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Whitney P Witt, PhD, MPH

Research Area: Epidemiology, Health services research, Social and behavioral health sciences
Keywords: Psychosocial Determinants of Health Outcomes, Preventive Services, Mental Health Services, Maternal and Child Health, Healthcare Utilization, Family Health, Child Health, Caregiving, Access to Care

Assistant Professor of Population Health Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology

Co Director, Center for Women's Health and Health Equity Research

Co-Director, BioPop: Integrative Biopsychosocial Research in Population Health, and the

Principal Investigator of the Lifecourse Epidemiology and Family Health (LEAF) Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Email: wwitt@wisc.edu

Biography:

Dr. Witt is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Population Health Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Co-Director of the Center for Women’s Health and Health Equity Research, Co-Director of BioPop: Integrative Biopsychosocial Research in Population Health, and the Principal Investigator of the Lifecourse Epidemiology and Family Health (LEAF) Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a PhD in health services research and a MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a BA in women's studies and law from Hampshire College. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Pediatric Health Services Research Program at the Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Hospital for Children.

The overarching goal of Dr. Witt's research is to measure and improve the health of women, children, and families. Her research emphasizes social, behavioral, and psychological factors that contribute to human development and disparities in health and healthcare in women, children, and families. She applies a life course approach to her research, investigating early life exposures, their long-term effects on health, and how family relationships affect health.

Dr. Witt's program of research examines health at three progressive stages across the life course: 1) the preconception predictors of antepartum, obstetric, and post-partum outcomes; 2) the bidirectional relationship between child health and the health and functioning of other family members; and 3) women’s health and access to healthcare, with a special emphasis on factors associated with disparities. This research is performed and administered through the research group that she developed and leads at UW–Madison, the Life Course Epidemiology and Family Health (LEAF) Lab. Her studies are accomplished through the analyses of existing data and primary data collection and highlight the importance of understanding perinatal and early life exposures that influence childhood chronic conditions.

Affiliations/Associations:

  • Spring 2013-present: UW—Madison (UW) Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) Advancing Health Equity And Diversity (AHEAD), Leadership Team Member
  • Fall 2011-present: Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH), UW—Madison Advisory Committee Member
  • Fall 2011-present: National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Ambassador
  • Fall 2010-present: Health Disparities Research Scholar Program, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UW—Madison Advisory Committee Member
  • Fall 2009-present: Center for Demography and Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Steering Committee Member
  • Fall 2009-present: Community Justice Incorporated, Board Member
  • Winter 2008-2011: Wisconsin Public Health Association, Member
  • Winter 2008-present: Member of the Executive Committee of the Research Committee of the Academic Pediatric Association
  • Spring 2006-2009: Population Association of America, Member
  • Summer 2005-Fall 2006: Buehler Center on Aging, Development Subcommittee, Member
  • Spring 2005-Fall 2006: Cells to Society: The Center on Social Disparities and Health at the Institute for Policy Research, Executive Board Member
  • January 2005-Fall 2006: Institute for Policy Research, Faculty Associate
  • November 2004-2006: Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Member
  • October 2004-2006: The Buehler Center on Aging, Affiliate
  • Spring 2002-2003: The Society of Pediatric Psychology, Member
  • Fall 2001-present: Academic Pediatric Association, Member
  • Fall 1997-Fall 1998: US DHHS, Health Resources and Services Administration Women’s Health Research Committee, Member
  • Fall 1997-Fall 1998: US DHHS, Public Health Service, Office on Women’s Health Women and HIV/AIDS Cooperative Planning Group, Member
  • Spring 1997-present: AcademyHealth, Member
  • Spring 1997-1998: Maryland Public Health Association, Member
  • Fall 1996: Expert Planning Committee on Medicaid Managed Care and Women with HIV/AIDS, Member
  • Fall 1996-present: American Public Health Association, Member
  • Fall 1995-Spring 1996: AIDS Legislative Committee, Steering Committee Member
  • Fall 1994-Spring 1995: Deaf AIDS Project, Legal Representative
  • Fall 1994-Spring 1995: GMHC Women's Caucus, Member

Recent Honors/Awards:

  • 2011 Outstanding Mentorship Award from the Academic Pediatric Association (APA)
  • Selected participant of the 2009 Young Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
  • 2009 Population Association of America (PAA) Poster Winner
  • 2006 World Parkinson Congress Junior Scholar Award
  • Awarded the HPM Faculty of Health Services Research Student Conference Presentation Award, 1998-1999 and 2000-2001
  • Awarded the National Research Service Award (NRSA), from the Agency for Health Care
  • Policy and Research Training Fellowship Program
  • Legal Department Representative for the Deaf AIDS Project Agency Forum (appointed), Gay Men's Health Crisis, Inc.
  • Legal Department Representative to testify before the Council of the City of New York (appointed), Gay Men's Health Crisis, Inc.

