Allison D. Crawford, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor
An avid Nursing Professor and Researcher, Dr. Allison Crawford, PhD, RN brings years of clinical and instructional experience to the University of Texas Health at San Antonio’s School of Nursing where she conducts health disparity research involving childbearing communities influenced by incarceration. As a registered obstetrical nurse with post-doctoral training in digital health, Dr. Crawford is an expert on creating interventions to address the barriers women experience who have criminal justice oversight.
Her research directly informed two Texas state laws passed in 2019 (HB 1651) and 2021 (HB 1308) to improve healthcare for women in Texas county jails. Dr. Crawford co-leads a state network of researchers, practitioners, and criminal justice administrators who meet to discuss research, programs, and policies related to the health of people who have criminal justice involvement. Her academic partnerships and strong connections to community organizations make her uniquely suited to leading community-based research.
Dr. Crawford’s research is currently funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01HD103634-03S2. The long-term goal of her research is to develop health interventions that enable self-efficacy and access to care discreetly and affordably using technology.
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Professional Background
Education
- PhD - Nursing Science - The University of Texas Health at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
- Graduate Electives - Nursing Science - Women & Gender Studies Texas Women’s University, Denton, Texas
- Bachelor of Science - Nursing - The University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas
- Associates - Nursing Science - San Antonio College, San Antonio, Texas
- Associates - Liberal Arts - San Antonio College, San Antonio, Texas
Highlights
Licensures and Certifications
Registered Nurse (TX)
Honors and Awards
2023, Cigarroa Grant Writing Fellowship, UTHSCSA School of Medicine
2023, Journal Of Obstetrics, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nurses & Nursing for Women’s Health Journal Editorial Fellow
2021, Santa Rosa Children's Hospital Scholarship Fund in Memory of Taylor Andrew Marceau, UTHSCSA
2021, Joe and Teresa Long Graduate Nursing Research Scholarship, UTSA
2020, Sigma Theta Tau Nurse Leader, Alpha Delta at Large
Appointments
- 2023 - Present - Assistant Professor - UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
- 2022 - 2023 - Part-time Clinical Faculty - University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing
- 2021 - 2023 - Postdoctoral Research Fellow - University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing
- 2019 - 2021 - Faculty - Galen College of Nursing, San Antonio, Texas
- 2019 - Adjunct Faculty - University of the Incarnate Word, School of Nursing
- 2016 - 2018 - Graduate Research Assistant - University of Texas Health at San Antonio, Texas, School of Nursing
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Instruction & Training
- 2023, NURS 3372 Family Nursing, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
- 2023, NURS 4227 Population Focused Health, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
- 2023 , NURS 3208 - Childbearing Families, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
- 2022 , N392E MNP: Applications of Research, University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing
- 2021, NSG 4210: Transcultural Nursing, Galen College of Nursing, San Antonio, Texas
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, The University of Texas at Austin
- Health Disparity Research, Precision Health Methodology, Austin, Texas
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Research & Grants
Grants
Completed or Funded Research/Projects:
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08/01/2023-05/01/2025, Funder: NICHD 3R01HD103634-03S2 $360,000 Assessing the Perinatal Needs and Outcomes of Women on Probation: A Diversity Supplement Role: PI, Supplement PI of Parent Study: Rebecca Shlafer Mentors: Rebecca Shlafer (UMN); Jacqueline McGrath (UTHSCSA). This study is building off our parent study which takes place across 6 different prison sites to evaluate the context specific issues that may influence health outcomes and needs of childbearing women and their children on probation
