Roles:
- Assistant Professor, University of Rochester School of Nursing
- Former Fellow, Research Education Institute for Diverse Scholars (REIDS)
Contact:
Biography:
Dr. Leblanc's 17-year career in public health, nursing, and health research investigates the ecological, cultural, and systemic factors (social determinants of health) that influence health and wellness outcomes. As a former public health specialist, she is able to critically assess health issues from both public health and clinical perspectives - globally and domestically. As a nurse researcher, she seeks to address and investigate determinants of health disparity, assets within these factors that can be leveraged toward achieving health equity to inform intervention implementation.
Her current research focuses on health care provider perspectives and praxis in sexual health promotion including across the HIV care continuum. She also studies the context of vulnerability among key populations to inform services in the U.S.
Dr. Leblanc's program of research pursues three lines of inquiry:
- health providers (e.g, physicians, nurses, social workers) perspectives, praxis and processes in sexual health promotion, specifically couple-centered approaches in HIV prevention and across the HIV care continuum;
- couple-centered HIV prevention and interpersonal relationship factors (e.g. couples/partners, provider/patient) that can be leveraged to promote sexual health equity;
- context of vulnerability to adverse sexual health outcomes (primarily HIV prevention, transmission and treatment) among marginalized populations such as: same-sex male couples, Black couples, women of color, and non-heteronormative populations such as men of color who have sex with men.
These lines of inquiry aim to:
- acknowledge the role of racism and anti-Black stigma and violence on sexual health inequities;
- discern assets in the health and community settings that can be leveraged to promote sexual health, specifically HIV prevention and engagement across the HIV care continuum.
Dr. Leblanc primarily uses multi-method qualitative/quantitative approaches to inquiry. Her focus is on qualitative description, content and thematic analytic approaches, qualitative dyadic data collection and analysis, and observational techniques; she has also led and collaborated on projects that utilize:
- synthesis approaches (metasynthesis and meta-analysis) continuum;
- and descriptive and advanced statistical techniques.
CIRA Affiliated Projects:
