Aprill Dawson

Aprill Z. Dawson, PhD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine (General Internal Medicine) at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), affiliated with the Center for Advancing Population Science (CAPS). She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center (Houston, TX) and a PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Health Services Track) from the Medical University of South Carolina.

Her research focuses on understanding how cognitive impairment and functional limitations influence clinical and behavioral outcomes in older minority populations with type 2 diabetes, with an emphasis on health disparities and social determinants of health. Key areas include the impact of discrimination on health outcomes, healthcare utilization trends among marginalized groups, and interventions to reduce hospital readmissions and improve diabetes management.

Her work spans global health (e.g., studies in Sub-Saharan Africa and Panama), disparities in chronic disease outcomes, and the interplay between socioeconomic factors and medical conditions. Notable projects include examining racial/ethnic differences in frailty and depression, analyzing trends in healthcare expenditures, and evaluating financial incentives for improving glycemic control in underserved populations.

Dr. Dawson’s articles often address systemic inequities in healthcare access and outcomes, leveraging large datasets and mixed-methods approaches. She has contributed to policy-oriented research on hospital readmission reduction programs and telehealth applications in indigenous communities.

While no academic awards are explicitly listed in the provided text, her extensive publication record reflects sustained contributions to population health science. Her training programs focus on enhancing diversity and inclusion in clinical research, with a recent emphasis on mentorship strategies for junior faculty from underrepresented backgrounds.