Select Publications:

Keller, A, Gangnon, R, and Witt, WP. The Impact of Patient-Centered Communication and Language Spoken on Adequacy of Depression Treatment for U.S. Women. 2013. Health Communication. (in press).

Wakeel, F, Witt, WP, Wisk, LE, Lu, MC, Chao, SM. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Personal Capital During Pregnancy: Findings from the 2007 Los Angeles Mommy and Baby (LAMB) Study. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2013 Mar 16. [Epub ahead of print].

Witt, WP, Litzelman, K, Cheng, ER, Wakeel, F, Barker, ES. Measuring Stress Before and During Pregnancy: A Review of Population-Based Studies of Obstetric Outcomes. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2013 Feb 28. [Epub ahead of print]. PMCID: PMC Journal – In Progress.

Pollock E, Litzelman K, Wisk L, and Witt WP. Correlates of physiological and psychological stress among parents of childhood cancer and brain tumor survivors. Academic Pediatrics. 2013 Feb 2 [Epub ahead of print].

Paltzer J, Barker ES, and Witt WP. Measuring the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of Young Children in Resource-Limited Settings: A Review of Existing Measures. 2012. Quality of Life Research. 2012 Sep 15. [Epub ahead of print].

Wisk LE and Witt WP. Predictors of Delayed or Forgone Needed Healthcare for Families with Children. 2012. Pediatrics. 2012 Nov 5. [Epub ahead of print].

Litzelman K, Barker E, Catrine K, Puccetti D, Possin P, Witt WP. Socioeconomic Disparities in the Quality of Life in Children with Cancer or Brain Tumors: The Mediating Role of Family Factors. Psycho-Oncology, 2012 May 30. [Epub ahead of print].

Garbarski D and Witt WP. Child Health, Maternal Marital and Socioeconomic Factors, and Maternal Health. Journal of Family Issues, 2012 May 7. [Epub ahead of print]

Keller A, Litzelman K, Wisk L, Cheng ER, Maddox T, and Witt, WP. Does the Perception that Stress Affects Health Matter? The Association with Health and Mortality. Health Psychology. 2012 Sep;31(5):677-84.

Witt WP, Litzelman K, Spear HA, Wisk LE, Levin N, McManus BM, and Palta M. Health-Related Quality of Life of Mothers of Very Low Birth Weight Children at Age Five: Results from the Newborn Lung Project Statewide Cohort Study. Quality of Life Research. Volume 21, Issue 9 (2012), Page 1565-1576.

Witt WP, Wisk L, Chen, E, Hampton J, and Hagen E. Preconception Mental Health Predicts Pregnancy Complications and Adverse Birth Outcomes: A National Population-Based Study. Maternal and Child Health Journal. Volume 16, Issue 7 (2012), Page 1525-1541.

Pirraglia PA, Hampton JM, Rosen AB, Witt WP. Psychological Distress and Trends in Healthcare Expenditures and Outpatient Healthcare from 1997 to 2004. The American Journal of Managed Care. 2011 May; 17(5):319-28.

Witt WP, Litzelman K, Mandic CG, Wisk L, Hampton J, Creswell PD, Gottlieb C, and Gangnon R. Healthcare-Related Financial Burden among Families in the US: The Role of Childhood Activity Limitations and Income. Journal of Family and Economic Issues. 2011 Jun 1; 32(2):308-326.

Litzelman K, Catrine K, Gangnon R, Witt WP. Quality of Life in Parents of Children with Cancer or Brain Tumors: The Role of Child Clinical Characteristics and Parental Psychosocial Factors. Quality of Life Research. Volume 20, Issue 8 (2011), Page 1261-1269.

Witt WP, Wisk L, Cheng E, Hampton J, Creswell P, Hagen EW, Spear H, Maddox T, and DeLeire T. Poor Pre-Pregnancy and Antenatal Mental Health Predicts Postpartum Mental Health Problems among US Women:  A Nationally Representative Population-Based Study. Women’s Health Issues. 2011 Jul-Aug;21(4):304-13.

Witt WP, DeLeire T, Hagen EW, Wichmann MA, Wisk LE, Spear H, Cheng E, Maddox T, and Hampton J. The Prevalence and Determinants of Antepartum Mental Health Problems Among Women in the USA: A Nationally Representative Population-Based Study. Archives of Women’s Mental Health. Volume 13, Number 5 (2010): 425-37.

