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Publications

Below is a list of my publications organized by substantive area.

Sunset in Durham, North Carolina

  • M.P.H. Thesis

  • "Exploring Strategies for Telling Others About Hearing Loss."

  • West, Jessica S., Jacob C.M. Low, & Konstantina M. Stankovic (2016) Ear and Hearing.​

  • doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000238

  • Undergraduate Honors Thesis: 

  • "The Everyday Management of a Hard of Hearing Identity."

Stigma related to hearing loss:

Despite being highly prevalent, stigma is often associated with hearing loss and/or with the interventions (e.g., hearing aids) associated with treatment. The long-term goal of this vein of my research is to prevent and reduce hearing-related stigma to promote better overall outcomes in people with hearing loss.

  • Hearing Impairment and Mental Health Among Married Couples

  • West, Jessica S. (2021) Journals of Gerontology Series B.​

  • doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa023

  • Impact of Hearing Aid Use on Falls and Falls Related Injury: Results from the Health and Retirement Study 

  • Riska, Kristal Mills, Sarah B. Peskoe, Maragatha Kuchibhatla, Alexander Gordee, Juliessa Pavon, Se Eun Kim, Jessica S. West, & Sherri L. Smith (2021) Ear and Hearing.

  • doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001111.

  • The Long-Term Impact of Childhood Disability on Mental Health Trajectories in Mid- to Late-Life

  • West, Jessica S. & Christina Kamis. (2021) Journal of Aging and Health.

  • doi: 10.1177/08982643211066184.

  • Self-Reported Hearing Loss, Hearing Aid Use, and Cognitive Function among U.S. Older Adults

  • West, Jessica S., Sherri L. Smith, & Matthew E. Dupre (2022) International Journal of Population Studies.​

  • doi: 10.18063/ijps.v8i1.1308

  • The Impact of Hearing Loss on Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms in Married Couples

  • West, Jessica S., Sherri L. Smith, & Matthew E. Dupre (2023) Social Science & Medicine.

  • doi:​ 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115780

  • Association Between Life Space Mobility and Hearing Handicap Using a Mail-In Format of the Life Space Questionnaire (LSQ)

  • Oliva, Allison, Jessica S. West, Sherri L. Smith, Ryan J. Huang, & Kristal M. Riska (2023) American Journal of Audiology.

  • doi:​ 10.1044/2023_AJA-22-00052

  • To Make and Keep Friends: The Role of Physical Health in Adolescent Network Tie Formation and Persistence

  • Copeland, Molly, Christina Kamis, & Jessica S. West (2023) Social Networks.

  • doi: ​10.1016/j.socnet.2023.04.005

Life course impacts of hearing loss:

A major focus of my research has been examining the health and well-being of people with hearing loss and those close to them over the life course. In this vein of research, I draw on the stress process framework to conceptualize hearing loss as a chronic strain: an ongoing, long-term difficulty that can negatively affect health and well-being and that can lead to the accumulation of stressors in other aspects of life.

  • Hearing Impairment, Social Support, and Depressive Symptoms among U.S. Adults: A Test of the Stress Process Paradigm

  • West, Jessica S. (2017) Social Science & Medicine.

  • doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.09.031

  • Providing Health Care to Patients with Hearing Loss During COVID-19 and Physical Distancing

  • West, Jessica S., Kevin H. Franck, & D. Bradley Welling (2020) Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology.

  • doi: 10.1002/lio2.382

  • Hearing Loss

  • West, Jessica S., Sherri L. Smith, & Matthew E. Dupre (2021) In: Gu, D., Dupre, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Health. Spring, Cham.​

  • doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_1135-1

  • A Pragmatic Clinical Trial of Hearing Screening in Primary Care Clinics: Effect of Setting and Provider Encouragement

  • Smith, Sherri L., Howard W. Francis, David L. Witsell, Judy R. Dubno, Rowena J. Dolor, Janet Prvu Bettger, Mina Silberberg, Carl F. Pieper, Kristine A. Schulz, Pranab Majumder, Amy R. Walker, Victoria Eifert, Jessica S. West, Anisha Singh, & Debara L. Tucci (2023) Ear and Hearing.

  • doi: ​10.1097/AUD.0000000000001418

Hearing healthcare:

Hearing loss and hearing healthcare are increasingly recognized as public health issues, with national reports issuing calls to increase the affordability and accessibility of hearing healthcare. In this research area, I have examined access to and utilization of healthcare.

Global hearing loss:

While my research on hearing loss mainly focuses on the United States, I have also examined hearing loss in a more global context.

  • The Association of Vision and Hearing Impairment on Cognitive Function and Loneliness: Evidence from the Mexican Health and Aging Study

  • Kimberly Hreha, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Heather E. Whitson, L. Paige Downer, Jessica S. West, & Brian Downer (2024) Journal of Aging and Health.

  • doi: ​10.1177/08982643241247583

  • Cross-National Differences in Older Men’s Hearing Difficulty Disadvantage

  • Shane D. Burns & Jessica S. West (2024) Journal of Aging and Health.

  • doi: ​10.1177/08982643241251939

Regional variation in U.S. health:

Research on geographic differences commonly examines the region in which survey participants a) were born and b) are residing at the time of interview (or death) and has found regional variation in the incidence and prevalence of varying health conditions, disabilities, and life expectancies. In this research vein, I have examined regional variation in COVID-19 mortality, physical distancing during the pandemic, and life expectancies related to diabetes and hearing loss.

  • Regional Differences in the Impact of Diabetes on Population Health in the United States

  • Zang, Emma, Scott M. Lynch, & Jessica S. West (2020) Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

  • doi: 10.1136/jech-2020-214267

  • Overcrowding and COVID-19 Mortality Across U.S. Counties: Are Disparities Growing Over Time?

  • Kamis, Christina, Allison Stolte, Jessica S. West, Samuel Fishman, Taylor Brown, Tyson Brown, & Heather R. Farmer (2021) SSM-Population Health.

  • doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100845

  • Demographic and Socioeconomic Disparities in life Expectancy with Hearing Impairment in the United States

  • West, Jessica S. & Scott M. Lynch (2021) Journals of Gerontology Series B.

  • doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa166​

  • U.S. Regional Disparities in Physical Distancing: Evaluating Racial and Socioeconomic Divides During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  • Zang, Emma, Jessica S. West, Nathan Kim, & Christina Pao (2021) PLOS ONE.

  • doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259665

Social determinants of U.S. health disparities:

Another scientific contribution reflects my interest in the social determinants of health by drawing on ancestry, racial/ethnic, and immigration data from the American Community Survey (ACS). In these studies, I have examined how factors including nativity, immigrant arrival year, country of birth, and ancestry influence disability prevalence.

  • Disparities in Disability among Arab Americans by Nativity, Immigrant Arrival Cohort, and Country of Birth

  • Read, Jen’nan G., Kristine J. Ajrouch, & Jessica S. West (2019) SSM - Population Health.

  • doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2018.100325

  • Immigration and Health among Non-Hispanic Whites: The Impact of Arrival Cohort and Region of Birth

  • Read, Jen’nan G., Jessica S. West, & Christina Kamis (2020) Social Science & Medicine.​

  • doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112754

  • Disaggregating Heterogeneity among Non-Hispanic Whites: Evidence and Implications for U.S. Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities

  • Read, Jen’nan G., Scott M. Lynch, & Jessica S. West (2021) Population Research and Policy Review.

  • doi: 10.1007/s11113-020-09632-5

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