Nicola Hawley

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Diabetes Mellitus; Maternal Health Services; Maternal-Child Health Centers; Obesity; Pregnancy; Prenatal Care; Global Health; Samoa; American Samoa

RESEARCH SUMMARY

My research focuses broadly on: (1) understanding how maternal and child health are impacted by rising levels of obesity and diabetes in developing countries, (2) determining how the delivery of healthcare impacts the identification and treatment of these diseases during the perinatal period, and (3) developing interventions focused on pregnancy and early infancy to prevent the intergenerational transmission of chronic disease. I have ongoing projects and collaborations in American Samoa, Samoa, South Africa, and the US

Specialized Terms: global non-communicable disease, obesity, diabetes, maternal and child health, pregnancy health, infant feeding, prenatal care

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• Gestational weight gain among American Samoan women and its impact on delivery and infant outcomes.

  Hawley NL, Johnson W, Hart CN, Triche EW, Ah Ching J, Muasau-Howard B, McGarvey ST. Gestational weight gain among American Samoan women and its impact on delivery and infant outcomes. BMC Pregnancy And Childbirth 2015, 15:10. 2015

• Obesity and diabetes in Pacific Islanders: the current burden and the need for urgent action.

  Hawley NL, McGarvey ST. Obesity and diabetes in Pacific Islanders: the current burden and the need for urgent action. Current Diabetes Reports 2015, 15:29. 2015

• Mothers’ attitudes and beliefs about infant feeding highlight barriers to exclusive breastfeeding in American Samoa.

  Hawley NL, Rosen RK, Strait EA, Raffucci G, Holmdahl I, Freeman JR, Muasau-Howard BT, McGarvey ST. Mothers’ attitudes and beliefs about infant feeding highlight barriers to exclusive breastfeeding in American Samoa. Women And Birth : Journal Of The Australian College Of Midwives 2015, 28:e80-6. 2015

• Prevalence of adiposity and associated cardiometabolic risk factors in the Samoan genome-wide association study.

  Hawley NL, Minster RL, Weeks DE, Viali S, Reupena MS, Sun G, Cheng H, Deka R, Mcgarvey ST. Prevalence of adiposity and associated cardiometabolic risk factors in the Samoan genome-wide association study. American Journal Of Human Biology : The Official Journal Of The Human Biology Council 2014, 26:491-501. 2014

• The contribution of feeding mode to obesogenic growth trajectories in American Samoan infants.

  Hawley NL, Johnson W, Nu’usolia O, McGarvey ST. The contribution of feeding mode to obesogenic growth trajectories in American Samoan infants. Pediatric Obesity 2014, 9:e1-e13. 2014

• Barriers to adequate prenatal care utilization in American Samoa.

  Hawley NL, Brown C, Nu’usolia O, Ah-Ching J, Muasau-Howard B, McGarvey ST. Barriers to adequate prenatal care utilization in American Samoa. Maternal And Child Health Journal 2014, 18:2284-92. 2014