Pamela Valera

Dr. Pamela Valera is a Professor at the Department of Social Work within the College of Arts & Sciences at Sacred Heart University. Her research interests include Social Work, Public Health, HIV/AIDS, Food Security, Criminal Justice, Gerontology, and Geospatial Technology.

The 2025 study titled Using Global Positioning Systems to Explore Food Insecurity Among Older Adults Living With HIV, With and Without Criminal Justice Involvement examines the feasibility of GPS technology in assessing food insecurity among older adults with HIV. The research involved 25 participants and found higher food insecurity rates among those with lower education and annual incomes below $20,000. Spatial analysis revealed patterns of mobility and location visits, though GPS compliance declined over the study period.

Her work bridges geospatial methodologies with social determinants of health, focusing on vulnerable populations such as aging individuals with HIV and those involved in the criminal justice system. No scientific awards or student advising information is mentioned in the available text.