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 over the life course, focusing on maternal, newborn, and child health & nutrition in low income populations, with an emphasis on context, culture, equity, and human connection. Through a concurrent appointment at the Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking, their 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, and its relationship to chronic disease, is a key part of this work, specifically community-based nutrition programming, along with behavioral science approaches for infant feeding and other key practices. Issues related to 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 how equity centered design can improve community engagement in COVID19 research prioritization, the effect of yoga and mindfulness on child mental and social emotional health outcomes, and telehealth and other care management experiences for people with diabetes. In addition, Dr. Bazzano works alongside colleagues in Nigeria, Cambodia, & Ethiopia on MCH & nutrition interventions and evaluation, and partners twith community organizations and public health professionals globally for training.

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.

Book chapter: Bazzano AN, Yan S. Design for Global Health. In: Design for Health. 1 ed. Sasangohar F, Sethumadhavan A, editors. London: Elsevier, Academic Press; 2020. Chapter 16; p.323-340.

Media:

https://news.tulane.edu/pr/tulane-awarded-funding-bring-patient-perspective-covid-19-research

Houston Chronicle article on Mindfulness

Documentary on Yoga in Schools

Mindfulness in schools: Happiness Classes

Yoga and mindfulness in elementary school study