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05/2023 – 10/2023, Funder: University of Texas Health at San Antonio Office Of Faculty Excellence ($20,000) Intervention Development Study: Mobile Health Application’s Cultural Sensitivity, Feasibility, & Usability in Women on Community Supervision related to their Sexual Health and Safety Role: PI Study start: May 2023
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06/2021 – 12/2022, Funder: The University of Texas at Austin Provost Office, $73,000 Provost Early Career Fellowship
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2015, Funder: March of Dimes Title: MODAP: March of Dimes Inpatient Antepartum Program Role: Author, Collaborator at University Health System
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Service
School
- 2020 – 2021, Galen College of Nursing, DEI Committee, Co-Chair
- 2019 – 2021, Galen College of Nursing,Culture Club, member
Institutional
- 2023 - UT Health SA , PIVOT Program
- 2023 - UT Health SA, NAS SIM Research Collaboration
- 2023 - UT Health SA , Health Equity and Justice Collaborative
- 2020 – 2021 - Galen College of Nursing, DEI Committee, Co-Chair
- 2019 – 2021 - Galen College of Nursing, Culture Club, member
Service to the Profession
- 2023, PCORI, Scientific Reviewer
- 2023, JOGNN & NWH, Editorial Fellowship Fellow
- 2023, Reviewer, JOGNN
- 2022, Reviewer, Journal of Women’s Health
- 2022, Reviewer, JOGNN
- 2022, Collaborator, Ascension Seton
- 2022, Collaborator, Texas Center for Justice & Equity
Professional Affiliations
- 2023, Health Equity and Justice Collaborative
- 2022, Mindful baby writing collective
- 2022 - present, Southern Nursing Research Society
- 2021 - present, Criminal Legal System Research Interest Group, UT Austin
- 2021 – present, National Network of Prison Doula Programs
- 2021, Organization for Research on Women and Communication
- 2020, Sister Song Reproductive Justice
- 2015 - present, Prepared Childbirth Educators
- 2014 - present, American Nurses Association
- 2014 - present, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nurses
Community
- 2023, Advisor, Hobby Middle School
- 2023, Board Member, Bexar County Family Justice Center
- 2023 - 2024, Host Mom, FLAGG, Foreign Exchange Student from France
- 2022, Board Member, Pay it Forward, San Antonio, Texas
- 2021, Volunteer, Circles in da Hood, San Antonio, Texas
- 2021, Volunteer , American Civil Liberties Union, Texas
- 2019, Volunteer, Volunteers of America, San Antonio, Texas
- 2018 - 2019, Volunteer, The Texas Jail Project, Austin, Texas
- 2015 – 2018, Volunteer, The Mommies Program, San Antonio, Texas
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Publications
- Malin, Kathryn J. PhD, RN, NNP-BC, APNP; Vittner, Dorothy PhD, RN, FAAN; Darilek, Umber PhD, RN, IBCLC; McGlothen-Bell, Kelly PhD, RN, IBCLC; Crawford, Allison PhD, RN; Koerner, Rebecca PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC; Pados, Britt Frisk PhD, RN, NNP-BC, CLC, FAHA, FNAP; Cartagena, Diana PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC; McGrath, Jacqueline M. PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN; Vance, Ashlee J. PhD, MA, RN, RNC-NIC. Application of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Framework to the NICU. Advances in Neonatal Care ():10.1097/ANC.0000000000001122, December 07, 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/ANC.0000000000001122
- Crawford, A. D., McGlothen-Bell, K., Testa, A., McGrath, J. M., & Cleveland, L. (2023). Exploration of the effects of incarceration on the health of Latina women and their children using the life course theory. Public Health Nursing, 00, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.13273
- McGlothen-Bell, K., Greene, M. Z., Hunt, G., & Crawford, A. D. (2023). Intersectional Examination of Gender-Inclusive Care and Women's Health. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing: JOGNN, S0884-2175(23)00241-1. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2023.08.007
- Crawford A.D., Ricks, T., McGlothen-Bell, K., McGrath, J.M., Abbyad, C., Polinard, E., Cleveland, L., (2023) Conditions that Influence Coping Mechanisms in Women Impacted by Incarceration using the Vulnerability Framework. Research in Nursing and Health. Doi: 10.1002/nur.22335
