Education

PhD, Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

MPH, International Health and Nutrition, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine

BA, International Relations, University of California at Santa Barbara

Biography

Alessandra Bazzano studies behavior and health, focusing on maternal, newborn, and child health & nutrition in low income populations, with an emphasis on cultural and social factors that impact outcomes in the community setting. Through a concurrent appointment at the Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking, her scholarship explores human centered design approaches to  health research. Dr. Bazzano's expertise, gained through two decades of work in international and domestic public health, includes developing and evaluating complex health interventions, design thinking, applied anthropology, qualitative methods, and formative research. Nutrition is a key part of this work, specifically community-based nutrition programming for women and young children, along with behavioral approaches to improving breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding. Issues related to women's reproductive and sexual health, and access to respectful and high quality care, form another line of inquiry. Dr. Bazzano applies an interdisciplinary lens to health, informed by collaborations across professional boundaries. In the New Orleans area, current work involves studying the effect of yoga and mindfulness on child health outcomes, and understanding experiences of older people with diabetes interacting with health systems in a natural experiement study of non-face-to-face chronic care coordination. In addition, Dr. Bazzano continues to work in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and other international settings on MCH & nutrition interventions, and conducts participatory training with community organizations and future health professionals. 

Interests

Childbirth and lactation education, doula services, yoga, mindfulness meditation, and social justice.

Publications

Please see Dr. Bazzano's publications at this PubMed NCBI profile page. Media: Yoga and mindfulness study