Anu Manchikanti Gómez

Job title: 
Associate Professor
Bio/CV: 

Anu Manchikanti Gómez is associate professor at the School of Social Welfare and director of the Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity (SHARE) Program.

For more than 15 years, Dr. Gómez has worked as a health equity researcher with a focus on reproduction and sexuality throughout the life course. She has conducted research both in the US and globally on diverse topics, including contraceptive use, abortion, HIV prevention, gender equity, transgender health and violence against women and children. Dr. Gómez's current research focuses on three areas: (1) the measurement and meaning of pregnancy planning; (2) understanding contraceptive decision-making within social, relational and structural contexts; and (3) evaluating the impact of and evidence base for policies related to reproductive health. She also serves as a co-PI on SOLARS, a prospective, longitudinal cohort study funded by UCSF's Preterm Birth Initiative. SOLARS aims to describe the relationship between psychosocial stress and preterm birth in Black and Hispanic/Latina women in Oakland and Fresno, Calif. She currently collaborates with researchers at the University of California, San Francisco; the Guttmacher Institute; Planned Parenthood Northern California; and California Latinas for Reproductive Justice.

Dr. Gómez's work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Society for Family Planning Research Fund, the Berkeley Population Center, the Institute for Research on Labor and Education at UCB, the UCSF Preterm Birth Initiative, and Gilead Sciences. In 2017, she was named a winner of 120 Under 40, a global initiative to identify the next generation of family planning leaders. She was also the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Young Professional Award from the Sexual and Reproductive Health Section of the American Public Health Association. Dr. Gómez currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Women's Health Network and Ibis Reproductive Health.

Dr. Gómez earned her PhD in Maternal and Child Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2010. She also received an MSc in Health, Population and Society from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications from New York University.

Many of Dr. Gómez's full-text publications can be found on the University of California's eScholarship platform.

Teaching

I am on sabbatical for the 2021-22 academic year. I typically teach SW282B: Social Welfare Research in the spring.

Honors / Awards

  • 2021 Charles E. Gibbs Leadership Prize for Best Paper Published in Women's Health Issues
  • 2021 Chancellor's Award for Research in the Public Interest, University of California, Berkeley
  • 2018 RISE Leader, Gender Equity Resource Center, University of California, Berkeley
  • 2017 Outstanding Young Professional Award, Sexual and Reproductive Health Section, American Public Health Association
  • 2017 Winner, 120 Under 40: The New Generation of Family Planning Leaders, Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University
  • 2017-2018 Faculty Award, Institute on Research on Labor and Education, University of California, Berkeley
  • 2016 2nd Place, Top Poster Abstract, North American Forum on Family Planning
  • 2011-2014 NIH Health Disparities Loan Repayment Program Recipient, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Expanded Publications

Marshall CJ, Arteaga S, Arcara J*, Cuentos A, Armstead M, Jackson A, Gómez AM. "Barriers and Facilitators to the Implementation of a Community Doula Program for Black and Pacific Islander Pregnant People in San Francisco: Findings from a Partnered Process Evaluation." In Press, Maternal and Child Health Journal.

Hayes, C*, Gómez AM. "Alignment of Abolition Medicine with Reproductive Justice. In Press, AMA Journal of Ethics.

Brignone L*, Gómez AM. "Access to Domestic Violence Advocacy by Race, Ethnicity and Gender: The Impact of a Digital Warm Handoff from the Emergency Department." In Press, PLOS One

Gómez AM, Arteaga S, Marshall CJ, Cuentos A, Armstead M, Mehra R*, Logan R*, Arcara J*, Jackson A. (2021). "'My 9 to 5 Job is Birth Work': A Case Study of Two Compensation Approaches for Community Doula Care. International Journal of Environmental and Public Health 18(20), 10817. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010817

Gómez AM, Arteaga S, Freihart B*. (2021). "Structural Inequity and Pregnancy Desires in Emerging Adulthood." Archives of Sexual Behavior 50(6), 2447-2458. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01854-0