Witt WP, Litzelman K, Wisk L, Spear H, Catrine K, Levin N, Gottlieb CA. Stress-Mediated Quality of Life Outcomes in Parents of Childhood Cancer and Brain Tumor Survivors: A Case-Control Study. Quality of Life Research. Volume 19, Number 7 (2010): 995-1005.

Witt WP, Keller A, Gottlieb C, Litzelman K, Hampton J, Maguir, J, and Hagen EW. Access to Adequate Outpatient Depression Care for Mothers in the US: A Nationally Representative Population-Based Study. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research. Volume 38, Number 2 (2011): 191-204.

Seltzer MM, Abbeduto L, Greenberg JS, Almeida D, Hong J, and Witt WP. (2009). Biomarkers in the study of families of children with developmental disabilities (pp. 213 – 250). In L. M. Glidden and M. M. Seltzer (Eds). International Review of Research on Mental Retardation, 37. New York: Academic Press.

Witt WP, Gottlieb C, Hampton J, and Litzelman K. The Impact of Childhood Activity Limitations on Parental Health, Mental Health, and Workdays Lost in the United States. Academic Pediatrics. July-August 2009; Volume 9, Issue 4: 263-269.

Witt WP, Kahn R, Fortuna L, Winickoff J, Kuhlthau K, Pirraglia PA, and Ferris TG. Psychological Distress as a Barrier to Preventive Healthcare among US Women. The Journal of Primary Prevention. Volume 30, Issue 5 (2009): 531-547.

Witt WP and DeLeire T. A Family Perspective on Population Health: The Case of Child Health and the Family. Wisconsin Medical Journal. 2009; Volume 108, No. 5: 240-245.

Hung S, Pickard S, Witt WP, and Lambert BL. Pain and Depression in Caregivers Affected Their Perception of Pain in Stroke Patients. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2007 Sep; Volume 60, Issue 9, Pages 963-970.

Witt WP, Gibbs J, Wang J, Giobbie-Hurder A, Edelman P, McCarthy Jr M, and Neumayer L. The Impact of Inguinal Hernia Repair on Family and Other Informal Caregivers. Archives of Surgery. 2006. Sep; 141(9):925-30.

Witt WP, Fortuna L, Wu E, Kahn R, Winickoff J, Pirraglia PA, Ferris TG, and Kuhlthau K. Children’s Use of Motor Vehicle Restraints: Maternal Psychological Distress, Maternal Motor Vehicle Restraint Practices, and Sociodemographics. Ambulatory Pediatrics. 2006. May-June 6(3): 145-151.

Lyons J and Witt WP. Understanding the impact of mental health research on policy in the United States: Past, Present, and Future. In Choosing methods in mental health research. Slade M, Priebe S, (eds), Hove: Routledge. 2006. 202-211.

Witt WP, Kasper JD, and Riley AW. Mental Health Services Use Among School-Aged Children with Disabilities: The Role of Socio-demographics, Functional Limitations, Family Burdens and Care Coordination. Health Services Research. 2003; 38(6), Part 1: 1441-1466.

Witt WP, Riley AW, Coiro MJ. Childhood Functional Status, Family Stressors, and Psychosocial Adjustment Among School-Aged Children with Disabilities in the U.S. Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine. 2003; 157 (7): 687-695.

Witt WP, Riley AW, Kasper JD. The Impact of Missing Linkage Data in Family Health Research: Results from the 1994-1995 National Health Interview Survey Disability Supplement. In: Altman, B.M., Barnartt, S.N., Hendershot, G. and Larson, S., eds. Research in Social Science and Disability, Using Survey Data to Study Disability: Results from the National Health Interview Survey on Disability. Elsevier Publishing, London, England; 2003; Volume 3, 73-86.

Wu AW and Witt WP. The impact of HIV infection on health-related quality of life. In: Badia, X and Podzamczer, D, eds. Calidad de vida asociada a la salud e infeccion por el VIH. Madrid, Spain; 2000.

Courses Taught:

Research Weblinks:

Center for Women's Health and Health Equity Research

BioPop

Lifecourse Epidemiology and Family Health (LEAF) Lab

Pubmed links

Contact Information:

Address:
610 Walnut Street
Room 503, WARF Building
Madison, WI 53726

Phone: 608-265-6290
Fax: 608-263-2820
Email: wwitt@wisc.edu


Updated On: 
Wed, 04/03/2013
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