Eileen Pitpitan

Eileen Pitpitan is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at San Diego State University (SDSU), and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at UC San Diego. She also serves as Associate Director of the SDSU-UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use. Her research focuses on social and structural factors affecting substance use, HIV/AIDS, and marginalized populations, with expertise in advanced quantitative methods including mediation analysis, structural equation modeling, and multilevel modeling.

Education:

• PhD in Social Psychology, University of Connecticut (2011)
• MA in Psychology, University of Connecticut (2009)
• BA in Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles (2005)

Research Interests: Dr. Pitpitan examines how stigma, discrimination, and structural barriers impact healthcare access and risk behaviors in vulnerable groups. She designs and evaluates interventions targeting substance use, HIV prevention, and mental health, particularly for racial/ethnic minorities, sex workers, and people who inject drugs.

Articles Trends: Her recent work emphasizes innovative interventions like telehealth for opioid treatment, social media recruitment strategies for LGBTQ+ populations, and translational research on stigma reduction. Key themes include healthcare equity, gender minority resilience, and syndemic theory in public health.

Awards:

• T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship (NIH)
• NIH Diversity Supplement Award
• Mentored Career Development K01 Award

Advising & Grants: Leads NIH-funded studies on intervention fidelity, stigma reduction, and harm reduction strategies. Trained early-career scholars through programs like CDEIPI and SUN (Supporting Underrepresented New Scientists in HIV research).

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams at UCSD, the Joint Doctoral Program, and international partners in Ukraine, Mexico, and South Africa to advance global health equity.