Chavez Lab
The Chavez Lab, led by Laura Chavez, PhD, MPH, seeks to address population behavioral health equity and improve understanding of the social drivers of outcomes for youth. In particular, Dr. Chavez has current projects focused on understanding the role of poverty as a social determinant of adolescent behavioral health and the impacts of anti-poverty policy changes.
Dr. Chavez receives funding from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities for her research.
Current Research Studies
This is an NIMHD R01 study that is using a mixed methods approach to understand the drivers of differences in tonsillectomy use among pediatric Medicaid-enrolled children and adolescents. The study is using qualitative interviews with families and health care providers, as well as quantitative analyses of national Medicaid claims data to understand what is driving previously documented variations in tonsillectomy rates based on race/ethnicity or geography.
This is an NIMH R01 study that is using a mixed methods approach to understand the impact of the 2021 Child Tax Credit changes that were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic and their effects on adolescents enrolled in Medicaid. The study is using qualitative interviews with families and large national Medicaid claims data to understand the impact of this historic shift in anti-poverty policy introduced to reduce household financial distress due to the pandemic.
Meet Our Team
Laura Chavez, PhD, MPH
Principal Investigator
Laura.Chavez@NationwideChildrens.org
Laura Chavez, PhD, MPH, is a health services researcher and health policy expert. Her research uses mixed-methods and quasi-experimental study designs to understand social drivers of differences in adolescent and young adult behavioral health outcomes. She works with large health care administrative datasets including national and state Medicaid data to understand behavioral health outcomes of vulnerable youth.
Colleen McLaughlin, PhD, MPH
Research Scientist
Colleen.McLaughlin@NationwideChildrens.org
Colleen C. McLaughlin, PhD, MPH, is a research scientist in the Chavez Lab at Nationwide Children's Hospital. She earned her doctorate in epidemiology from the School of Public Health at SUNY Albany and her master of public health from Emory University. She previously worked as an applied epidemiologist at the New York State Department of Health and as the founding chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Jesse Hawke
Biostatistician II
Jesse.Hawke@NationwideChildrens.org
Jesse joined the Center for Child Health Equity and Outcomes Research in January 2024. He earned his doctorate in psychology with an emphasis in statistical genetics from the University of Colorado – Boulder. He previously worked as a statistician at the Colorado Department of Health & Environment and as a senior data analyst at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Jesse is interested in quality improvement methodologies and analytics and healthcare outcome inequalities among vulnerable pediatric populations and ways to reduce/eliminate them.
Stefany Cinco, MAS
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Stefany.CincoRivera@NationwideChildrens.org
Stefany is a passionate advocate for maternal and child health, driven by her multicultural background and expertise in nutrition. Originally from Mexico, she holds a master's degree in advanced studies in maternal and child nutrition from the University of California, Davis, completed in June 2023. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Stefany's bilingualism allows her to bridge cultural divides and address the diverse needs of families. With a focus on the holistic well-being of mothers and children, she is dedicated to understanding the multicultural factors that influence health outcomes. As an expert in nutrition and breastfeeding, Stefany strives to empower families to make informed choices for a healthier future. With her sights set on further academic pursuits, she aspires to pursue a doctorate in public health, aiming to drive systemic change and improve health outcomes on a larger scale.
Leslie Jones
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Leslie.Jones@NationwideChildrens.org
Leslie Jones is a passionate clinical research coordinator I in the Center for Child Health Equity and Outcomes Research. Leslie graduated from The Ohio State University in 2020 with a bachelor of science in public health with a specialty in sociology. Over the past five years, she has worked on various projects addressing the social determinants of health and outcomes in different vulnerable populations. Leslie’s ability to connect with others has allowed her to gain experience in recruitment and data collection. She is particularly interested in the role housing has on maternal and child health outcomes, the effect of childhood trauma and mental health, and interventions for children with incarcerated parents and homeless youth.
Lanika Theodore
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Lanika.Theodore@NationwideChildrens.org
Lanika graduated April of 2024 with her bachelors in public health education and minor is psychology. In the past she has worked on research projects discussing risk behaviors in bi/multiracial college students and research analyzing prenatal visit discussions and how that impacts maternal and child health outcomes. A passion of hers is using evidence-based research to improve child health outcomes. During her free time she enjoy volunteering and mentoring.
