RESEARCH
Dr. Asari’s research is focused on addressing the threats to adolescent health and development among urban, inner-city youth. She has expertise in mixed methods including qualitative research, community-based participatory research, and latent class analysis.
Her knowledge extends to youth development, substance use prevention, sexual and reproductive health; in addition to intervention design, implementation and program evaluation. She has over 10 peer-reviewed publications and numerous presentations at professional conferences and events.
2021-2022
Options for All: Supporting the implementation of Bill HB0401 for pregnant and parenting adolescents
Funded by Bloomberg American Health Initiative
Role: Lead PI
To inform policy mandates of Bill SB0438/HB0401 in supporting the educational and social needs of future and current pregnant/parenting adolescents in Baltimore, MD
2019-2021
Exploring the conceptualization of U.S. adolescents’ pregnancy intentions [Dissertation]
Funded by Johns Hopkins MCH Center for Excellence
Role: Lead PI
To explore the contextual factors that frame how pregnancy intentions are developed and examine the multi-dimensionality of pregnancy intentions among U.S. adolescents 15 to 19 years old.
2019
XX-Factors: Reengaging Female Opportunity Youth in Baltimore City
Funded by Bloomberg American Health Initiative
Role: Co-Investigator
To reengage female opportunity youth by building onto an existing partnership to develop and implement a culturally, relevant positive youth development program.
2019-2020
The Movement Teams’ Future Leaders Program Evaluation
Funded by Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute
Role: Lead PI
To evaluate the acceptability and impact of the Future Leaders Mentoring program under The Movement Team in Baltimore, MD.
2017-2022
The B Lab: Designing & adapting interventions for Black youth affected by parental drug use
Funded by National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Role: Project Coordinator/Postdoctoral Fellow
To prevent early substance use and risky sexual behaviors among Black youth affected by parental drug use in Baltimore, MD.
Recent Projects
Offiong A, Willis K, Smith B, Lewis Q, Portee-Mason D, Glover D, Burton M, Powell TW. (in press). Maintaining community-engaged research with young people in a virtual setting. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education and Action.
​
Offiong A, Powell TW, Dangerfield D, Gemmill A, Marcell AV. (2022). Identifying pregnancy intention profiles for U.S. adolescents using National Survey of Family Growth. Journal of Adolescent Health.
Lewis Q, Smith B, Powell TW, Offiong A, Prioleau M. (2021). “When a house is never a home”: Housing instability among youth affected by parental drug abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect, 118, 105131.
Offiong A, Powell TW, Gemmill A, Marcell AV. (2021). “I can try and plan, but still get pregnant”: The complexity of pregnancy intentions and reproductive health decision-making for adolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 90: 1-10.
Powell TW, Willis K, Smith B, Lewis Q, Offiong A. (2021). “Don’t close the door on them”: Recruiting and retaining vulnerable Black youth in prevention research. Journal of Community Psychology, 1-16.
Offiong A. (2021). A new normal is paramount for public health research and practice. American Journal of Public Health, 111(1): 83-84.
Recent Publications
Presentations
2021
Justice Research and Statistics Association, Center for Victim Research
​
2020
Association of Maternal and Child Health Program (AMCHP) Conference
​
2019-2020
Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Meeting
​
2018-2020
American Public Health Association Annual Meeting
​
