Christina Ross

Ph.D., RN

Assistant Professor

She/Her/Hers

Christina Ross’ research focuses on understanding how youth-serving professionals can address adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs, promote their positive development by using their internal and external assets, and significantly lower the rates of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies. Dr. Ross’ interest involves health promotion and risk reduction among vulnerable adolescents locally and globally, SRH, and health disparities. Her goal is to develop culturally sensitive trauma-informed interventions to address the elevated rates of STIs and unintended teenage pregnancy that affects youth of color and ensure vulnerable youth have equal access to quality health care. Dr. Ross has a passion for global health and was the 2018 NIH Minority Health International Research Training Grant Scholar. She mentored undergraduate students from the United States and South Africa and researched alcohol use and its impact on SRH and relationships among young adults in South Africa. Her most recent study examined Female adolescents’ perspectives regarding their SRH needs while in foster care. Dr. Ross brings a unique cultural lens to addressing health disparities based on her experience working in Guyana, Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guatemala, and South Africa. Her teaching goals aim to promote an inclusive learning environment to effectively prepare future nurses to care for diverse patient populations.

Research/Scholarship Interests

• Health equity promotion among vulnerable populations of color
• Adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health promotion and risk reduction
• Positive youth development
• Community based participatory research
• Global health
• Health promotion for youth in foster care
• Women’s health
• Mixed methods research

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 2019-2021
• PhD, Nursing, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 2019
• BSN, Nursing, University of Saint Joseph, West Hartford, CT, 2013
• AS, Business Studies, Antigua State College, St. John’s, Antigua, West Indies, 2002

Honors & Awards

• 2020: Jonas Philanthropies National Minority Health Month Scholar Spotlight
• 2018-2019: Barbara Parker Dissertation Funding Award, School of Nursing, University of Virginia
• 2018: Edie Moore Student Travel Award, Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
• 2018: Rodriquez Nursing Leadership and Research Fund Award, School of Nursing, University of Virginia
• 2017-2019: McDonald Travel Fund Award, School of Nursing, University of Virginia
• 2017: Professional Development Award, University of Virginia
• 2016-2018: Jonas Nurse Scholar, Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare, University of Virginia
• 2013: Hands on Hartford Commitment to Volunteerism Award, Hartford, CT
• 2013: Women of Mercy Award, University of Saint Joseph
• 2013: Sisters of Mercy Education Award, University of Saint Joseph
• 2013: Dilena Cunningham Endowed Scholarship Award, University of Saint Joseph
• 2013: Paul L. Jones Nursing Scholarship, University of Saint Joseph
• 2012: Mayor and Governor General’s recognition for developing a project to benefit women in the community, State of Connecticut
• 2011: Paul L. Jones Nursing Scholarship, University of Saint Joseph
• 2004: Ideal Student and Academic Achievement Award, Urban League of Greater Hartford

Selected Publications

• Ross, C., Kools, S., & Sieving, R. (2021) “I’m not gonna die because of an STD”: Female African American Adolescents’ Perspectives on How They Protected Themselves from Sexual Risks While in Foster Care. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2020.10.007.
• Ross, C., Kools, S., & Laughon, K. (2020). “It was only me against the world.” Female African American adolescents’ perspectives on their sexual and reproductive health learning and experiences while in foster care: Implications for positive youth development. Children and Youth Services Review, 118, 105463. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105463.
• Ross, C. (2020). “I’m Not Gonna Die Because of an STD”: Female African American Adolescents’ Perspectives on How They Protected Themselves from Sexual Risks While in Foster Care. Journal of Adolescent Health, 66(2), S110. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.11.220. (Conference Abstract)
• Ross, C. (2019) The Role of States such as Virginia’s Consent and Confidentiality Laws in Limiting African American Female Adolescents’ Access to Reproductive Health Care. Grounds: The Virginia Journal of Bioethics. 2019 April; 2(1):11-19 77/0193945917727705