Dr. Steven M Albert, PhD, MS

My research centers on the assessment of health outcomes in aging and chronic disease, including physical and cognitive function, health service use, and clinical decision making. Current efforts include modeling the dynamics of health behavior change across the lifespan and prevention of violence.  In 2019-20, my research group will conduct a study of social needs screening in primary care and develop a Social Determinants Data Lab linking the hospital EHR to statetwide human service data systems. We will also use the EHR to assess precursors of firearm violence. Other research will build on our CDC Prevention Research Center efforts to assess weight loss, physicval function, and caregiver stress in old age. I teach courses on aging as a field of public health, modeling of health behavior change, and evaluation of health program interventions.

Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences, B.A., 1978
Committee on Social Thought, University of Chicago, M.A., 1981
Department of Anthropology, University of Chicago, Ph.D., 1987
Thesis: Ritual and Political Process among the Lak, Southern New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Columbia University, M.Sc., 1996
Thesis: Neuropsychological Impairment in Asymptomatic HIV Infection: A Risk Factor for Work Disability








 

BCHS 2715, Dimensions of Aging
BCHS 2534, Clinical Aspects of Dementia Care
BCHS 3003, Seminar in Advanced Evaluation
BCHS 2990, Social Dynamics

BCHS 3006, Doctoral; seminar

1/1/20-12/30/20           PI, Opportunity Fund, Re-entry Job Training Pilot, $15,000

1/01/19-6/30/19           PI, University of Pittsburgh Prevention Research Center, CDC, U48 DP001918, $2.5 million

7/1/18-6/30/20             PI, RK Mellon Foundation, Adaption of Milwaukee Homicide Review Model for Allegheny County, $425,000

7/1/17-6/30/19             PI, Street Outreach for Violence Prevention, Allgheny County Department of Health, $160,000.

4/1/18-8/31/18             PI, Hospital Community Health Needs Assessments: UPMC and University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, $46,154.

Selected publications, 2018-19:

Albert SM, King J, Jones JR, Danielson ME, Park Y, Newman AB. Using the Infrastructure of State Aging Services to Promote Prevention Behavior.  Preventing Chronic Disease, 2018 Jul 5;15:E90. doi: 10.5888/pcd15.170567

Venditti EM, Zgibor JC, Vander Bilt J, Kieffer L, Boudreau RM, Burke LE, Glynn NW, Jakicic JM., Smith KJ, Semler LN, Rager JR, Albert SM, Newman AB. Mobility and Vitality Lifestyle Program (MOVE UP):  Design, recruitment and baseline sample characteristics of a community health worker implemented behavioral lifestyle intervention to improve physical function and weight in older adults with overweight and obesity.  Innovation in Aging, Jun 18;2(2):igy012. doi: 10.1093/geroni/igy012. eCollection 2018 Jun.

Lunney JR, Albert SM, Boudreau R, Ives D, Newman AB, Harris T.  Fluctuating Physical Function and Health: Their Role at the End of Life.  J Palliat Med 2018, Dec 20. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2018.0289.

Albert SM, King J, Anderson S, Dew MA, Zhang J, Stahl ST, Karp JF, Gildengers, AG, Butters MA, Reynolds CF.  Depression Agency-Based Collaborative (Dep-ABC): Effect of Problem Solving Therapy on Risk of Common Mental Disorders in Older Adults with Home Care Needs.  Am J Geriatr Psychiatr 2019; 27(6):619-624.

Keefe RH, Pecukonis E, Cuddleback G, Copeland V, Friedman MS, Albert SM.  Educating the Next Generation of Public Health Social Work Leaders: Findings from a Two-Day Summit. Journal of Teaching in Social Work.  2019, in press. 10.1080/08841233.2019.1586809.

Karp JF, Zhang J, Wahed AS, Anderson S, Dew MA, Fitzgerald K, Weiner DK, Albert S, Gildengers A, Butters M, , Reynolds CF. Improving Patient Reported Outcomes and Preventing Depression and Anxiety in Older Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis: Results of a Sequenced Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART) Study. Am J Geriatr Psychiatr 2019 Oct;27(10):1035-1045.

Jayasekara K, Kulasooriya P, Wijayasiri N, Rajapakse E, Dulshika S, Bandara P, Fried L, de Silva A; Albert SM. Relevance of Heat Stress and Dehydration to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKDu) in Sri Lanka.  Prev Med Rep, 2019; 15: 100928.

Stahl ST, Albert SM. Understanding Disproportionate Fear of Falling in Older Adults: Implications for Intervention Development.  Am J Geriatr Psychiatr 2018; 26(8):860-861.

Wicks P, Albert SM.  It’s time to stop saying “the mind is unaffected” in ALS.  Neurology 2018 Oct 9;91(15):679-681.

Albert SM.  Immigration: A Modifier of Dementia Risk in Old Age?  Am J Geriatr Psychiatr 2019; 27(3):251-253.

Armon C, Albert SM.  Intrinsic race differences in ALS survival in a US clinic population independent of ventilation.  Neurology2019; 92(17): 781-783.

Cysique LA, Messinis L, Albert SM. Could excess body weight be good for your cognitive health? Perhaps, but only if you are an HIV+ men who is aging.  Neurology 2019; 93(3): 95-96.

Albert SM, Wicks P.  Rethinking the locked-in state for people with ALS.  Neurology 2019; 93(10):419-420.