Deana Williams, PhD – Research Investigator

About Deana

Education

PhD Health Behavior, Public Health, Indiana University 2021

MPH Social, Behavioral, and Community Health, Indiana University 2018

BS Health Promotion, Miami University 2016

Expertise

Overview / Research Interests

Dr. Deana Williams is a qualitative researcher with a strong background in human sexuality and social justice and extensive training in public health. Her research uses intersectionality as a core framework to advance health equity for underserved and understudied communities within the social and behavioral sciences. Her work has addressed LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing among racially/ethnically diverse groups, bisexual health and aging, sexual and reproductive health, and social determinants of PrEP uptake and adherence. Dr. Williams’ current research interests include health care experiences and preferences for care among LGBTQ+ communities of color, maternal health and birth equity among bisexual women of color, anti-racism in health care, and LGBTQ+ aging. In her role at MIRI, she also provides guidance and support to clinical investigators throughout the research process. She holds expertise in a wide variety of qualitative methodologies including thematic analysis, content analysis, phenomenology, and narrative analysis.

Before joining MIRI, Dr. Williams was a researcher and project coordinator at the Indiana University Center for Sexual Health Promotion. There, she was the Principal Investigator of two biracial/multiracial and bisexual health studies exploring how the intersections of race, gender, sexual identity, and age shape experiences with physical and mental health. She has served as a supporting investigator on an NIH-funded study of diverse bisexual men’s health concerns and health care experiences and a co-Principal Investigator on a sexuality textbook study funded by the Indiana University Racial Justice Fund.

Outside of her work with MIRI, Dr. Williams is an advisory board member for the HIV League, the only non-profit organization in the US that provides scholarships to students living with HIV. She is committed to using her work to bring about transformational change within the public health field.

Publications

Select Peer Reviewed Publications

• Williams, D., Bartelt, L., Thomas, B., Guerra-Reyes, L., Carspecken, L., Rosenstock Gonzalez, Y., Klimek, S., & Dodge, B. (2022). Beyond the boundaries: Exploring the identity-related lived experiences of biracial/multiracial and bisexual adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 51, 2241-2259.
• Rosenstock Gonzalez, Y. R., Williams, D., & Herbenick, D. (2021). Skin color and skin tone diversity in human sexuality textbook anatomical diagrams. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 48(3), 285-294.
• Williams, D., Dodge, B., Berger, B., Kimbrough, A., & Bostwick, W. B. (2020). Self-reported health concerns and healthcare experiences among diverse bisexual men: An exploratory qualitative study. Journal of Bisexuality, 20(3), 301-323.
• Owens, C., Hubach, R. D., Lester, J., Williams, D., Voorheis, E., Reece, M., & Dodge, B. (2020). Assessing determinants of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence among a sample of rural Midwestern men who have sex with men (MSM). AIDS Care, 32(12), 1581-1588.
• Owens, C., Hubach, R. D., Williams, D., Voorheis, E., Lester, J., Reece, M., & Dodge, B. (2020). Facilitators and barriers of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake among rural men who have sex with men (MSM) living in the Midwestern U.S. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49, 2179-2191.
• Owens, C., Hubach, R. D., Williams, D., Reece, M., Lester, J., & Dodge, B. (2020). Exploring the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) healthcare experiences among men who have sex with men (MSM) who live in rural areas of the Midwest. AIDS Education and Prevention, 32(1), 51-66.
• Guerra-Reyes, L., Fu, T-C. J., Williams, D., Herbenick, D., Dodge, B., Reece, M., & Fortenberry, D. (2018). Knowledge of Zika and perception of risk among sexually active US adults: Results from a nationally representative sample. Pan American Journal of Public Health, 42(e43),

For full publication list, please visit Google Scholar

Projects/Research Support

A Qualitative Study of Bisexual Women of Color’s Perinatal Healthcare Experiences (The THRIVE study)

• NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, 6/2023-5/2025
• The primary objective of this study is to develop community-driven approaches to engaging bisexual Women of Color in translational health research. The secondary objectives are to 1) improve our understanding of bisexual Women of Color’s lived experiences with perinatal healthcare using an intersectional, reproductive justice lens, and 2) identify recommendations for improving perinatal care for bisexual Women of Color. We will build a community steering committee of bisexual Women of Color and professionals serving this community to co-develop equitable and affirming strategies for engaging bisexual Women of Color in translational health research. Through qualitative interviews with bisexual Women of Color and focus groups with perinatal care professionals, we will identify and understand bisexual Women of Color’s preferences, needs, and experiences seeking and utilizing perinatal care and recommendations for improving perinatal care practices. This study will inform the future development of clinical interventions and care delivery models to improve maternal and birth outcomes for bisexual Women of Color. Further, the new strategies developed for engaging this population in research will be adaptable to other clinical areas, serving as a valuable resource for the wider scientific community.

Increasing Cervical Cancer Screening and Diagnosis among Sexual Minority Women-A Community Engaged Intervention (The PRISM Study)

• Andy Hill Care Fund, 8/2023-7/2025
• This project will develop and pilot an intervention designed to increase cervical cancer screening among sexual minority women using a reproductive justice framework and community engagement approach. We will establish a community steering committee comprising sexual minority women and professionals serving sexual minority women to be equal partners with the research team. Through qualitative interviews and discussions with the steering committee, we will identify patient- and community-centered perspectives on cervical cancer screening barriers, preferences, and needs of racially/ethnically diverse sexual minority women. Collectively, the research team and steering committee will use these patient- and community-centered perspectives to create a culturally conscious cervical cancer screening intervention, testing for feasibility and acceptability. Our findings will establish a foundation for increasing cervical cancer screening among sexual minority women and improving their representation in cancer clinical trials. This study also has the potential to advance reproductive justice by narrowing cervical cancer screening disparities in the long-term.

Promoting Patient Diversity, Inclusion, and Access to Cancer Clinical Trials through Navigation–A Community Oncology Diversity Project

• Andy Hill Care Fund, 8/2023-7/2025
• Co-Principal Investigator, with Chaya Pflugeisen
• This project will create and pilot a culturally grounded, anti-racist intervention to increase the engagement of Communities of Color in cancer clinical trials. We will form a racially/ethnically diverse community advisory board comprising cancer survivors of color and professionals serving cancer patients of color. Together, the study team and this advisory council will seek to identify and understand existing cancer clinical trial barriers among Communities of Color and preferences and needs for a culturally grounded patient navigator program. We will then develop a culturally conscious, anti-racist intervention, testing for feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and cost-effectiveness. The results of this study will provide preliminary data to inform a full-scale intervention, establishing a foundation for enrolling and retaining more people of color in cancer trials. In the long-term, this study has the potential to provide more representative clinical trial data that may lead to improvements in cancer screening, treatment, and mortality disparities among Communities of Color.

MultiCare Vitals blog article contributions:

1. Queer women deserve safe, affirming cervical cancer screenings