
Bernard Leslie Harlow, PhD
Professor, Epidemiology - Boston University School of Public Health
Biography
Dr. Bernard L. Harlow has a broad background in epidemiologic studies of female reproductive and gynecologic disorders. His research has focused on studies of malignant and borderline ovarian tumors, adverse obstetrical outcomes, premature menopause, and benign gynecological complications, particularly those arising in women suffering from childhood victimization and a variety of psychiatric disorders. He has made substantial methodological advancements in data collection, particularly with respect to studies of severe mood disorder and reproductive function, and studies of the prevalence and etiological predictors of chronic unexplained vulvar pain disorders. Currently, Dr. Harlow is the Principal Investigator, in collaboration with Dr. Kyle Rudser at the University of Minnesota, as head of the Scientific and Data Coordinating Center for a NIH-NIDDK multi-centered consortium that will launch descriptive, observational and clinical-based studies related to the wide spectrum of lower urinary tract syndromes in women. In addition to his research, his commitment to training is illustrated by the fact that about a third of his articles are in the mentorship role of doctoral and postdoctoral students, clinical fellows, and junior faculty members. Prior to his appointment at Boston University, he was a Mayo Professor of Epidemiology and Chair of the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota School Of Public Health for nearly 10 years. He also spent 18 years at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Schools of Medicine and Public Health.
Education
- University of Washington, PhD Field of Study: Epidemiology
- University of Minnesota, MPH Field of Study: Epidemiology
- University of Rhode Island, BS
Websites
Classes Taught
- SPHEP816
- SPHPH845
- SPHPH880
Publications
- Published on 11/1/2024
Singareddy C, Shrestha S, Zheng A, Harlow BL, Barrington-Trimis JL, Harlow AF. Prospective Association of Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety with Pornography Viewing Frequency Among Young Adults. Arch Sex Behav. 2024 Nov 01. PMID: 39485607.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 10/30/2024
Walsh CA, Euler E, Do LA, Zheng A, Eckel SP, Harlow BL, Leventhal AM, Barrington-Trimis JL, Harlow AF. Cannabis use and sleep problems among young adults by mental health status: A prospective cohort study. Addiction. 2024 Oct 30. PMID: 39476498.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 9/3/2024
Harlow BL, Mühlrad H, Yan J, Linnros E, Lu D, Fox MP, Bohm-Starke N. Psychiatric morbidity across the life course and provoked vulvodynia: is it dependent upon the presence of non-stress-related immune dysfunction? J Sex Med. 2024 Sep 03; 21(9):800-806. PMID: 39034042.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 7/13/2024
Harlow BL, McGwin G, Sutcliffe S, Fitzgerald CM, Lowder JL, Newman DK, Meister M, Camenga DR, Stapleton A, Chary V, Lukacz ES. Genital Pain and the Spectrum of Bladder-Related Symptoms: Findings from the Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Research Consortium RISE FOR HEALTH Study, USA. Int Urogynecol J. 2024 Sep; 35(9):1777-1787. PMID: 39002046.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 5/4/2024
Sutcliffe S, Falke C, Fok CS, Griffith JW, Harlow BL, Kenton KA, Lewis CE, Low LK, Lowder JL, Lukacz ES, Markland AD, McGwin G, Meister MR, Mueller ER, Newman DK, Pakpahan R, Rickey LM, Rockwood T, Simon MA, Smith AR, Rudser KD, Smith AL. Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in US Women: Contemporary Prevalence Estimates from the RISE FOR HEALTH Study. J Urol. 2024 Jul; 212(1):124-135. PMID: 38703067.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 1/16/2024
Raposa ME, Smithers DJ, Coleman CM, Harlow BL. Depression and help-seeking behaviors among college students: Findings from the Healthy Minds Study 2018-2019. J Am Coll Health. 2024 Jan 16; 1-8. PMID: 38227913.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 1/8/2024
Zheng A, Harlow BL, Gereige J. Immune Dysregulation, Inflammation in Characterizing Women with Vulvodynia, Depression, and Both. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2024 Mar; 33(3):364-370. PMID: 38190297.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 1/1/2024
James AS, Nodora J, Maki J, Harlow BL, Low LK, Coyne-Beasley T, Cunningham SD, El-Fahmawi A, Klusaritz H, Lipman TH, Simon M, Hebert-Beirne J. Building Community Engagement Capacity in a Transdisciplinary Population Health Research Consortium. J Community Engagem Scholarsh. 2024; 16(2). PMID: 39055611.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 9/5/2023
Yang Y, Valdimarsdóttir UA, Manson JE, Sievert LL, Harlow BL, Eliassen AH, Bertone-Johnson ER, Lu D. Premenstrual Disorders, Timing of Menopause, and Severity of Vasomotor Symptoms. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Sep 05; 6(9):e2334545. PMID: 37725375.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 7/18/2023
Abanobi AN, Itacy S, Coleman CM, Harlow BL. Association between eating disorders and sleep duration among college students: Findings from the National Healthy Minds study. J Am Coll Health. 2025 Jan; 73(1):399-405. PMID: 37463502.
Read At: PubMed
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News & In the Media
- Published on October 25, 2024
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Published on July 18, 2022
Sex in your 20s is supposed to be easy. For some women, it’s painful.
- Published on July 17, 2019
- Published on July 16, 2019
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Published on June 3, 2019
Usar pantalones ajustados aumenta el riesgo de vulvodinia, sugiere un estudio reciente
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Published on May 17, 2019
La dolorosa condición vaginal que sufren las mujeres que usan jeans ajustados
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Published on May 15, 2019
Women Who Wear Skinny Jeans at TWICE the Risk of Painful Vaginal Condition
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Published on May 13, 2019
A New Study Says Wearing Tight Pants Can Increase Your Risk Of Vulvodynia
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Published on May 10, 2019
Vinculan el desarrollo de la Vulvodinea con la Vestimenta y el Aseo
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Published on May 9, 2019
Tight Pants and Pubic-Hair Removal Increase Risk of Vulvodynia
- Published on August 21, 2017