Karasek D, Batra A, Baer R, Chambers B, Feuer S, Fuchs J, Gómez AM, Kuppermann M, Prather A, Pantell M, Rogers E, Snowden JM, Torres J, Rand L, Jelliffe-Pawlowski LL, Hamad R. (2021). The Association of COVID-19 Infection in Pregnancy with Preterm Birth: A Retrospective Cohort Study in California. The Lancet Regional Health – Americas. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2021.100027

Gomez-Vidal C*, Gómez AM. (2021). "Invisible and Unequal: Unincorporated Community Status as a Structural Determinant of Health." Social Science & Medicine 114292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114292

Goin DE*, Gómez AM, Farkas K, Zimmerman S, Matthay E, Karasek D*, Chambers B,  Jackson A, Ahern J. (2021). "Occurrence of Fatal Police Violence During Pregnancy and Hazard of Preterm Birth in California." Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 35 (4):469–478. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppe.12753

Gómez AM, Hooker N*, Olip-Booth R*, Woerner P*, Ratliff GA*. (2021). "It's Being Compassionate, Not Making Assumptions": Transgender and Nonbinary Young Adults' Experiences of "Women's" Healthcare Settings. Women's Health Issues 31(4): 324-331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2021.02.008 Selected as Best Manuscript Published in Women's Health Issues, 2021

Ross KM*, Oltman S, Baer R, Altman M, Flowers E, Feuer S, Gómez AM, Jelliffe-Pawlowski L. (2021). Socioeconomic Status, Diabetes and Gestation Length in Native American and White women. Health Psychology 40(6), 380–387. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001072

Dehlendorf C, Akers A, Borrero S, Callegari LS, Cadena D, Gómez AM, Hart J, Jiminez L, Kuppermann M, Lu MC, Malin K, Simpson M, Verbiest S, Yeung M, Crear-Perry J. (2021). Evolving the Preconception Health Framework: A Call for Reproductive and Sexual Health Equity. Obstetrics & Gynecology 137(2): 234-239. http://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000004255

Arcara J*, Arteaga S, Burny I*, Gómez AM. (2021). "Changes in Expectation of Relationship Permanence, Pregnancy Acceptability and Desire, and Contraceptive Use Over Time Among Young Latino/a Women and Men: An Exploratory Analysis." Contraception 103(1): 19-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2020.09.006

Gómez AM, Downey MM*, Carpenter E*, Leedham U*, Begun S, Craddock J, Ely GE. (2020). "Advancing Reproductive Justice to Close the Health Gap: A Call to Action for Social Work." Social Work 65(4): 358-367. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swaa034

Gómez AM, Đỗ TH*, Ratliff GA*, Crego PI*, Hastings, J. (2020). "Contraceptive Beliefs, Needs and Care Experiences Among Transgender and Nonbinary Young Adults." Journal of Adolescent Health 67(4):597-602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.03.003

Goin DE*, Rudolph K, Gómez AM, Ahern J. (2020). "Firearm Violence and Preterm Birth: Evidence of Stochastic Mediation by Pregnancy Complications and Health Behaviors." American Journal of Epidemiology 189(8): 820-831. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwaa046 

Arteaga S, Downey MM*, Freihart B*, Gómez AM. (2020). "'We Kind of Met In-Between': A Qualitative Analysis of Young Couples' Relationship Dynamics and Formation of Pregnancy Intentions." Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 52(2). https://doi.org/10.1363/psrh.12136

Chambers, BD*, Arabia, SA, Arega HA, Altman MR, Berkowitz R, Feuer SK, Franck LS, Gómez AM, Kober K, Pacheco-Werner T, Paynter RA, Prather AA, Spellen SA, Stanley D, Jelliffe-Pawlowski LL, McLemore MR. (2020). "Exposures to Structural Racism and Racial Discrimination among Pregnant and Early Postpartum Black Women Living in Oakland, California." Stress and Health 36(2): 213-219. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2922

