Center for Global Health Faculty

Maria-Elena Figueroa

Assistant Scientist

Director, Research and Evaluation Division. Director Global Program on Water and Hygiene. Center for Communication Programs

Academic Degrees

Departmental Affiliation

Name:

Health, Behavior and Society

Affiliation Type:

Primary

Departmental Address

111 Market Place, Suite 310 Baltimore, MD 21202

Contact Information

Email:: mefiguer+jhsph.edu
Phone:: 410-659-6362

Research and Professional Experience

Dr. Figueroa’s research has focused on the understanding of health behavior in developing country settings. She is interested in the use of interdisciplinary research and the use of different theoretical approaches and methodologies for a more comprehensive study of cultural, household and individual factors that account for health behavior differentials. Dr. Figueroa’s current research interests include: developing a better understanding of the social and cultural factors that explain safe water, sanitation and hygiene behaviors, including the role of the household and community traits in such practices. In addition, Dr. Figueroa is testing and using innovative methodologies to better understand gender and sexual norms underlying HIV prevalence in Mozambique.

Dr. Figueroa is currently a member of the Steering Committee of the Johns Hopkins University Global Water Program.

Keywords

Communication research, program evaluation, health care seeking, safe water, sanitation, hygiene, social change, behavior change, gender norms, community capacity, development communication, formative research, econometric methods.

Selected Publications

Figueroa ME & Kincaid DL. (2010). The Influence of Social, Cultural and Behavioural Factors on Uptake of Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage. Center Publication No. (1). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Center for Communication Programs.

Figueroa, M.E. and Hulme, J. (2010). Water Treatment Promotion in Three Contexts: Lessons for Future Programs. USAID Safe Water Drinking Alliance, Haiti, Pakistan and Ethiopia. USAID, CARE, PSI, P&G and Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Baltimore, Maryland.

Ainslie, R., Ati, A., Figueroa, M.E. (2010). Institutionalizing Household Water Treatment: the Aman Tirta experience in Indonesia. USAID Safe Water Systems Project. Jakarta, Indonesia.

Kincaid, D. L., & Figueroa, M.E. (2009). Communication for participatory development: Dialogue, collective action, and change. In L. Frey and K. Cissna (Eds.) Handbook of Applied Communication Research. Routledge.

Said, R., Figueroa, M.E, (2009). New Gender Dynamics for HIV Prevention: Windows of Opportunity in Mozambique. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center For Communication Programs.

Figueroa, M.E. (2009). Analysis of Effect of Four Key Behaviors on Diarrhea Prevention. Results of data analysis of the Ten Minute Monitoring Data. USAID Environmental Services Project (ESP). Jakarta, Indonesia.

Figueroa, M.E., Ati, A., Quick, R., Ainslie, R., Sodha, S., and Trivedi, K., (2008). Air RahMat Awareness and Use: The adoption of a new water treatment technology and its health and economic impact in Indonesia. Report to the Institute of Public Health and Water Research. September, 2008.

Rimbatmaja, R., Figueroa, M.E., Semiarto, A., Pooroe-Utomo, N., Amirudin, A., Lestari, A. & Amini, F. (2007). Health and Hygiene Behaviors in Indonesia: Results of the Formative Research. USAID Environmental Services Project (ESP). Publication by the World Bank Water and Sanitation Project (WSP) Jakarta, Indonesia.

Kincaid, D., Figueroa, M.E., Storey, D. & Underwood, C.R. (2007). Communication, ideation and contraceptive use: The relationships observed in five countries. Proceedings: World Congress on Communication for Development. Washington, DC: World Bank.

Rani, M., Figueroa M.E., and Ainslie, R. (2003). Psychosocial Context of Adolescent Sexual Behavior in Nicaragua: Looking through the Gender Lens. International Family Planning Perspectives, Volume 29, Number 4, December 2003: 174-181.

Figueroa, M.E. Bertrand J.T., and Kincaid D.L (2002). Evaluating the Impact of Communication Programs. Summary of an Expert Meeting organized by the MEASURE Evaluation Project and the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs. Belmont Conference Center, Elkridge, MD, October 2001. Published by the MEASURE Evaluation Project August, 2002.

Kim,Y.M., Figueroa, M.E., Martin, A., Silva, R., Acosta, S., Hurtado, M., Richardson, P., Kols, A. (2002). Impact of supervision and Self-Assessment on Doctor-Patient Communication in Rural Mexico. International Journal for Quality in Health Care. Volume 14, Number 5, October 2002. Oxford University Press.

Murray-Johnson, L., Witte, K., Boulay, M., Figueroa, M.E., Storey, D., & Tweedie, I. (2002). Using health education theories to explain behavior change: A cross-country analysis. International Quarterly of Community Health Education, 20, 323-345.

Santillán D. and Figueroa, M.E. (2001). Feasibility, validity and utility of six client feedback methods in Peru. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, June 2002 Special Supplement on Quality.

Hill, K. & Figueroa, M.E. (2001) Child Mortality Estimation by Time since First Birth. In Zaba Basia & Blacker John (eds.), 2001 Essays in Demography: A Tribute to the Memory of Professor William Brass.

Wong, R. and Figueroa M.E. (2001). Health and the Family Context: A Note on Data Analysis. In Gomes da Conceicao María Cristina (ed.), Social Processes, Population and Domestic Life: New theoretical and empirical alternatives for the study of the family. FLACSO (Latin American Faculty for Social Sciences), Mexico campus, 2001.