- Crawford A.D., Ricks, T., Polinard, E., & Abbyad, C. (2023). What is known about reproductive autonomy among women influenced by incarceration? A scoping review. Journal of Transcultural Nursing. doi: 10.1177/10436596231183180
- Crawford, A. D., Carder, E., Lopez, E., & McGlothen-Bell, K. (2023). Doula Support and Pregnancy-Related Complications among Childbearing Women in the United States: A Scoping Review. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. doi. 10.1111/jmwh.13543
- Amanda Corbett, Ingie Osman, Alexus Roane, Allison D. Crawford, Anne Siegler, & Rebecca Shlafer, The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Care and Treatment of Pregnant, Birthing, and Postpartum People in Prisons in the United States, 19 U. St. Thomas L.J. 587 (2023)
- Crawford, A. D., Hutson, T. S., & Kim, M. (2023). Mobile Health Applications Addressing Health Disparities for Women on Community Supervision: A Scoping Review. Substance use & misuse, 1–15. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2023.2188414
- Mathias, C. W., Cavazos, D. M., McGlothen-Bell, K., Crawford, A. D., Flowers-Joseph, B., Wang, Z., & Cleveland, L. M. (2023). Opioid overdose prevention education in Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Harm Reduction Journal, 20(1), 37.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-023-00769-y
- McGlothen-Bell, K., Groer, M., Gregory, K., Brownell, E., Francis, J., Crawford, A.D., Lopez, E., & McGrath, J. (2023). A scoping review of neonatal opioid withdrawal and the infant gut microbiome: Does human milk optimize infant outcomes? PLOS ONE.doi:10.1097/ANC.0000000000001056
- McGlothen-Bell K, McGrath JM, Brownell EA, Shlafer RJ, Crawford AD. (2023). Applying a Reproductive Justice Lens to Enhance Research Engagement Among Systematically Underrepresented Childbearing Women. Nurs Res;72(2):132-140. doi:10.1097/NNR.0000000000000639
- Crawford, A. D., McGlothen-Bell, K. Marsh, N., & Cleveland, L.M. (2022). "We're still human": A Reproductive Justice Analysis of the Experiences of Criminalized Latina Mothers, Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma. doi:10.1080/10926771.2022.2162467
- Crawford, A. D., Darilek, U., McGlothen-Bell, K., Lopez., E., Gill, S., & Cleveland, L. (2022). A scoping review: Microaggression as an experience of racism and its influence on perinatal health outcomes. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecologic Neonatal Nursing. ISSN 0884-2175, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2021.12.007
- Crawford. A. D., McGlothen-Bell K, Recto P, McGrath JM, Scott L, Brownell EA, Cleveland LM. (2022) Stigmatization of pregnant individuals with opioid use disorder. Women’s Health Report (New Rochelle). 3(1):172-179. Doi: 10.1089/whr.2021.0112. PMID: 35262054; PMCID: PMC8896218
- Crawford, A. D., McGlothen-Bell, K. & Cleveland, L. (2022). “I just did whatever they wanted me to do”: An examination of sexual violence in Latina mothers impacted by incarceration. Biomed Central Public Health Journal, 22 (1453). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13865-8
- McGlothen-Bell, K., Cleveland, L. M., Spencer, B., Crawford, A. D., & Gill, S. L. (2022). Intersectional stigma and infant feeding in childbearing women with opioid use disorder. Stigma and Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000399
- Kim MT, Heitkemper EM, Hébert ET, Hecht J, Crawford A, Nnaka T, Hutson TS, Rhee H, Radhakrishnan K. Redesigning culturally tailored intervention in the precision health era: Self-management science context. Nurs Outlook. 2022 Aug 3: S0029-6554(22)00103-8. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2022.05.015. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35933178
- Testa, A., Crawford, A. D., Jackson, D. B., & Gemmill, A. (2022). Stressful life events and prescription opioid use during pregnancy: findings from the 2019 pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 10.1007/s00127-022-02349-0. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-022-02349-0
- Crawford, A. D. (2021). The experiences of Latina mothers impacted by incarceration (Order No. 28542845). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2564587357). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.utexas.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissert...