Gómez AM, Arteaga S, Aronson N*, Goodkind M*, Houston L*, West E*. (2020). "No Perfect Method: Exploring How Past Contraceptive Experiences Influence Current Attitudes Toward Intrauterine Devices." Archives of Sexual Behavior 49(4): 1367–1378. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-1424-7

Rodriguez AR*, Arcara J*, Deardoff J, Gómez AM. (2020). "The Association between Religiosity and Pregnancy Acceptability among Latino/a Young Adults: Does Generational Status Matter?" Culture, Health and Sexuality 22(2): 184-200. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2019.1581260

Gómez AM, McCullough C, Fadda R*, Ganguly B*, Gustafson E*, Severson N*, Tomlitz J*. (2020). "Facilitators and Barriers to Implementing Pharmacist-Prescribed Hormonal Contraception: A Qualitative Study with Independent Pharmacists in California." Women & Health 60(3): 249-259. https://doi.org/10.1080/03630242.2019.1635561

Pantell M, Baer R, Torres J, Felder J, Gómez AM, Chambers B, Dunn J, Parikh N, Pacheco-Warner T, Rogers E, Feuer S, Ryckman K, Novak N, Dina KT, Rand L, Jelliffe-Pawlowski L. (2019). "Unstable Housing Predicts Preterm Birth and Increased Health Care Utilization." American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Maternal Fetal Medicine 1(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajogmf.2019.100053

Goin DE*, Gómez AM, Farkas K, Zimmerman S, Matthay E, Ahern J. (2019). "Exposure to Community Homicide During Pregnancy and Adverse Birth Outcomes: A Within-Community Matched Design." Epidemiology 30(5):713–722. http://doi.org/10.1097/EDE.0000000000001044

Mann ES, White A, Rogers P, Gómez AM. (2019). “Patients’ Experiences with South Carolina’s Immediate Postpartum Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Medicaid Policy.” Contraception 100(2): 165-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2019.04.007

Gómez AM, Arteaga S, Ingraham N, Arcara J*. (2019). “Medical Conditions, Pregnancy Perspectives, and Contraceptive Decision-Making among Young People: An Exploratory, Qualitative Analysis.” Contraception 100(1): 72-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2019.03.046

Lyons S*, Arcara J*, Deardorff J, Gómez AM. (2019). "Financial Strain and Contraceptive Use in the United States: Differential Effects by Age.” Women’s Health Issues 29(2): 153-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2018.12.006

Neilands TB, Chakravarty D, Dworkin SL, Campbell CK*, Wilson PA, Gómez AM, Grisham KK, Hoff CC. (2019). "Development and Validation of the Power Imbalance in Couples Scale (PICS)." Archives of Sexual Behavior 48(3): 763-779. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1190-y

Gómez AM, Arteaga S*, Villaseñor EV, Arcara J*, Freihart B*. (2019). "The Misclassification of Ambivalence in Pregnancy Intentions: A Mixed-Methods Analysis." Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 51(1): 7-15https://doi.org/10.1363/psrh.12088

Arteaga S, Caton L*, Gómez AM. (2019). "Planned, Unplanned, and In-Between: The Meaning and Context of Pregnancy Planning for Young People." Contraception 99(1): 16-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2018.08.012

Gómez AM, Arteaga S, Ingraham N, Arcara J*, Villaseñor EV. (2018). "It’s Not Planned, but Is It Okay? The Acceptability of Unplanned Pregnancy Among Young People." Women's Health Issues 28(5): 408-414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2018.07.001

Gómez AM, Arcara J*. (2018). "Privately Insured Women’s Expectations of Contraceptive Access without the Affordable Care Act and the Influence of State Contraceptive Equity Protections." Social Service Review 92(3): 349-368. https://doi.org/10.1086/698538

Gómez AM, McCullough C, Hoff C. (2018). "Expectations of Future Provision of Pharmacist-Prescribed Hormonal Contraception in California." American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 218(6): 627–628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2018.02.006

Downey MM, Gómez AM. (2018). "Beyond Immutable Barriers: Structural Competency and Reproductive Health." AMA Journal of Ethics 20(3): 211-223.

