Sara F. Jacoby, MPH, MSN, PhD
Dr. Jacoby combines nursing and public health perspectives in her approach to injury science and urban health research. As a nurse in a Philadelphia ICU, Dr. Jacoby was witness to the profound trauma and violence that impacted the lives of hospitalized patients and their families. This inspired her to study the experience of injured people and the social and structural determinants of racial and ethnic disparities in trauma outcomes.
Cities are dynamic places that can promote health and at the same time be the foundation for profound health inequalities. My research focuses on how injury risks and outcomes intersect with the social and economic conditions of urban environments.
Education
- PhD, University of Pennsylvania, 2015
- MSN, University of Pennsylvania, 2008
- BSN, University of Pennsylvania, 2005
- MPH, Columbia University, 2002
- BA, Rutgers University, 1998
Teaching
Since 2011, Dr. Jacoby has taught as a clinical faculty member in undergraduate (Integrated Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Physical Assessment) and graduate (Advanced Physical Assessment and Clinical Decision Making) courses at Penn Nursing. She has also lectured across the curriculum in the application of mixed methods, critical theory and epidemiologic concepts in nursing research and practice, as well as the intersections between urban geographies and public health. She currently teaches Sociocultural Influences on Health and is seminar faculty in Psychological and Social Diversity in Health and Wellness.
Research
As a Center Investigator at the Penn Injury Science Center, her current research is focused on identifying why injuries occur where they do in urban spaces, the experiences of injured people as they recover in their homes and communities, and how we might innovate our health systems and urban environments to create safety and improve injury outcomes.
Clinical Practice
Dr. Jacoby is a board-certified ACNP and a trauma and surgical care nurse. The field work that informs her research is conducted with patients during the course of their hospitalization and recovery experience. This permits a continued engagement with the clinical arena and opportunity to interface with healthcare recipients and providers within healthcare institutions.
Dr. Jacoby is an active participant in nursing, public health, and the interdisciplinary injury science community. She is a member of the Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR) and served as a peer reviewer for manuscripts submitted to over ten scientific journals, including International Journal of Nursing Studies, Qualitative Health Research, and Injury Prevention.
Selected Career Highlights
- 2017, Senior Fellow, Leonard David Institute for Health Economics
- 2017, Senior Fellow, Center for Public Health Initiatives
- 2015, Fellow, CDC Foundation Fellow, Penn Injury Science Center
- 2015, Henry O. Thompson Prize in Ethics
Related News
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Sara Jacoby, Nu’05, GNu’08, GR’15, and Dennis Flores Receive Hillman Emergent Innovation Program Grants
The new Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation grant program will provide funding for early-stage prototype and pre-evidence work to transform care for vulnerable populations.
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Collaboration Between Health Systems and Law Enforcement May be Key for Injury Surveillance, Control and Prevention
Injury remains one of the top 10 causes of death and disability worldwide. Partnerships between health systems and law enforcement can enable linkages in injury data to better identify where and to whom injuries are occurring. This cross-sector surveillance can also lead to more effective and expansive injury control and prevention efforts to improve population health.
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Understanding Barriers to Mental Health Care for Urban Black Men Who Experience Traumatic Injury
Psychological distress is common in the aftermath of a traumatic injury. Symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress can make it harder to re-establish one’s social and family life, work performance, and wellbeing after injury.