People
Research Interests
My graduate and postdoctoral training were in the areas of psychological services, developmental psychology, poverty, and public policy with mentors whose backgrounds were in psychology, sociology, and economics. Thus, I have been trained across several social science disciplines, and consequently, I do not identify with one particular discipline. The majority of my interdisciplinary research program is centered around family-related factors, such as poverty and family structure, and their influence on food insecurity/food assistance program participation (i.e. indicators of poverty) and obesity; however, I also realize that nutrition and health do not occur in isolation. For that reason, I have also focused on stress, social support, depression, and cardiovascular health.
My target populations are socio-economically disadvantaged and vulnerable groups with a specific emphasis on racial and ethnic minorities, women, and children. While the majority of my research has used longitudinal secondary data, I also have a complementary concentration on community-based research that focuses on low-income Hispanics. My interdisciplinary focus has provided me the opportunity to work with over 80 collaborators, which has allowed for significant contributions to various disciplines, including child development, family, and public health.
Recent Publications and Research Activity
Selected Funded Grants
Principal Investigator, “Cortisol Synchrony in Adolescents and their Parents”. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 2019-2021, Grant # R03 HD098379-01
Principal Investigator, “Mentoring and Career Development: 2018 Hernandez and Kamdar”. William T. Grant Foundation 2018-2020. (Junior Researcher: N. P. Kamdar).
Principal Investigator, “Pilot Project 1: Mexican Immigrants’ Biological and Behavioral Cancer Risk Based on Stress”. National Cancer Institute (NCI)/Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity (PACHE) 2017 – 2021, Grant # P20 CA221697 (Sub Project ID: 5555)
Principal Investigator, “Can Food Scholarships Reduce Inequality by Improving College Persistence Among Community College Students?”. William T. Grant Foundation 2018-2020. (Co-Investigators: D. P. O’Connor, University of Houston; S. Goldrick-Rab, Temple University).
Principal Investigator, “Houston-area Opportunities for Undergraduate Student Training in Obesity & Nutrition (HOUSTON) Academy.” USDA NIFA (2017-67032-26021), 2017-2021 (Co-Principal Investigators: C. Johnston and C. Scott, University of Houston).
Selected Publications
** indicates undergraduate student co-author at time of submission
* indicates graduate student co-author at time of submission
+ indicates postdoctoral scholar at the time of submission
^ indicates senior author
Hernandez, D. C., +Daundasekara, S. S., *Arlinghaus, K. R., **Sharma, A. P. Reitzel, L. R., Kendzor, D., Businelle, M. S. (in press). Food and vegetable consumption and emotional distress intolerance as potential links between food insecurity and poor physical and mental among homeless adults. Preventive Medicine Reports. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100824
Hernandez, D. C., +Daundasekara, S. S., *Arlinghaus, K. R., **Tobar, N., Reitzel, L. R., Kendzor, D. E., and Businelle, M. S. (2019) Cumulative risk factors associated with food insecurity among adults who experience homelessness. Health Behavior Research, 2 (1).https://doi.org/10.4148/2572-1836.1033
Wrighting, Q., Reitzel, L. R., Chen, T-A., Kendzor, D. E., Hernandez, D. C., Obasi, E. M., Shree, S., Businelle, M. S. (2019). Characterizing discrimination experiences by race among homeless adults. American Journal of Health Behavior , 43(3), 531-542.
+Daundasekara, S. S., Gallardo, K., Santa Maria, D., ^Hernandez, D. C., **Truong, C., **Yip, M., Rhoton, J., Kendzor, D., Businelle, M. S. (2019). Shelter service utilization among adults experiencing homelessness. Health Behavior and Policy Review, 6 (2), 128-139.
*Silveira, S., **Canales, S., Cottingham, M., & ^Hernandez, D. C. (2019). Wheelchair rugby participation as route to independence. Health Behavior and Policy Review, 6 (2), 166-173.
Maness, S. B., Reitzel, L. R., Hernandez, D. C., Santa Maria, D. M., Batson, M. A., Zingg, T., Kendzor, D. E., Businelle, M. S. (2019). Modifiable health risk factors and readiness to change among homeless adults. American Journal of Health Behavior, 43 (2), 373-379.
*Reesor, L., Moreno, J. P., Johnston, C. A., & ^Hernandez, D. C. (2019). School-based weight management program curbs summer weight gain among low-income Hispanic middle school students. Journal of School Health, 89 (1), 59-67. DOI: 10.1111/josh.12713.
Johnston, C. A., Moreno, J. P., Hernandez, D. C., Link, B. A., Chen, T-A., Wojtanowski, A. C., Foster, G. D., Foreyt, J. P. (2019). Levels of adherence needed achieve significant weight loss. International Journal of Obesity, 43, 125-131. DOI: 10.1038/s41366-018-0226-7
*Reesor, L.,** Canales, S., Alonso, Y., Kamdar, N. P., ^Hernandez, D. C. (2018). Self-reported health predicts Hispanic women’s weight perceptions and concerns. American Journal of Health Behavior, 42(4), 61-69. doi: 10.5993/AJHB.42.4.6
*Garey, L., Reitzel., L. R., Neisler, J., Kenzdor, D.E., Zvolensky, M., Neighbors, C., Hernandez, D. C., Businelle, M. S. (2018). Health-related quality of life among homeless smokers: Risk and protective factors of latent class membership. Behavioral Medicine DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2018.1447905
Santa Maria, D., Hernandez, D.C., *Arlinghaus, K., Gallardo, K., Maness, S., Kendzor, D. E., Reitzel L. R., Helt, A., & Businelle, M. S. (2018). Current age, age at first sex, age at first homelessness, and HIV risk perceptions predict sexual risk behaviors among sexually active homeless adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15 (2), 218. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15020218
Lawrence, B., Greer, A., Zimeri, A. M., Hernandez, D. C., Ahn, S., Jones, S. A., & Smith, M. L. (2018). Use of a unique farmers' market program targeting lower-income community members. Journal of Community Health, 43 (3), 524–533. DOI: 10.1007/s10900-017-0448-y
*Moreira, T., Hernandez, D. C., Scott, C. W., Murillo, R., Vaughan, E. M., Johnston, C. A. (2018). Susto, coraje, fatalismo: Cultural-bound beliefs and the treatment of diabetes among socio-economically disadvantaged Hispanics. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 12 (1), 30-33. DOI: 10.1177/1559827617736506
Education
A.B. in Psychology; Certificate in Spanish at Princeton University, 1998
MSEd in Psychological Services at University of Pennsylvania, 2000
Ph.D. in Applied Developmental & Educational Psychology at Boston College, 2005
Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Research and Training Program on Poverty and Public Policy at University of Michigan, 2005 - 2007