Gómez AM, Mann ES, Torres V(2018). "‘It Would Have Control Over Me Instead of Me Having Control’: Intrauterine Devices and the Meaning of Reproductive Freedom.Critical Public Health 28(2): 190-200

Gómez AM (2018). "Abortion and Subsequent Depressive Symptoms: An Analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health." Psychological Medicine 48(2): 294-304

Gómez AM. (2017). "Availability of Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception in California, 2017." JAMA 318(22):2253-2254

Gómez AM, Wapman M*. (2017). "Under (Implicit) Pressure: Young Black and Latina Women’s Perceptions of Contraceptive Care." Contraception 96(4) 221-226.

Brignone, L*, Gómez AM. (2017). "Double Jeopardy: Predictors of Elevated Lethality Risk Among IPV Victims Seen in Emergency Departments." Preventive Medicine 103: 20–25.

Gómez AM, Freihart B*. (2017). "Motivations for Interest, ;Disinterest and Uncertainty in IUD Use." Maternal and Child Health Journal 21(9): 1753–1762.

Downey MM*, Arteaga S*, Villaseñor EV, Gómez AM. (2017). "More Than a Destination: Contraceptive Decision-Making As a Journey." Women’s Health Issues 27(5): 539–545.

Gubrium A, Mann ES, Borrero S, Dehlendorf C, Fields J, Geronimus AT, Gómez AM, Harris LH, Higgins J, Kimport K, Luker K, Luna Z, Mamo L, Roberts D, Romero D, Sisson G. (2016). "Realizing Reproductive Health Equity Needs More than Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC)." American Journal of Public Health 106(1), 18-19.

Arteaga S*, Gómez AM. (2016). “`Is That a Method of Birth Control?’ A Qualitative Exploration of Young Women’s Use of Withdrawal.” Journal of Sex Research 53(4-5): 626-632.

Campbell C*, Gómez AM, Wilson P, Grisham K*, Hoff C, Dworkin S. (2016). "Sexual Behavior and HIV Risk Among Age-Discrepant, Same-Sex Male Couples:  A Qualitative Exploration." Culture, Health and Sexuality 18(12): 1319-1332.

Marshall CJ*, Gómez AM. (2015). “Young Men’s Awareness and Knowledge of Intrauterine Devices in the United States.” Contraception 92(5): 494-500.

Fonseka R*, Minnis AM, Gómez AM. (2015). “Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration among Sri Lankan Men.” PLoS ONE.

Gómez AM, Hartofelis EC, Finlayson S, Clark JB. (2015). “Do Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Intrauterine Devices Predict Interest in Their Use?” Women’s Health Issues 25(4): 359-65

Gómez AM, Clark J. (2014). “The Relationship between Contraceptive Features Preferred by Young Women and Interest in IUDs: An Exploratory Analysis.” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 46(3), 157-63.

Gómez AM, Allina A, Fuentes L. (2014). “Women or LARC First? Reproductive Autonomy and the Promotion of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Methods.” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 46(3), 171-5.

Campbell C, Gómez AM, Dworkin S, Wilson P, Grisham K, McReynolds J, Vielehr P, Hoff C. (2013). “Health, Trust, or ‘Just Understood?’: Condom Decision-making Processes of Black, White, & Interracial Gay Couples." Archives of Sexual Behavior 43(4), 697-706.

Gómez AM, Beougher SC, Chakravarty D, Neilands TB, Mandic CG, Darbes LA, Hoff CC (2012).“Relationship Dynamics as Predictors of Broken Agreements About Outside Sexual Partners: Implications for HIV Prevention Among Gay Couples".AIDS & Behavior 16(2), 1584-8.

Speizer IS, Gómez AM, Stewart J, Voss P. (2011). “Community-Level HIV Behaviors and HIV Prevalence Among Women and Men in Zimbabwe.” AIDS Education and Prevention 23(5), 437-47.

