Research Focus
I study the effect of compounding environmental disruptions in HIV care in Puerto Rico.
Bio
Tania de Jesús Espinosa, MSN, RN, is a PhD student in Nursing at Yale University whose research focuses on the intersection of environmental disruptions, climate-related hazards, and HIV health outcomes. Her work examines how disasters, infrastructure failures, and environmental stressors affect healthcare access, continuity of care, and health equity among vulnerable populations, particularly people with HIV and Puerto Rico.
Tania has extensive experience in HIV research, having served as a clinical research coordinator, graduate research assistant, and collaborator on national and international studies. Her scholarly work includes research on cancer prevention on people with HIV, HIV stigma, health equity, cardiovascular disease prevention, sudden cardiac death, and the impacts of environmental disruptions on health. She is actively involved in interdisciplinary collaborations spanning nursing, public health, environmental health sciences, and policy.
Beyond research, Tania is engaged in community-based environmental justice initiatives, policy translation efforts, and student advocacy. She has contributed to projects addressing brownfield remediation, community redevelopment, and climate resilience in underserved communities.
Her long-term goal is to develop evidence-based strategies that strengthen health system resilience and improve outcomes for populations disproportionately affected by environmental and social inequities.