehta N, Bedi Y, Golding M. Preconception paternal ethanol exposures induce alcohol-related craniofacial growth deficiencies in fetal offspring. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2023, 133: e167624. PMID: 37040180, PMCID: PMC10231986, DOI: 10.1172/jci167624.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsAssociation of Social Determinants of Health, Race and Ethnicity, and Age of Menarche among US Women Over 2 Decades
Srikanth N, Xie L, Francis J, Messiah S. Association of Social Determinants of Health, Race and Ethnicity, and Age of Menarche among US Women Over 2 Decades. Journal Of Pediatric And Adolescent Gynecology 2023, 36: 442-448. PMID: 37196755, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpag.2023.05.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSocial determinants of healthAge of menarcheDeterminants of healthAssociation of social determinants of healthTarget social determinants of healthUS National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataEarly menarcheFamily income-to-poverty ratioNational Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataLate menarcheIncome-to-poverty ratioNutrition Examination Survey dataNon-Hispanic whitesLow educational levelAssociated with early menarcheMultinomial logistic regression analysisAverage age of menarcheAssociated with late menarcheSocial determinantsLogistic regression analysisHome statusIdentified programsEducation levelUnited StatesInsurance coverage
2022
Comparison of Long-Term Complications of COVID-19 Illness among a Diverse Sample of Children by MIS-C Status
Messiah S, Xie L, Mathew M, Shaikh S, Veeraswamy A, Rabi A, Francis J, Lozano A, Ronquillo C, Sanchez V, He W, Weerakoon S, Srikanth N, Borel M, Kapera O, Kahn J. Comparison of Long-Term Complications of COVID-19 Illness among a Diverse Sample of Children by MIS-C Status. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health 2022, 19: 13382. PMID: 36293968, PMCID: PMC9603408, DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013382.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMIS-CCOVID-19 illnessSevere COVID illnessMultisystem inflammatory syndromeLong symptomsPediatric COVID-19 casesAssociated with SARS-CoV-2 infectionPediatric healthcare systemLong COVIDSARS-CoV-2 infectionRetrospective EHR reviewFollow-up surveyInflammatory syndromePersistent symptomsEthnically diverse childrenPediatric professionalsPresence of long COVIDHealthcare systemVulnerable populationsPost-COVID-19 recovery effortsGovernment insurancePrivate insuranceSymptomsCOVID illnessIllnessRelationship Between Dating Violence and Contraceptive Use Among Texas Adolescents
Srikanth N, Weerakoon S, Mathew M, Xie L, Messiah S. Relationship Between Dating Violence and Contraceptive Use Among Texas Adolescents. Journal Of Interpersonal Violence 2022, 38: 4852-4876. PMID: 36000420, DOI: 10.1177/08862605221119519.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsDating violenceTexas adolescentsContraceptive useUnplanned pregnancyYouth Risk Behavior Surveillance System dataSexual dating violenceSexually transmitted infectionsDating violence preventionImpact reproductive healthLogistic regression analysisNoncontraceptive useAntiabortion lawsHormonal contraceptionViolence preventionSurveillance System dataViolenceCondom useReproductive outcomesMultinomial logistic regression analysisReproductive healthAge groupsLawPregnancyContraceptionRegression analysis
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
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Honors
honor Pioneer Award
07/26/2023National AwardPhi Kappa PhiDetailsUnited Stateshonor Marcus L. Urann Fellowship
06/12/2023National AwardPhi Kappa PhiDetailsUnited Stateshonor Craig and Galen Brown Foundation Scholar
08/26/2019Other AwardCraig and Galen Brown FoundationDetailsUnited States
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