Bridging Research Gaps: Building Capacity for Measuring and Addressing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Maternal Health Research is a research education initiative supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research (1R25NR021325-01). Our mission is to equip maternal health researchers with the knowledge and skills needed to appropriately measure and address IPV within their studies, with attention to relevance across different communities and adherence to ethical research practices.
This program, named Supporting Prevention and Research on IPV Knowledge or SPARK – IPV, was developed by a multidisciplinary team of experts in intimate partner violence, maternal health, measurement science, and health equity. The training includes live webinars, a searchable database of IPV data collection tools, and a curated list of additional resources. Together, these offerings aim to improve the quality and impact of research focused on the intersections of IPV and maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in communities disproportionately affected.
The content and tools provided through this program are designed for use by researchers, students, and professionals, with a particular focus on those working in maternal and perinatal health settings. While we offer guidance and examples, we do not endorse specific tools or approaches. Users are encouraged to evaluate each resource based on the needs of their study population and research goals.
Team
Dr. Jessica Williams is an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of the PhD Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing. Her program of research centers on understanding the long-term health outcomes of IPV and enhancing the healthcare system’s capacity to identify and address IPV. She serves as the Program Director/PI of SPARK – IPV.
Dr. Candace Burton is Director and Associate Professor at the School of Nursing in the Faculty of Health at York University in Toronto, Canada. Her research focuses on stress and trauma, particularly in interpersonal relationships and in the context of health disparities, as well as the development of strategies to provide trauma-informed, culturally safe care to vulnerable populations.
Dr. Karen Sheffield-Abdullah is a Certified Nurse Midwife and an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing. Her program of research focuses on the development of culturally relevant interventions to reduce maternal health disparities in stress-related adverse outcomes during the perinatal period.
Dr. Natalia Villegas is a Latina bilingual nurse-midwife and an international board-certified lactation consultant with a program of research in HIV prevention and sexual health among vulnerable populations in the U.S. She is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing. Her program of research has focused on women’s health, specifically addressing HIV prevention and its intersection with substance use, depression, and IPV among vulnerable populations
Dr. Abigail Hatcher is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Public Health. Her program of research explores social determinants of health. Her current studies focus on prenatal safety planning, digital chatbots for safer relationships, couples home visits and health sector capacity building.
Gabby Grant is a PhD candidate and Hillman Scholar in Nursing Innovation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing. She serves as Program Manager for the SPARK – IPV team. Her dissertation focuses on improving the measurement of sexual violence and the impacts of technology-facilitated sexual violence on mental health outcomes.