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Epidemiology
Julia Dickson-Gomez, PhD

Julia Dickson-Gomez, PhD

Professor

Locations

  • Division of Epidemiology, Institute for Health & Humanity
    Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine

Contact Information

Education

PhD, Medical Anthropology; University of California, Los Angeles
MA, Anthropology; University of California, Los Angeles
AB, Anthropology; Bryn Mawr College

Biography

Julia Dickson-Gomez is a medical anthropologist whose research focuses on reducing HIV and overdose risk for people with substance use disorders, and the effects of housing access and stability on health. Current projects include HOusing Instability Neighborhood Deprivation and Maternal HEalth (HOME) study. HOME will conduct longitudinal research with pregnant people recruited during the first trimester and followed through 3 months postpartum. The purpose of this project is 1) to understand factors that contribute to housing (in)stability among low-income pregnant people living in the Milwaukee metropolitan area, and 2) to investigate the effects of different housing statuses and stability on maternal physical and mental health, including biological markers of stress (allostatic load), and on pregnancy outcomes. We will also explore the mitigating effects of housing assistance (subsidized or supportive housing), neighborhood conditions, and psychosocial services provided through housing programs, social service agencies, and churches. She also has several projects focused on opioid overdose in the US including post-overdose interventions and interventions to expand the use of Medications to treat Opioid Use Disorder both among healthcare providers and people with opioid use disorder (OUD). She recently completed a pilot study to integrate buprenorphine to treat OUD in Uganda and another to test the SafeBangle, a wearable technology that women who are experiencing gender-based violence can use to call for help.

Research Interests

Dr. Dickson-Gomez studies HIV prevention among drug users in the United States and El Salvador and is also interested in the influence of structural factors on HIV risk. Her research explores the effects of housing policy on drug users' access to housing, variations in housing status and housing options of drug users, and levels of HIV risk related to these factors. Dr. Dickson-Gomez's work also explores macro- and micro-social contexts of crack use and HIV risk in communities in El Salvador. Her work develops and evaluates the impact of structural and multi-level interventions in the U.S. and Latin America.

Publications

  • (Pisani M, Oguss MK, Dickson-Gomez J, Kostelac C, Parry A, Moss S, Salisbury-Afshar E, Patterson B, Spigner M, Gussick M, Krautkramer A, Gruenloh T, Safipour Afshar A, Gupta P, Mayampurath A, Afshar M.) JMIR Hum Factors. 2026 Jan 15;13:e79407 PMID: 41538509 PMCID: PMC12806594 01/15/2026

  • (Bing W, Abbo C, Dickson-Gomez J, Kiconco A, Odokonyero FR, Bobholz M, Shour AR, Kasasa S, Kabanda R, Kalani K, Cassidy LD, Anguzu R.) BMC Public Health. 2025 Dec 15;26(1):252 PMID: 41398236 PMCID: PMC12821920 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-105027965729 12/16/2025

  • (Dickson-Gomez J, Tarima S, Twaibu W, Katende D, Kyeswa L, Glasman L, Kiconco A, Krechel S, Johnston B, Ogwal M, Mutamba BB, Mudiope P, Alamo S, Wanyenze R, Musinguzi G.) AIDS Behav. 2025 Dec 01 PMID: 41324756 12/01/2025

  • (Anguzu R, Kiguli J, Nyabigambo A, Obuya E, Kabali S, Isunju JB, Beyer KMM, Dickson-Gomez J.) Int J Soc Determinants Health Health Serv. 2025 Dec 01:27551938251396923 PMID: 41325018 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-105023364458 12/01/2025

  • (Dickson-Gomez J, Krechel S, Ohlrich J, Hernandez-Meier J, Kostelac C.) Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Nov 21;22(12) PMID: 41464399 PMCID: PMC12732991 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-105026137192 12/30/2025

  • (Lechuga J, Perez G, Dickson-Gomez J, Ortiz A, Ramos L, Puentes J, Varela A, Beltran O, Sauceda J, Ludwig-Barron N, Salazar J, Esparza O, Pinto JF, Ramos R, Ramos ME, Project Encuentro CAB.) AIDS Behav. 2025 Nov 17 PMID: 41247566 11/17/2025

  • (Oladebo T, Bobholz F, Folivi K, Dickson-Gomez J, Anguzu R, Lopez AA, Akinola I, Olson J, Palatnik A.) Nutrients. 2025 Nov 06;17(21) PMID: 41228559 PMCID: PMC12609537 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-105021553427 11/13/2025

  • (Anguzu R, Kabagenyi A, Kasasa S, Abbo C, Shour AR, Dickson-Gomez J, Cassidy LD, Mutyoba JN.) BMC Psychol. 2025 Sep 26;13(1):1054 PMID: 41013823 PMCID: PMC12465980 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-105017414620 09/27/2025

  • (Dickson-Gomez J, Krechel S, Ohlrich J, Hernandez-Meier J, Kostelac C.) Harm Reduct J. 2025 Aug 22;22(1):145 PMID: 40847409 PMCID: PMC12372395 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-105013895546 08/26/2025

  • (Dickson-Gomez J, Beyer K, Kiconco A, Anguzu R, Nyabigambo A.) BMC Public Health. 2025 Jul 16;25(1):2475 PMID: 40671035 PMCID: PMC12265136 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-105010729742 07/17/2025

  • (Kiconco A, Rine S, Folivi K, Alford B, Abibo LM, Anguzu R, Williams JS, Mayega RW, Dickson-Gomez J.) Diabetes Spectr. 2025 May;38(5):640-648 PMID: 41522280 PMCID: PMC12784432 01/12/2026

  • (Bobholz M, Dickson-Gomez J, Abbo C, Kiconco A, Shour AR, Kasasa S, Cassidy LD, Anguzu R.) PLOS Glob Public Health. 2025;5(6):e0003907 PMID: 40504778 PMCID: PMC12161558 06/12/2025