Rebecca L Kinney

Rebecca L Kinney, PhD, MPH is an Instructor in the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at UMass Chan Medical School and the T.H. Chan School of Medicine. Her work primarily focuses on veteran healthcare, particularly addressing issues related to housing instability, women's health, and healthcare access for vulnerable veteran populations.

Education:

• BS in Comparative Politics/Sociology from University of Massachusetts Amherst
• MPH in Health Policy & Community Health from University of Massachusetts Amherst
• PhD in Clinical & Population Health from University of Massachusetts Medical School

Dr. Kinney's research spans multiple critical areas within veteran healthcare, with particular emphasis on homelessness among veterans, women's health issues within the VA system, and healthcare utilization patterns. Her work frequently examines how social determinants of health impact clinical outcomes among veteran populations, especially those experiencing housing instability or other socioeconomic challenges. She has developed expertise in mixed-methods research approaches to evaluate healthcare delivery systems and interventions targeting vulnerable veteran subpopulations.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on unsheltered homelessness among veterans, maternal and perinatal health for women veterans, and the intersection of financial instability with behavioral health conditions. Her research often employs large datasets like the Women's Health Initiative and VA administrative data to examine health outcomes across diverse veteran populations. The methodological approaches in her work span systematic reviews, mixed-methods evaluations, and observational studies examining healthcare utilization patterns.

Dr. Kinney collaborates extensively with a core group of researchers at UMass Chan Medical School, particularly with Dr. Kristin Mattocks and Dr. Aimee Kroll-Desrosiers, focusing on women veterans' health issues. Her work frequently addresses gaps in care coordination for rural veterans and examines how the Veterans Health Administration can better serve vulnerable populations through innovative service delivery models and policy interventions.