Amanda Banaag

Amanda Banaag is a Researcher at the Center for Health Services Research within Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, specializing in military health systems analysis. Her work focuses on population health metrics within the Military Health System, examining pandemic impacts, health disparities, and service-specific healthcare challenges.

Education Background:

• MPH in Epidemiology, Eastern Virginia Medical School (2010-2012)
• BS in Biology, Christopher Newport University (2006-2010)
• PhD in Health Services Research (in progress), Old Dominion University (2022-present)

Her research interests center on Military Health Services with significant contributions to understanding pandemic impacts on military populations, gender-specific health issues among service members, and healthcare disparities. Key areas include BMI changes during COVID-19, alcohol use disorders in active-duty women, mental health disparities, and reproductive health policy impacts following major societal changes like the Roe v. Wade reversal. Her work consistently analyzes large-scale military health datasets to identify systemic issues affecting operational readiness and healthcare quality.

Analysis of her 70+ publications reveals strong emphasis on public health methodology applied to military contexts, with 100% of her fingerprinted research concerning Military Health Services. Her studies frequently address population-level health trends among military personnel, leveraging the unique universally insured Military Health System as a research environment.

Notable Research Contributions:

• Documented BMI fluctuations in Air Force personnel during pandemic
• Quantified alcohol use disorder trends among service women
• Measured racial disparities in mental health diagnosis
• Assessed unintended pregnancy impacts on military readiness
• Analyzed surgical volume trends during health system transitions

Her collaborative network includes extensive work with Dr. Tracey Koehlmoos and Dr. Michelle Janvrin across multiple high-impact studies. Her research has generated significant media attention with 21 press mentions including coverage by 5 news outlets and multiple blog analyses, indicating real-world policy relevance. The Center for Health Services Research provides her primary institutional home for conducting military-focused health services investigations using the comprehensive Military Health System database.