Rahel Dawit

Rahel Dawit, PhD, MPH, is a Researcher at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University. She holds a PhD from Florida International University (2022), an MPH from Florida State University (2013), and a BS from the University of Washington (2011). Her research focuses on social determinants of health, spatial epidemiology, and health disparities, particularly in HIV/AIDS prevention and chronic disease.

Research Interests:

• Social determinants of health and neighborhood environments
• HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment equity
• Chronic disease epidemiology
• Geographic and racial health disparities

Awards and Honors:

• 2022 Outstanding Graduate Scholar Award, Florida International University
• 2020 Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Fellowship, NIH
• 2019 Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society
• 2017 Florida Surgeon General’s Public Health Preparedness Response Award

Recent Research Trends: Her work emphasizes geographic and social factors influencing HIV viral suppression, PrEP utilization, and disparities in healthcare access. Key themes include latent class analysis of syndemic factors, cost barriers to PrEP, and urban-rural HIV diagnosis differences.

Grants and Funding: Supported by NIH and Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grants.