Latoya Small’s scholarship is informed by her work in clinical social work practice and community-based research. Her research focuses on health disparities, specifically, the intersection of mental health, treatment adherence, and HIV among women and children in the U.S. and Sub-Saharan Africa. Her global research addresses the urgent need for theory-driven, empirically-informed, and sustainable psychosocial HIV treatment approaches for youth living with perinatally acquired HIV in South Africa.
In the U.S., Dr. Small investigates how poverty-related stress, parenting, and mental health interact and relatedly impact adherence in HIV medical care among Black and Latina women in urban communities. Building on this work, she also explores broader disparities in women’s health, examining how women of color navigate health systems when accessing care.
Dr. Small takes a collaborative approach in her scholarship, recognizing that traditional intra-disciplinary boundaries can impede the development of effective and sustainable research interventions. Her work aims to produce accessible, evidence-informed interventions that bolster youth development and advance women’s health.
