Nafisa Halim
Profiles

Nafisa Halim, PhD

Research Assistant Professor, Global Health - Boston University School of Public Health

(617) 414-1279
nhalim@bu.edu
Crosstown Center
View Full Profile at BUMC

Biography

Nafisa Halim, MA, PhD is an applied sociologist with research interests in developing and testing interventions to reduce socio-economic, cultural, and behavioral barriers to reproductive, maternal and child health in HIV affected and/or resource-poor settings. Halim’s most current work focuses on the intersection between intimate partner violence against (IPV) and mental health (including depression and suicidality) among pregnant and postpartum women in India. Since 2009, Halim has worked on numerous IPV studies involving quantitative and qualitative methods on topics ranging from IPV correlates, consequences, and measurement methodologies. Most recently, Halim led a systematic review documenting evidence of IPV effects on maternal mental health during pregnancy and the postnatal period; led a formative evaluation study using qualitative methods, which aims to inform the development of an intervention for men to prevent women’s IPV victimization in Bangladesh; examined using a cluster randomized controlled trial the efficacy of a gender-training intervention targeting men and community leaders to improve gender attitudes and reduce IPV perpetration in men in Tanzania. Her prior research examined the associations between public-private partnerships and primary schooling in Bangladesh, maternal education and child survival in Nepal, intimate partner violence against women and child nutrition in Liberia. Since joining BUSPH in 2011, Halim has worked on numerous clinical trials and large-scale program evaluations in Tanzania, Vietnam, Zambia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Bangladesh. Halim has consulted with the World Health Organization, and served as a co-Investigator on research projects funded by the National Institutes of Health, the United States Agency for International Development, and private foundations. Halim’s research has been published in Demography, Population Research and Policy Review, Social Science & Medicine, Health Policy and Planning, Journal of International Development, Environment and Development Economics, Social Science Quarterly, Social Science Research, Social Indicators Research, PLOS One, BMJ Global Health, and BMC Women’s Health. She currently serves as an Associate Editor of BMC Public Health. Halim received her postdoctoral training in Social Demography at Emory University, and a Ph.D. in Sociology and M.A.s in Sociology and Economics from the University of New Mexico.

Education

  • University of New Mexico, PhD Field of Study: Sociology
  • University of New Mexico, MA Field of Study: Economics
  • University of New Mexico, MA Field of Study: Sociology
  • University of Dhaka, BS Field of Study: Sociology

Websites

Classes Taught

  • SPHGH745
  • SPHGH854

Publications

  • Published on 5/5/2023

    Jennings L, West RL, Halim N, Kaiser JL, Gwadz M, MacLeod WB, Gifford AL, Haberer JE, Orrell C, Sabin LL. Protocol for an evaluation of adherence monitoring and support interventions among people initiating antiretroviral therapy in Cape Town, South Africa-a multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) approach using a fractional factorial design. Trials. 2023 May 05; 24(1):310. PMID: 37147725.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 4/25/2023

    Larson BA, Tsikhutsu I, Bii M, Halim N, Agaba P, Sugut W, Muli J, Sawe F. The effects of revised peer-counselor support on the PMTCT cascade of care: results from a cluster-randomized trial in Kenya (the EMMA study). BMC Infect Dis. 2023 Apr 25; 23(1):257. PMID: 37098468.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 1/1/2023

    Stone, R., Halim, N., Campbell, J.K., Kinney, D. and Rothman, E.F. ‘Nowhere to Go’: Intimate Violence and Opioid Use in Rural Vermont. Gender-based Violence and Rurality in the 21st Century. Bristol University Press. 2023; pp. 168-182.

     Read At: Custom
  • Published on 1/1/2023

    Fan Jiang, Sisi Meng, Mohammad Khan, Nafisa Halim, Pallab Mozumder,. Estimating willingness to pay and costs associated with hurricane evacuation. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment. 2023; 121.

     Read At: Custom
  • Published on 9/26/2022

    Willie TC, Katague M, Halim N, Gupta J. Latent classes of men's intimate partner violence perpetration and attitudes towards gender norms: A UN multi-country, cross-sectional study in Asia and the Pacific. PLoS One. 2022; 17(9):e0264156. PMID: 36155974.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 8/30/2022

    Sabin LL, Mesic A, Le BN, Halim N, Cao CTH, Bonawitz R, Nguyen HV, Larson A, Nguyen TTT, Le AN, Gill CJ. Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of mCME Version 2.0: An SMS-Based Continuing Medical Education Program for HIV Clinicians in Vietnam. Glob Health Sci Pract. 2022 08 30; 10(4). PMID: 36041848.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 6/15/2022

    Sabin LL, Simmons E, Halim N, Hamer DH, Gifford AL, West RL, Larson A, Bonawitz R, Aroda P, Banigbe B, Holderman AJ, Murray L, DeSilva MB, Gasuza J, Mukasa B, Messersmith LJ. Real-time Feedback to Improve HIV Treatment Adherence in Pregnant and Postpartum Women in Uganda: A Randomized Controlled Trial. AIDS Behav. 2022 Dec; 26(12):3834-3847. PMID: 35704124.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 2/21/2022

    Sabin LL, Gifford AL, Haberer JE, Harvey K, Sarkisova N, Martin K, West RL, Stephens J, Killian C, Halim N, Berkowitz N, Jennings K, Jennings L, Orrell C. Patients' and Providers' Views on Optimal Evidence-Based and Scalable Interventions for Individuals at High Risk of HIV Treatment Failure: Sequential Explorations Among Key Stakeholders in Cape Town, South Africa. AIDS Behav. 2022 Aug; 26(8):2783-2797. PMID: 35190943.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 1/22/2022

    Stone, Rebecca, Julia K. Campbell, Nafisa Halim, Diane Kinney, and Emily F. Rothman. Design and Pilot Evaluation of a Cross-Training Curriculum for Intimate Partner Violence Advocates and Peer Recovery Coaches. Victims & Offenders. 2022; 1-21.

     Read At: Custom
  • Published on 1/20/2022

    Chatterjee, C., Halim, N. & Mozumder, P. Energy conservation and health risk reduction: an experimental investigation of punishing vs. rewarding incentives. Environmental Economics and Policy Studies. 2022.

     Read At: Custom

View 47 more publications:View Full Profile at BUMC

News & In the Media

View all profiles