Krishna Vaddiparti,

Dr. Krishna Vaddiparti holds the position of Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, specializing in social and psychiatric epidemiology. He earned both his Master of Philosophy and PhD in Psychiatric Social Work from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, India. Additionally, he obtained a Master’s degree in Psychiatric Epidemiology from Washington University in St. Louis. With over fifteen years of clinical experience in the field of mental health in India, Dr. Vaddiparti brings a wealth of practical knowledge to his academic role. Presently, within the Department of Epidemiology, Dr. Vaddiparti assumes a dual role as both a faculty member and the Director of the PhD Program in Epidemiology. Additionally, he maintains an affiliation with the Southern HIV/AIDS Research Consortium (SHARC) as a core faculty member. (For additional details about SHARC, please visit http://sharc-research.org/about/faculty/.)

Dr. Vaddiparti’s research interests encompass three main areas:

1. Examining the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and its connections to treatment engagement, substance use, and mental health.

2. Utilization of medical marijuana in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder and associated sleep disturbances.

3. Investigating the adverse health and mental health effects resulting from exposure to trauma, particularly violence, victimization, and adverse childhood experiences.

His research efforts have taken him to various parts of India and Haiti, where he has conducted extensive cross-cultural international studies. These studies involved primary data collection and rigorous fieldwork. Notably, in India, he conducted pioneering epidemiological research on alcohol use problems and common mental disorders in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, marking the first such study in that area. In Haiti, Dr. Vaddiparti collaborated with colleagues from the Department of Epidemiology on the Haiti Health Study, focusing on mental health conditions such as depression, panic attacks, posttraumatic stress disorder, and the social determinants of health.

Mentoring plays a pivotal role in Dr. Vaddiparti’s academic journey, and he welcomes prospective students interested in pursuing doctoral work in Epidemiology to reach out to him directly. Beyond his academic pursuits, he finds relaxation and fulfillment in activities such as painting, photography, and spending quality time with his family.

Dr. Vaddiparti’s current research endeavors encompass various areas. He is primarily focused on real-time monitoring of sleep quality, mood, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among individuals using medical marijuana in Florida. Additionally, he is conducting secondary data analysis, with funding from the International Center for Responsible Gaming, delving into the topics of early and adolescent risk and protective factors for problem gambling. Furthermore, Dr. Vaddiparti presently serves as a co-principal investigator in several noteworthy projects, including:

Collaboration on a research study commissioned by the Florida Department of Health, which explores HIV/AIDS-related stigma and its impact on clinical outcomes and quality of life.

An NIH-funded initiative, Artificial Intelligence and Counterfactually Actionable Responses to End HIV (AI-CARE-HIV). This project places a special emphasis on combining causal inference and artificial intelligence methods, in conjunction with real-world multilevel data to improve anti-retroviral treatment outcomes and reduce disparity in the context of HIV.

Participation in a NIDA-funded study, “Health outcomes and cognitive effects of marijuana use among individuals living with HIV/AIDS,” as part of the MAPLE Supplement Study.

Dr. Vaddiparti’s research portfolio reflects a commitment to advancing knowledge and addressing critical issues in the field of public health.

• Exposure to violence and victimization
• HIV Stigma and outcomes
• Medical Marijuana – PTSD and Sleep

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