Disparities in Health and Human Development
Disparities in Health and Human Development
My core belief is that every person has the right to grow up, live, work, and play in an environment that supports their optimal development and health. I focus my research on uncovering and addressing unfair and preventable disparities in human health across the lifespan, including intergenerational transmission of health and risk during the prenatal period.
Program of Research
Dr. Blair’s clinical background as a neonatal intensive care nurse specialist and her keen research interests in improving the development of health across the lifespan have informed the two overarching themes of her program of research: 1) elucidating and intervening in maternal-child health disparities in preterm birth, low birthweight, and prenatal substance use, and 2) uncovering the scope and impact of health disparities across marginalized populations.
Adversity in the prenatal and early childhood period set children up for lifelong disparities in health, development, and wellbeing by altering:
- Biological foundations for childhood development and adult health (e.g., metabolic processes, epigenetic modification)
- Behavioral determinants (e.g., substance use, exercise)
- Social determinants of health (e.g., education attainment, income potential, experience of discrimination)
Dr. Blair’s research into maternal-child health examines the combined contributions of genetic, behavioral, and social determinants of health to pregnancy outcomes and child development in the context of preterm birth, low birthweight, and prenatal exposures to substances of abuse potential including tobacco, cannabis, and opioids. Prior research included contribution to studies on the relationship between smoke-free tobacco policy and preterm birth, tobacco cessation among women in residential treatment for substance use disorder, and the contribution of tobacco use to immune dysregulation in pregnancy. Ongoing research examines outcomes and drivers of cannabis and tobacco use by pregnant persons.
In addition, Dr. Blair uses her advanced quantitative research methods training and population-representative datasets such as the National Survey on Children’s Health (NSCH), Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH), National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine health disparities in marginalized populations across the lifespan, particularly as they relate to substance use. Past and ongoing studies have examined neighborhood factors that contribute to geographic disparities in developmental delay, treatment gaps in college students experiencing substance use disorder, the contribution of age of initiation of tobacco and cannabis use to regional disparities in addiction, and disparate health outcomes and substance use disorders among sexual and gender minority adults.
Program of Research team
Current Research
- Blair, L. M. (Co-PI) – Perinatal Cannabis: Policy Implications, Use Patterns, and Perceptions. Kristin Ashford (Co-PI). University of Kentucky Cannabis Center. $100,000 (June 2023 – May 2024)
- Blair, L. M. (Co-PI) – Perinatal Cannabis Extension: Epigenetics. Kristin Ashford (Co-PI). Kristin Ashford (Co-PI) & Ilhem Messaoudi Powers (Co-I). University of Kentucky Cannabis Center. $45,000 (March 2024 – Nov 2024)
- Blair, L. M. (PI) – Perinatal Cannabis Perceptions in the General Population. Startup funding.
Populations of interests
- Pregnant persons
- Infants
- Children
- Marginalized populations, including racial and ethnic minority persons, sexual and gender minority persons, and those dwelling in rural and urban communities who face geography-based disparities in health.