Creating a world that is safer and healthier for women to love, work, live, play, and care for themselves and their families.

Welcome to the Threads Research Lab!

Led by Dr. Kamila A. Alexander, at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, our work is all about recognizing & building human connections as a transformational way to create sustainable healthy communities.

Dr.  Kamila A. Alexander

Kamila A. Alexander’s research focuses on promoting sexual and reproductive health equity through violence prevention. Her work examines the complex roles that structural determinants such as gender-based violence, societal gender expectations, and economic opportunities play in the experiences of intimate human relationships. Using health equity and social justice lenses, she aims to learn why individuals make particular sexual decisions and how they convey those decisions to their emotional partners, how we can promote safe relationships, and how we might expand current prevention efforts to mitigate intimate partner violence, unintended pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections including HIV. Read more.

Our Research

  • Black Women and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

    Black women’s experiences of IPV are unique and their effects reverberate across our society.
    Learn more

  • HIV Prevention and Sexual Health

    Partner-independent reproductive and sexual health strategies can prevent HIV and unintended pregnancies by expanding the menu of options for protection.
    Learn more

  • Social Networks

    The people in our networks can help us stay healthy through emotional support, resources, and modeling protective behaviors.
    Learn more

  • Men's Health

    Men’s trauma experiences can affect young women’s health behaviors.
    Learn more

  • Reproductive Coercion

    Decisions about when and how to have children should not be controlled by a partner or state wishing to have power over another.
    Learn more

How violence disrupts women’s health

  • Isolation

    Women experiencing IPV report feeling isolated from their communities. Research shows they often have fewer people in their social networks that can provide support and resources

  • Dependency

    Women report they have fewer options for employment, housing, and freedom to decide when and how to have sex

  • Stress & Poor Mental Health

    Women report persistent feelings of sadness, overwhelm, and negative thoughts that makes it hard to get through the day

Help do your part to end violence against women. #DVAM #DV #IPV #HealHoldCenter #NoSurvivorJusticeWithoutRacialJustice #DVAM2024 #CallforUnity #believesurvivors
The Threads Lab recently participated in the Clothesline Project, a visual art exhibit that raises the awareness on the impact of violence and supports survivors, in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. #DV #IPV #DVAwarenessMonth #endthesilenc
Do you know anyone between the ages of 18-24 who may be interest in participating in the STRIDE Study? This study explores how multiple forms of discrimination in healthcare settings intersect with IPV survivorship and influence the overall well bein
There are local resources available for survivors of domestic violence including counseling, crisis intervention, legal services, shelter, and more. #DV #ipv #DVAwarenessMonth #endthesilence #HealHoldCenter #NoSurvivorJusticeWithoutRacialJustice #DVA
Join the Threads Lab in recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. #DV #IPV #DVAwarenessMonth #endthesilence #HealHoldCenter #NoSurvivorJusticeWithoutRacialJustice #DVAM2024 #CallforUnity
Intimate partner violence is a critical issue that affects all communities. Explore these key facts about intimate partner violence within Latina women. #research #blacknursesrock #hopkinsnurse #blacknurses #johnshopkins #womenshealth #publichealth
We are sharing additional research from colleagues at Duke University School of Nursing who highlight some complexities about IPV among Latinx immigrants. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/24v63c67. #ipv #latinx #hispanicheritagemonth #research
To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Threads Research Lab wants to highlight work being done by colleagues in the field of IPV among individuals in Latina/Caribbean communities. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/2wukbhwu #ipv #immig
Join the Treads Research Lab in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month. Throughout this month, we will be raising awareness about the epidemic of intimate partner violence (IPV) within the Latinx community and sharing valuable resources. #rese
New publication alert! This study explored how the myPlan app could be used to help teens with safety, relationships, and mental health. Read the study here: https://tinyurl.com/z8mwut23 #teendating #ipv #mentalhealth #safety #teendatingviolence #in

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