Alane Celeste-Villalvir

My community-engaged research prioritizes the health and wellness needs of individuals experiencing homelessness, people engaged in substance use, and individuals at risk of or living with infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C. I am deeply committed to identifying and addressing health inequities in partnership with affected communities and community-based organizations. My research is primarily qualitative, as it aims to provide context and in-depth understanding of health inequities, whilst uplifting the voices of marginalized individuals and their lived experiences.

My doctoral dissertation was funded by the Health Policy Research Scholars (HPRS), a leadership development program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. I conducted a qualitative study to explore the barriers and facilitators to hepatitis C screening among individuals experiencing homelessness receiving services at two non-residential community-based organizations with integrated health services in Houston, Texas. My dissertation research aimed to understand organizational-level barriers and facilitators (from the perspective of employees at the two partner agencies) and individual-level barriers and facilitators (from the perspective of individuals experiencing homelessness). Further, my goal was to disseminate these findings (along with recommendations to improve screening) to the community to improve HCV screening among individuals experiencing homelessness.