Myra Parker, JD, MPH, PhD

Personal Statement

​Myra Parker, JD, PhD is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral  Sciences, and Director of Seven Directions: A Center for Indigenous Public Health, based within the Center for the Study of Health and Risk Behaviors, University of Washington. She received her doctorate in Health Services at UW School of Public Health, and has been a member of the faculty since 2014.

Dr. Parker’s research and clinical interests include: (1) cultural adaptation of alcohol and drug interventions among American Indians and Alaska Natives (with a particular focus on  tribal college drinking harm reduction), (2) development and testing of parenting interventions to support early childhood development in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, (3) co-morbidity of substance use with depression, suicide, trauma, and PTSD, (4) research capacity development, including ethical aspects of research, for tribal and urban Indian communities; and, (5) dissemination and translation of evidence-based prevention and intervention approaches at the individual, institutional, and community level, including policy development. She has worked with tribal and urban Indian communities across the United States on these topics.

Education

PhD, Health Services, University of Washington, 2003-2010
JD, Federal Indian Law, University of Arizona, 1998-2001
MPH, Health Administration & Policy, University of Arizona, 1999-2002
BA, Human Biology, Stanford University, 1991-1995

Department Affiliations

Other Affiliations

Adjunct Faculty, American Indian Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Washington

Adjunct Faculty, Health Services, School of Public Health, University of Washington

Teaching Philosophy

My goals as a mentor are to support student development through critical dialogue and examination of mainstream research methodology through the lens of Community-based Participatory Research. By reviewing our assumptions inherent in standard research practices, we help students identify meaningful approaches to modify research techniques and tailor them to communities in need of research capacity development.

Recent Publications

Substance-Specific Risk Factors among Young Adults: Potential Prevention Targets across Cannabis-Permissive Environments.
(2022)
Subst Use Misuse 57(13): 1923-1930
Guttmannova K, Oesterle S, Skinner ML, Kuklinski MR, Hultgren B, Rhew IC, Parker M, Briney JS, White HR

Scales of Practices and Outcomes for Community-Engaged Research.
(2021 Jun)
Am J Community Psychol 67(3-4): 256-270
Boursaw B, Oetzel JG, Dickson E, Thein TS, Sanchez-Youngman S, Peña J, Parker M, Magarati M, Littledeer L, Duran B, Wallerstein N

Drug and Alcohol Policies at Tribal Colleges: A Descriptive Study Assessing Variations in Alcohol and Drug Policy by Setting.
(2020)
Am Indian Alsk Native Ment Health Res 27(2): 37-59
Martin K, Solomon C, Magarati M, Parker M, Egashira L, Duran B

Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Moderate and Acute Suicidal Ideation among a National Sample of Tribal College and University Students 2015-2016.
(2021 Jun)
J Rural Health 37(3): 545-553
Parker M, Duran B, Rhew I, Magarati M, Larimer M, Donovan D

Engage for Equity: A Long-Term Study of Community-Based Participatory Research and Community-Engaged Research Practices and Outcomes.
(2020 Jun)
Health Educ Behav 47(3): 380-390
Wallerstein N, Oetzel JG, Sanchez-Youngman S, Boursaw B, Dickson E, Kastelic S, Koegel P, Lucero JE, Magarati M, Ortiz K, Parker M, Peña J, Richmond A, Duran B

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