Gabriela Alvarado

Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND, and Ph.D. Candidate, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Washington Office

Education

M.D., University of Costa Rica; M.Sc. in public health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine; M.A. in anthropology, Georgia State University; M.Phil. in policy analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School

One Page Bio

Overview

Gabriela Alvarado is an assistant policy researcher at RAND and a Ph.D candidate at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. She has a masters in public health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a masters in anthropology from Georgia State University, and a medical degree from the University of Costa Rica.

Prior to joining Pardee RAND, she worked in primary health care delivery, the health nonprofit sector, and state government. Her research interests include women’s health, sexual and reproductive health, maternal and child health, mental health, and the intersection of culture and health.

Research Focus

Selected Publications

Alvarado, G., "Reflections from an abortion policy conference in Costa Rica," Sexual and Reproductive Health, 31(1), 2023

Alvarado, G., McBain, R., Chen, P., Estrada-Darley, I., Engel, C., Malika, N., Machtinger, E., McCaw, B., Thyne, S., Thompson, N., Shekarchi, A., Lightfoot, M., Kuo, A., Benedict, D., Gantz, L., Perry, R., Kannan, I., Yap, N., Eberhart, N., "Clinician and Staff Perspectives on Implementing Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Screening in Los Angeles County Pediatric Clinics," Annals of Family Medicine, 21(5), 2023

Estrada-Darley, I., Chen, P., McBain, R., Alvarado, G., Engel, C., Malika, N., Kim, D., Machtinger, E., McCaw, B., Thyne, S., Thompson, N., Shekarchi, A., Lightfoot, M., Kuo, A., Benedict, D., Gantz, L., Perry, R., Yap, N., Eberhart, N., "Patient and Caregiver Perspectives on Implementation of ACE Screening in Pediatric Care Settings: A Qualitative Evaluation.," Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 37(6), 2023

Howell, K., Alvarado, G., Waymouth, M., Demirci, J.R., Rogers, R., Ray, K.N., Uscher-Pines, L., "Acceptability of Telelactation Services for Breastfeeding Support Among Black Parents," Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2023 (forthcoming)

Batra, P., Alvarado, G., Bird, C., "Birth-Centered Outcomes Research Engagement (B-CORE) in Medi-Cal Project: Community-Generated Recommendations to Decrease Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity," Women's Health Issues, 33(5), 2023

DeYoreo, M., Kapinos, K., Lawrence, R., Alvarado, G., Waymouth, M., Demirci, J. & Uscher-Pines, L., "Changes in Breastfeeding and Lactation Support Experiences During COVID," Journal of Women's Health, 32(2), 2023

Uscher-Pines, L., Kapinos, K. A., Mehrotra, A., Demirci, J., Ray, K. N., Alvarado, G., & DeYoreo, M., "Use of and Attitudes About Telelactation Services among New Parents," Telemedicine and e-Health, 2022

Tomoaia-Cotisel, Andrada, Nicole K. Eberhart, Charles C. Engel, Peter Mendel, Gabriela Alvarado, Nabeel Qureshi, and Samuel D. Allen, A Process Evaluation of Primary Care Behavioral Health Integration in the Military Health System, RAND Corporation (RR-A677-1), 2021

Languages

Spanish

Publications

Report
Birth-Centered Outcomes Research Engagement (B-CORE) in Medi-Cal: Community-Generated Recommendations to Decrease Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity
The B-CORE project, described in this report, applied the deliberative democracy method to engage affected community members in problem-solving focused on maternal health inequities in California.
Jul 24, 2023
Infographic
Preventing Maternal Deaths in Medi-Cal: What Health Care Systems Can Do
This fact sheet presents recommendations for health care systems (e.g., birth facilities, clinics) from the Birth-Centered Outcomes Research Engagement in Medi-Cal Project to decrease maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in Medi-Cal.
Jul 24, 2023
Infographic
Preventing Maternal Deaths in Medi-Cal: What Medi-Cal and Health Plans Can Do
This fact sheet presents recommendations for Medi-Cal administrators and contracted health plans from the Birth-Centered Outcomes Research Engagement in Medi-Cal Project to decrease maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in Medi-Cal.
Jul 24, 2023
Infographic
Preventing Maternal Deaths in Medi-Cal: What Policymakers Can Do
This fact sheet presents recommendations for policymakers from the Birth-Centered Outcomes Research Engagement in Medi-Cal Project to decrease maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among Medi-Cal members.
Jul 24, 2023
Infographic
Preventing Maternal Deaths in Medi-Cal: What Communities Can Do
This fact sheet presents recommendations for communities from the Birth-Centered Outcomes Research Engagement in Medi-Cal Project to decrease maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among Medi-Cal members.
Jul 24, 2023
Infographic
Preventing Maternal Deaths in Medi-Cal: What Researchers Can Do
This fact sheet presents recommendations for researchers from the Birth-Centered Outcomes Research Engagement in Medi-Cal Project to decrease maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among Medi-Cal members.
Jul 24, 2023
Journal Article
Changes in Breastfeeding and Lactation Support Experiences During COVID
RAND researchers surveyed parents who gave birth from 2019 to 2021 to examine changes in breastfeeding experiences and professional and lay breastfeeding support services due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Apr 27, 2023
Report
A Green Costa Rican COVID-19 Recovery: Aligning Costa Rica's Decarbonization Investments with Economic Recovery
In this report, the authors assess how the implementation of Costa Rica's National Decarbonization Plan, which would lead to an unprecedented economic transformation, could contribute to a just and robust COVID-19 recovery.
Feb 24, 2022
Report
A Process Evaluation of Primary Care Behavioral Health Integration in the Military Health System
Research suggests that primary care–behavioral health (PCBH) integration can improve behavioral health outcomes. The authors conducted a process evaluation of the PCBH program in the military health system to inform quality improvement.
Sep 8, 2021
Report
Independent Evaluation of the New York State 1115 Waiver Amendment: The Children's Design: Interim Findings
The authors evaluate efforts to streamline health care for children and youth in the New York State Medicaid program who have needs for home- and community-based services through the recently implemented Children's Design.
Aug 6, 2021