Nancy L Van Devanter

Faculty

Nancy L Van Devanter headshot

Nancy L Van Devanter

PhD

Professor Emerita

1 212 998 5328

433 FIRST AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10010
United States

Nancy L Van Devanter's additional information

Nancy L. Van Devanter, PhD, is a professor emerita at the Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Since the 1990s, she has conducted behavioral intervention research integrating a community-based participatory research approach into the development and testing of theory-driven interventions to promote health and reduce disease in populations with significant health disparities in HIV, STDs, and tobacco-related disease. She has also worked in close collaboration with state and local health departments to develop programs improve community-level health and public health practice. Since coming to NYU, she has been involved in numerous interdisciplinary collaborative studies with the NYU School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Public Health Program.

She received a PhD from Columbia University School of Public Health, MPH from Harvard School of Public Health, and EdM from Boston University.

 

PhD - Columbia University School of Public Health (1992)
MPH - Harvard School of Public Health (1985)
EdM - Boston University (1975)
BS - Boston University (1974)
Diploma - St Agnes School of Nursing (1964)

HIV/AIDS

American Nurses Association
American Public Health Association
American Sociological Association
Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science
Public Health Association of New York City

Faculty Honors Awards

Fellow, American Academy of Nursing (2011)
Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine (2011)
Fellowship in STD Prevention Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1999)
Public Health Achievement Award, New York City Department of Health/ Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University (1999)
Commendation, Office the Secretary, US Department of Health and Human Services for contribution to the National AIDS Education Prevention Program (1998)

Publications

Preventing HIV infection: The effects of community linkages, time, and money on recruiting and retaining women in intervention groups

Greenberg, J., Lifshay, J., Van Devanter, N., Gonzales, V., & Celentano, D. (1998). Journal of Women’s Health, 7(5), 587-596. 10.1089/jwh.1998.7.587
Abstract
Abstract
Few studies have addressed recruitment and retention of participants in preventive interventions directed at human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and these generally have not focused on women. In this study, part of the Women in Group Support (WINGS) project, we examine the experience of three sites in recruiting 444 high-risk women for a small group intervention to reduce risky sexual behavior. The intervention included six structured sessions, followed by a continuing series of client-focused, drop-in sessions. Incentives for participants included child care, food, and transportation tokens. Attendees at each structured session also received a cash incentive of $10-$20. Forty-six percent of the women were recruited from community sources, 35% from clinics, and 19% from drug programs. Across all recruitment sources, almost a third of the women reported having had a sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the past year, 88%-94% reported a risky male partner (who, they believed, had sex with other partners or with sex workers, was an injecting drug user, or was HIV positive), and 10%-36% reported trading sex for money or drugs. During 18 months of recruitment, each site averaged 34 screening interviews monthly to secure 8 eligible women a month who completed baseline interviews and reported for randomization. The average number of paid sessions attended by participants was five of six (83%). Average attendance at unpaid sessions was 1 of 12 (8%). Key facilitators to recruitment and retention included linkages with community agencies and monetary incentives. Our findings suggest that researchers and community service providers need to explore alternative strategies to paying women for attending group sessions (e.g., incorporating group interventions into existing program requirements) and balance these against the costs and recruitment effectiveness.

Reproductive behavior in HIV-discordant heterosexual couples: Implications for counseling

VanDevanter, N., Cleary, P. D., Moore, J., Thacker, A. S., & O’Brien, T. R. (1998). AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 12(1), 43-49. 10.1089/apc.1998.12.43
Abstract
Abstract
The development of effective behavioral interventions is critical to controlling the HIV epidemic. Although heterosexual transmission accounts for a growing proportion of new infections in the United States, little is known about factors that influence sexual behavior in HIV-discordant heterosexual couples. The objective of this study was to examine the reproductive behaviors of HIV-discordant heterosexual couples. Data were obtained on 71 discordant couples enrolled in a study of HIV heterosexual transmission. Results showed that women in such couples have pregnancy rates similar to those of women of reproductive age in the general population. One seroconversion occurred as a result of pregnancy attempt. These results suggest the need for educational efforts directed at HIV-discordant heterosexual couples.

Women's preferences regarding the formulation of over-the-counter vaginal spermicides [1]

Coggins, C., Elias, C. J., Atisook, R., Bassett, M. T., Ettiegne-Traore, V., Ghys, P. D., Jenkins-Woelk, L., Thongkrajai, E., & VanDevanter, N. L. (1998, July 30). In AIDS (Vols. 12, Issues 11, pp. 1389-1391). 10.1097/00002030-199811000-00022

Reproductive behaviors among HIV discordant heterosexual couples: Implications for counseling

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Daisy patterns in the passive ring caity with diffusion effects

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Relative resistance to HIV-1 infection of CD4 lymphocytes from persons who remain uninfected despite multiple high-risk sexual exposures

Paxton, W. A., Martin, S. R., Tse, D., O’Brien, T. R., Skurnick, J., VanDevanter, N. L., Padian, N., Braun, J. F., Kotler, D. P., Wolinsky, S. M., & Koup, R. A. (1996). Nature Medicine, 2(4), 412-417. 10.1038/nm0496-412
Abstract
Abstract
Some individuals remain uninfected with human immunodeficiency virus type- 1 (HIV-1) despite multiple high-risk sexual exposures. We studied a cohort of 25 subjects with histories of multiple high-risk sexual exposures to HIV-1 and found that their CD8+ lymphocytes had greater anti-HIV-1 activity than did CD8+ lymphocytes from nonexposed controls. Further studies indicated that their purified CD4+ lymphocytes were less susceptible to infection with multiple primary isolates of HIV-1 than were CD4+ lymphocytes from the nonexposed controls. This relative resistance to HIV-1 infection did not extend to T-cell line-adapted strains, was restricted by the envelope glycoprotein, was not explained by the cell surface density of CD4 molecules, but was associated with the aCtivity of the C-C chemokines RANTES, MIP-1α, and MIP-1β. This relative resistance of CD4+ lymphocytes may contribute to protection from HIV-1 in multiply exposed persons.

