Kristen A. Feemster, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.H.P.
PolicyLab Faculty
Kristen A. Feemster is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn).
Dr. Feemster’s career trajectory is based upon a longstanding interest in public health and a commitment to improve outcomes for children by addressing contextual factors that may impact disease risk and access to health services. This has resulted in two complimentary areas of research: 1) understanding how environmental factors, social networks and community systems affect the epidemiology of infectious diseases; and 2) evaluating policies related to the prevention of pediatric infectious diseases, specifically vaccine policies. Her current research focuses upon vaccine acceptance among parents and immunization providers in the U.S. and internationally, neighborhood factors associated with the incidence of pneumococcal infection and influenza and health-care associated respiratory infection in the pediatric ambulatory setting. This body of work has also demonstrated the importance of understanding the drivers of health-related behaviors and adoption of new recommendations to ensure effective policy implementation. She has collaborated with the Philadelphia Department of Health and the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. In addition to her research, Dr. Feemster is a senior fellow in the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (Penn) and a physician scientist with the Vaccine Education Center (CHOP). She also serves on the Advisory Commission for Childhood Vaccines that advises the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
Dr. Feemster received her M.D. and an M.P.H. in Population and Family Health from Columbia University Schools of Medicine and Public Health in New York City. She completed pediatric residency at CHOP then pursued a dual fellowship training program in health services research and pediatric infectious diseases: she was a fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Clinical Scholars Program at Penn, completing a Master of Science degree in Health Policy Research then returned to CHOP for pediatric infectious diseases training. She joined the faculty in her current position in 2010.
Research Interests
Immunizations
Immunization delivery
Infectious diseases epidemiology
Health services research
Contact Information
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Select Publications
Feemster KA, Winters SE, Fiks A, Kinsman S, Kahn, JA. Pediatricians’ intention to recommend Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to 11- to 12-year-old girls post-licensing. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2008;43(4) 408-11. PMID: 18809140.
Feemster KA, Spain CV, Eberhard M, Pati S, Watson B. Identifying infants at increased risk for late initiation of immunizations: maternal and provider characteristics. Public Health Reports. 2009; 124(1): 42-53. PMID: 19413027.
Feemster KA, Prasad P, Smith MJ, Feudtner C, Caplan A, Offit P, Coffin S. Employee Designation and Health Care Worker Support of an Influenza Vaccine Mandate at a Large Pediatric Tertiary Care Hospital. Vaccine. 2011; 29(9):1762-69.
Feemster KA, Li Y, Grundmeier R, Localio AR, Metlay JP. Validation of a Pediatric Primary Care Network in a US Metropolitan Region as a Community-Based Infectious Disease Surveillance System. International Perspectives on Infectious Diseases. 2011;2011:219859. Epub 2011 Dec 7.
