معرفی
Sarah Abboud, PhD, RN is an Associate Professor and Associate Department Head in the Department of Human Development Nursing Science at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing. Her work focuses on health equity for Arab American and Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) communities, with particular expertise in LGBTQ+ health, sexual health, and addressing health disparities through community-based participatory research.
Dr. Abboud's educational background includes:
- Postdoctoral fellowship at University of Pennsylvania (2016)
- PhD from University of Pennsylvania (2014)
- MS in Nursing from American University of Beirut, School of Nursing, Lebanon with a minor in Education (2007)
- BS in Nursing from American University of Beirut, School of Nursing, Lebanon (1999)
- Visiting Faculty Fellowship at Yale University School of Public Health Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (2017-2019)
Dr. Abboud's research program is grounded in social justice and health equity frameworks, with two interrelated tracks: sexual health promotion and sexual violence prevention among Arab immigrants, and sexual and mental health among sexual minority Arab immigrants. She employs community-based participatory research principles and qualitative methods to develop evidence-based interventions for first- and second-generation Arab immigrants in the U.S. Her work addresses the critical issue of the invisibility of MENA populations in U.S. health data systems, where they are classified as 'white,' which obscures health disparities. Dr. Abboud is a leading advocate for the inclusion of a separate MENA category in the U.S. census and published a notable op-ed titled 'U.S. Census says I'm 'white,' but I'm not' in the Chicago Sun-Times.
Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on intersectional identity, health disparities, and community-based interventions for Arab American and MENA populations. The research spans multiple domains including LGBTQ+ health, intimate partner violence prevention, cancer screening, and the impact of minority stress on health outcomes. There's a clear trajectory toward developing culturally tailored interventions that address the specific needs of these underrepresented communities, with increasing emphasis on youth and prevention-focused approaches.
Dr. Abboud has received numerous honors including:
- 2024 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Faculty Award Emerging Scholar
- 2023 Pinnacle Leader, Power of Nursing Leadership, Illinois
- 2020-21 Teaching Recognition Program Award
- 2020 Faculty Fellow of the Year Award, Honors College
- 2020 Staff and Faculty Appreciation Award, College of Nursing
- 2017 Janet A. Deatrick Junior Faculty Research Award
As a principal investigator, Dr. Abboud has secured significant funding from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation for research on HIV prevention and intimate partner violence prevention for immigrant communities. She serves as a Co-Investigator on an NCI-funded project adapting patient navigation programs for cervical cancer screening in Senegal. Her teaching portfolio includes courses on human sexuality, qualitative research methods, evidence-based practice, and leadership. Dr. Abboud maintains strong professional connections with MENA communities in Chicago and Lebanon, and serves on the board of the Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health (LebMASH), actively bridging academic research with community advocacy to address health needs of underrepresented populations.