Gómez AM. (2011). “Sexual Violence as a Predictor of Unintended Pregnancy, Contraceptive Use and Unmet Need Among Female Youth in Colombia.” Journal of Women’s Health 20(9), 1349-56.

Gómez AM, Speizer IS, Moracco KE. (2011) “https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1054139X11000449?via%... Between Gender Equity and Intimate Partner Violence Among Urban Brazilian Youth.” Journal of Adolescent Health 49(4) , 393-99.

Gómez AM. (2011) “Testing the Cycle of Violence Hypothesis: Child Abuse and Adolescent Dating Violence as Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence in Young Adulthood.” Youth & Society 43(1) , 171-92.

Gómez AM, Speizer IS. (2010) “Community-Level Intimate Partner Violence and the Circumstances of First Sex Among Young Women from Five African Countries.” Reproductive ;Health 7(11).

Speizer IS, Beauvais BF, Gómez AM, Finn T, Roussel B. (2009) “Using Multiple Sampling Approaches to Measure Sexual Risk-Taking Among Young People in Haiti: Programmatic Implications.” Studies in Family Planning 40(4), 277-88.

Gómez AM, Speizer IS. (2009) “Intersections Between Childhood Abuse and Adult Intimate Partner Violence Among Ecuadorian Women.” Maternal and Child Health Journal 13(4) , 559-66.

Gómez AM, Speizer IS, Beauvais HF. (2009) “Sexual Violence and Reproductive Health Among Youth in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.” Journal of Adolescent Health 44(5), 508-10.

Gómez AM, Speizer IS, Reynolds H, Murray N, Beauvais HF. (2008) “Age Differences at Sexual Debut and Subsequent Reproductive Health: Is There a Link?” Reproductive Health 5(8).

Miller M, Liao Y, Gómez AM, Gaydos C, D’Mellow DM. (2008) “Factors Associated with the Prevalence and Incidence of Trichomonas Vaginalis Among African American Women Who Use Drugs in New York City.” The Journal of Infectious Diseases 197(4), 503-9.

Gómez AM, Grimes DA, Lopez LM, Schulz KF. (2007) “Steroid Hormones for Contraception in Women with Sickle Cell Disease.” The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Reports

Speizer IS, Finn A, Manchikanti A, Beauvais H, Roussel B. (2007) Risk-taking Behaviors Among Youth Socializing in Target Venues of Carrefour, Haiti: Adaptation of the Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) Methodology.  Chapel Hill, NC: MEASURE Evaluation, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina.

Book Contributions 

Manchikanti A. (2007). “Measures of Fertility.” In Encyclopedia of Epidemiology. Ed. Sarah Boslaugh. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. 

Manchikanti A. (2007). “Measures of Fetal Death.” In Encyclopedia of Epidemiology. Ed. Sarah Boslaugh. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. 

Manchikanti A. (2007). “Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System.” InEncyclopedia of Epidemiology. Ed. Sarah Boslaugh. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Manchikanti A. (2007). “National Maternal and Infant Health Survey.” InEncyclopedia of Epidemiology. Ed. Sarah Boslaugh. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. 

Manchikanti A. (2007). “United Nations Children’s Fund.” In Encyclopedia of Epidemiology. Ed. Sarah Boslaugh. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. 

Hoff C, Manchikanti A. (2005). “Spoken and Unspoken Desires: Sexual Negotiation and Communication Strategies Among HIV-Positive Gay and Bisexual Men.” In  HIV+ Sex: The Psychological and Interpersonal Dynamics of HIV-Seropositive Gay and Bisexual Men's Relationships.  Eds. Perry Halkitis, Cynthia Gómez, Richard Wolitski. Washington DC: American Psychological Association Books.

Research interests: 
  • Health and Healthcare Disparities
  • Race/Class/Gender
  • Sexual and Reproductive Health 
  • Social Determinants of Health

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