Dr. Abruzzi is an associate teaching professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy’s Public Health program. Dr. Abruzzi received her BA in Anthropology from Rutgers University- Rutgers College, and her MPH and PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – School of Public health. Prior to teaching full-time at Bloustein, Dr. Abruzzi worked extensively with students as a college and university librarian at both New York University and Lafayette College. She has a particular interest in online/hybrid course development and works closely with our distance learners in public health. Dr. Abruzzi also holds two professional certifications. She is Certified in Public Health (CPH), from the National Board of Public Health Examiners and is also a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES), from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
Dr. Abruzzi’s doctoral research focused on the association between vitamin D ultraviolet radiation, and disparities in survival from prostate and colorectal cancer in the U.S. She has a particular interest in identifying shared risk factors that are useful for preventing comorbidities and has conducted research on involving multiple primary cancers as well as on liver cancer associated with HBV or HCV and coinfection with schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease. She also has general interest in public health informatics as well as the history and philosophy of epidemiology, public health and medicine.
Research Interests
- Prevention of chronic illness and comorbidities
- The geography of health, especially urban/rural issues in the U.S. as well as globally
- Environmental and occupational contributions to disease disparities
Undergraduate
- Epidemiology
- Urban Health
- Cancer and Society
- Health and Public Policy