Alexis M. Roth

Alexis M. Roth is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health and Prevention at Drexel University. Her work focuses on addressing health disparities through community-engaged research, particularly in substance use, infectious diseases, and women's health. She holds a PhD in health behavior from Indiana University, an MPH in international health and development from Tulane University, and a BA in Communication Studies and Spanish from Loyola Marymount University. Dr. Roth leads the Health Equity Advancement Lab (HEAL), established in 2018, which prioritizes co-creating sustainable public health solutions with marginalized communities.

Her research explores intersections of gender, substance use, and health equity, emphasizing novel interventions for opioid overdose prevention and improving healthcare access for people who use drugs. Key areas include harm reduction strategies, syringe services programs, and digital health technologies for overdose response. Her work integrates mixed methods, combining quantitative epidemiological analyses with qualitative insights from participatory community engagement.

Dr. Roth has authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications on drug use epidemiology, HIV/STI prevention, and overdose response systems. Her recent studies investigate wearable biosensor technologies for overdose detection, smartphone apps for overdose response networks, and ethical implementation of biometric tools in harm reduction settings. She collaborates with global institutions like the University of California, San Diego, and international organizations to advance evidence-based public health policies.

Education:

• PhD in Health Behavior, Indiana University
• MPH in International Health and Development, Tulane University
• BA in Communication Studies and Spanish, Loyola Marymount University

Her research is funded by grants from NIH, CDC, and foundations addressing addiction and infectious disease control. Dr. Roth advises graduate students in public health and mentors early-career researchers in community-based participatory research methods.