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Two investigators from HSR’s Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion (CHERP) were recently invited to separate White House gatherings. Lena Makaroun, MD, attended the White House Gun Violence Prevention Event, and Sonya Borrero, MD, attended the White House Convening on Access to Contraception. Both events were held on June 7.
Lena Makaroun, MD
Dr. Makaroun is an HSR Career Development Awardee whose research examines health-related social risk factors for older adults, with a specific focus on elder abuse. Her current work aims to improve detection and response for elder abuse among older Veterans in VHA. Her CDA project will improve elder abuse risk detection in VA by evaluating and pragmatically optimizing current elder abuse detection approaches and will enhance capacity for response by adapting an evidence-based intervention to VHA.
Dr. Makaroun was invited to the White House Gun Violence Prevention Event as a representative of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) in recognition of her involvement in the American College of Surgeons’s Healthcare Coalition for Firearm Injury Prevention, and her HSR-funded research on elder mistreatment and violence in older adults. The event brought together numerous healthcare professionals who treat and educate patients impacted by firearm violence. Speakers included Gregory Jackson Jr. and Rob Wilcox, Deputy Directors for the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
Lena Makaroun, MD at the White House Gun Violence Prevention Event
Sonya Borrero, MD
Dr. Borrero’s research focuses on understanding influences on contraceptive and pregnancy decision making in marginalized populations in order to identify targets for social, clinical, and policy interventions that will decrease people's risk for undesired pregnancy and that will augment reproductive autonomy. Her projects include optimizing pre-pregnancy and contraceptive care provision within VHA; developing patient-centered digital tools to support women's reproductive decision-making and facilitate provider provision of family planning care; and advancing understanding of how social and structural factors and inequalities shape and constrain low-income men’s and women’s reproductive agency, intentions, and behaviors.
Dr. Borrero was invited to attend the White House Convening on Access to Contraception to discuss barriers and opportunities for federal and state action to address gaps in contraception access, health disparities, and potential partnerships with the private sector. Speakers included Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Admiral Rachel Levine, MD, Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health; and Jennifer Klein, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Gender Policy Council.
Sonya Borrero, MD at the White House Convening on Access to Contraception