Risk factors for susceptibility to heterosexual human immunodeficiency virus infection in women [2]

O’Farrell, N., Padian, N. S., Abrams, J., Skurnick, J. H., Van Devanter, N. L., & O’Brien, T. R. (1996, January 1). In Journal of Infectious Diseases (Vols. 173, Issues 6, pp. 1520-1521). 10.1093/infdis/173.6.1520

Significance of mild cytologic atypia in women infected with human immunodeficiency virus

Wright, T. C., Moscarelli, R. D., Dole, P., Ellerbrock, T. V., Chiasson, M. A., & Vandevanter, N. (1996). Obstetrics and Gynecology, 87(4), 515-519. 10.1016/0029-7844(95)00472-6
Abstract
Abstract
Objective: To determine the prevalence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in women who are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and who have mild cytologic atypia. Methods: As part of an ongoing, prospective study of cervical disease in HIV-infected women, Papanicolaou smears were analyzed cross-sectionally for the diagnosis of mild cytologic atypia. Results: Mild cytologic atypia was diagnosed in 112 (25%) of the 453 HIV-infected women enrolled in this study, compared with 36 (9%) of the 401 HIV-uninfected women (odds ratio [OR] 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2- 5.1; P < .001). Mild cytologic atypia was diagnosed more frequently in HIV- infected women with lower CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts (χ2 for trend, P = .015) and in those with a history of an abnormal Papanicolaou smear or treatment for cervical disease (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.2-7.6; P = .008). Coexistent CIN was detected by colposcopically directed biopsy in 42 (38%) of the 112 HIV- infected women with mild cytologic atypia, compared with five (14%) of the 36 HIV-uninfected women (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.3-11.9; P = .008). Severe inflammation with associated epithelial reparative atypia was diagnosed in 90 (20%) of the HIV-infected women and in 87 (22%) of the HIV-uninfected women. Coexistent CIN was detected in 12% of the HIV-infected women with severe inflammation and associated epithelial reparative atypia, compared with 2% of the HIV- uninfected women with this cytologic diagnosis (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.2-23; P = .01). Conclusion: Mild cytologic atypia, a frequent diagnosis on Papanicolaou smears from HIV-infected women, is associated with CIN. We recommend that all HIV-infected women with mild cytologic atypia be referred for colposcopy.

A randomized trial of an education and support program for HIV-infected individuals

Cleary, P. D., Van Devanter, N., Steilen, M., Stuart, A., Shipton-Levy, R., McMullen, W., Rogers, T. F., Singer, E., Avorn, J., & Pindyck, J. (1995). AIDS, 9(11), 1271-1278. 10.1097/00002030-199511000-00009
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of an intervention for providing information and support to HIV-positive donors on changes in their sexual behavior, and to assess which donor characteristics are predictive of behavior change. Design: Subjects were randomly assigned to a structured intervention or community referral group. Follow-up assessments were conducted every 6 months. Setting: New York City, New York, USA. Participants: A cohort of 271 HIV-infected persons who donated blood to the New York Blood Center. intervention: Donors randomized to the structured intervention program met individually with a nurse for counseling and were offered a six-session support group. The program was designed to provide information, encourage safer sexual behavior and provide support. Main outcome measures: Sexual behavior, psychological distress and psychological help seeking, and immune function. Results: In both groups there was a large decrease over time in reports of unsafe sexual activity. However, more than 30% of participants in both groups reported unsafe sexual activity at the 1-year follow-up visit. Donors randomized to the structured intervention program did not report significantly more behavior change at the 1-year follow-up. Conclusions: Better programs to promote behavior change in seropositive individuals are needed.

Risk factors for postcoital bleeding among women with or at risk for infection with human immunodeficiency virus

Padian, N. S., Abrams, J., Skurnick, J. H., Van Devanter, N. L., & O’brien, T. R. (1995). Journal of Infectious Diseases, 172(4), 1084-1087. 10.1093/infdis/172.4.1084
Abstract
Abstract
Risk factors for postcoital bleeding were examined in 475 women who were enrolled in a study of heterosexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In bivariate analyses, history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs; P =.03), HIV infection (P =.008), and dyspareunia or pain during intercourse (P =.0001) were significant risk factors. In multivariate analysis, the two latter factors remained significant (for HIV, odds ratio [OR] = 2.1, P =.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1–4.0; for dyspareunia, OR = 3.5, P <.001, 95% CI = 1.8–6.6), as did the interaction term of STD history and heavy smoking (OR = 2.4, P =.02, 95% CI = 1.2–5.0). Pain during intercourse was the strongest predictor of postcoital bleeding but may be part of the same phenomenon. Similarly, because this study relied on cross-sectional data, the direction of the causal pathway linking HIV to postcoital bleeding cannot be established. However, these data suggest that smoking, a modifiable risk factor, may increase risk of postcoital bleeding and contribute to susceptibility for HIV and other STDs.