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Photo of Bergeron, Nyahne

Nyahne Bergeron, MPH

Doctoral Candidate

CECDP Predoctoral Fellow | Graduate Research Assistant

Community Health Sciences

Institute for Health Research and Policy

UI Cancer Center

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

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About

I am a doctoral candidate in the Community Health Sciences Division of the UIC School of Public Health. I am also a Predoctoral Fellow with the Cancer Education and Career Development Program (CECDP) at the UIC Institute for Health Research and Policy and I serve as a Graduate Research Assistant for the Community Engagement and Health Equity (CEHE) Office of the UI Cancer Center.

The primary focus of my dissertation work is to understand how information sharing among social networks of African American women can be leveraged to promote preventative breast health behaviors. My research includes intervention development for the MedDiet-Social Networks Project, a pilot study which aims to reduce obesity and cancer risk among African American women through healthy lifestyle change and social network engagement. I also perform data analysis for the Offering African American Survivors Increased Support (OASIS) Project, a secondary analysis of the Patient Navigation in Medically Underserved Areas study, which aims to assess the impact of healthcare navigation on African American breast cancer survivors and their social networks. My work with OASIS and the MedDiet-Social Networks projects will inform my dissertation aims.

My research interests include minority health, health disparities (focus on breast cancer), psychosocial determinants of health, and social networks.

Selected Publications

Molina Y, Kao SY, Bergeron NQ, Strayhorn-Carter SM, Strahan DC, Asche C, Watson KS, Khanna AS, Hempstead B, Fitzpatrick V, Calhoun EA, McDougall J. The Integration of Value Assessment and Social Network Methods for Breast Health Navigation Among African Americans. Value Health. 2023 Oct;26(10):1494-1502. DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2023.06.001.

Khanna AS, Brickman B, Cronin M, Bergeron NQ, Scheel JR, Hibdon J, Calhoun EA, Watson KS, Strayhorn SM, Molina Y. Patient Navigation Can Improve Breast Cancer Outcomes among African American Women in Chicago: Insights from a Modeling Study. Journal of Urban Health. 2022. DOI:10.1007/s11524-022-00669-9

Henderson V, Strayhorn SM, Bergeron NQ, Strahan DC, Ganschow PS, Khanna AS, Watson K, Hoskins K, Molina, Y. Healthcare Predictors of Information Dissemination About Genetic Risks. Cancer Control. 2022;29:10732748221104666. DOI:10.1177/10732748221104666

Molina Y, Strayhorn SM, Bergeron NQ, Strahan DC, Villines D, Fitzpatrick V, Calhoun EA, Fitzgibbon ML, Kim SJ, Watson KS, Khanna AS. Navigated African American breast cancer patients as incidental change agents in their family/friend networks. Support Care Cancer. 2022;30, 2487–2496. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-021-06674-z

Strayhorn SM, Bergeron NQ, Strahan DC, Villines D, Fitzpatrick V, Watson KS, Khanna A, Molina Y. Understanding the relationship between positive and negative social support and the quality of life among African American breast cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer. 2021 Feb 25. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-021-06098-9

Molina Y, Khanna A, Watson KS, Villines D, Bergeron N, Strayhorn S, Strahan D, Skwara A, Cronin M, Mohan P, Walton S, Wang T, Schneider JA, Calhoun EA. Leveraging system sciences methods in clinical trial evaluation: An example concerning African American women diagnosed with breast cancer via the Patient Navigation in Medically Underserved Areas study. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2019;15:100411. DOI: 10.1016/j.conctc.2019.100411

Service to Community

UIC School of Public Health Diversity Leadership Committee, PhD Student Representative, 2019-2023

UIC Community Health Sciences Division Doctoral Studies Committee, PhD Student Representative, 2020-2021

Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative (CHEC): Student Preceptor, 2020-2021

Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan Screening and Early Detection Workgroup, 2020-2021

Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellowship Program, Health and Medicine Policy Research Group, Chicago, IL
- Student Mentor, 2018-2019
- Fellow for Life Steering Committee Member, 2015-Present

Notable Honors

2021, Amuwo Minority Scholarship, UIC School of Public Health

2019, Loretta Pratt Lacey Memorial Scholarship, UIC School of Public Health

2014, Fellow for Life, Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellowship Program, Health and Medicine Policy Research Group

Education

DePaul University, Chicago, IL - Master of Public Health, Community Health Practice, 2014

Saint Xavier University, Chicago, IL - Bachelor of Science, Biology, 2007

Professional Memberships

American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)

American Public Health Association (APHA)

National Cancer Institute (NCI) GMaP Region 4 (Cancer Disparities Research Network)

Selected Presentations

Bergeron NQ, Strahan M, Hardmon P, Stanford-Leak M, Stevens A, Young A, Ward D, White L, Young A, Antonic M, Fitzgibbon M, Molina Y. Pilot testing of a diet/PA intervention using social networks to promote the sharing of evidence-based information for obesity-related BC risk reduction among African American women. 2023 Gary Kruh Research Symposium and Poster Competition. (Poster presentation)

Bergeron NQ, Fitzpatrick V, Asche C, Watson KS, Khanna AS, Hempstead B, Calhoun EA, McDougall J, Molina Y. The value of estimating spillover effects in health equity interventions: A case study to promote mammogram uptake among African American women and their social networks. 2021 AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved. (poster presentation)

Bergeron NQ, Strahan DC, Strayhorn SM, Rong A, Villegas M, Rayas N, Jara S, Ruiz I, Khanna AS, Villines D, Watson KS, Ferrans CE, Molina Y. What social factors are most strongly associated with the reduced spread of breast cancer cultural beliefs among African American women? 2021 American Society of Preventive Oncology Annual Meeting. (invited talk, poster presentation)

Bergeron NQ, Strahan DC, Strayhorn SM, Rong A, Villegas M, Rayas N, Jara S, Khanna AS, Villines D, Watson KS, Ferrans CE, Molina Y. Do African American informal caregivers’ breast cancer fear and cultural beliefs predict the dissemination of breast cancer misinformation and lower mammogram uptake among their social networks? 2020 AACR Virtual Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved. (poster presentation)

Bergeron NQ, Strahan DC, Strayhorn SM, Rong A, Villegas M, Rayas N, Jara S, Khanna AS, Villines D, Watson KS, Ferrans CE, Molina Y. Do African American informal caregivers’ breast cancer fear and cultural misconceptions predict the spread of breast cancer misinformation among their social networks? 2019 American Association for Cancer Research Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved. San Francisco, CA. (poster presentation)

Bergeron N, Gao Y, Rowell D, Hsu A, Peek ME. Community fitness passport program: A culturally tailored intervention of physical activity for African-Americans with diabetes.
- 2015 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. (poster presentation)
- 2015 Minority Health in the Midwest Conference, University of Illinois at Chicago. Chicago, IL. (oral presentation)