- Crawford, A. D., Cleveland, L., McGrath, J., Berndt, A. (2021). Systemic inequities and depressive symptomatology in Hispanic mothers. A path analysis model. Public Health Nursing. Doi: 10.1111/phn.12968. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34529867
- Chu, L., McGrath, J. M., Oiao, J., Brownell, E., Recto, P., Cleveland, L. M., Lopez, E., Gelfond, J., Crawford, A. D., & McGlothen-Bell, K. (2021). A Meta-Analysis of Breastfeeding Effects for Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Nursing Research, 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000555. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNR.0000000000000555
- Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (2023). Breastfeeding Recommendations for People Who Use Substances: AWHONN Practice Brief Number 16. Cleveland, L.M., Crawford, A.D., McGlothen-Bell, K. (contributors), Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing: JOGNN, 52(1), e1–e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2022.08.003
- Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (2023). Pain management recommendations during the intrapartum period in populations influenced by substance use disorder: AWHONN Practice Brief Number 17. Carder, E., Crawford, A.D. (contributors), Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing: JOGNN, 52(2), e1–e3. Intrapartum Pain Management for People on Medication-Assisted Therapy for Opioid Use Disorder Practice Brief: AWHONN Practice Brief Number 17 (nwhjournal.org)
- Crawford, A.D., Shlafer, R., Testa, A. Policy Alternatives to Separating Women in Prison from their Infants. In: 9th Volume of the American Society of Criminology’s Division on Corrections and Sentencing Handbook Series: Contemporary Issues in Health and Punishment
- 2024, AWHONN Texas Conderence, Corpus Christi (May)
- 2024, Bexar County Adult Community Supervision, ACEs Training (April)
- 2023, Bexar County Adult Probation, ACES training (May)
- 2023, Nursing Leadership, Career Pathway, Pre-Nursing Students, The University of Texas San Antonio (April)
- 2023, Policy and Nursing Practice within the State Legislature, BSN Students, The University of Texas Health at San Antonio (April)
- 2023, Nursing Leadership, Career Pathway, BSN Students, The University of the Incarnate Word (Jan)
- 2022, Reproductive Justice at the Intersection of Women’s Incarceration, Womxn in Medicine Conference, Panelist, University of Texas San Antonio
- 2022, Reproductive Justice at the Intersection of Women’s Incarceration, Community and Prison Health Conference, Doctors for Change
- 2022, Women’s Incarceration, Implication and Direction for Practice and Research Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Symposium, University of Texas Health at San Antonio
- 2022, Disparities of Women on Community Supervision, Implication and Direction for Practice & Research, Texas Probation Association Conference
- 2022, A Gender-Responsive Approach to Corrections During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Panelist: The National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE)’s Annual Conference
- 2022, Sexual Health, Safety, & Contraceptive Care Lecture, Mommies Program for Childbearing Individuals with Substance Use Disorder, Center for Healthcare Services, San Antonio
- 2022, Policy and Nursing Practice within the State Legislature, BSN Students, The University of the Incarnate Word
- 2022, AWHONN Respectful Maternity Care video, AWHONN
- 2022, The University of the Incarnate Word BSN Student Panel, San Antonio, Texas
- 2022, Be Well Texas Journal Club, Precision Health Methods in Health Disparity Research, The University of Texas Health at San Antonio
- 2021, The Experiences of Latina Mothers Impacted by Incarceration, St. David’s CHPR Colloquium, The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing
- 2021, How to Collaborate and Inform Legislation as a Healthcare Provider, Graduate Health Policy Course, University of Texas Health at San Antonio
- 2021, How to Collaborate and Inform Legislation as a Healthcare Provider, The University of New Mexico
- 2021, HB 1308: Perinatal Taskforce in Texas County Jails, Testimony, 87th Texas Legislative Session
- 2020, How to Collaborate and Inform Legislation as a Healthcare Provider, University of Texas Health at San Antonio
- 2020, Reproductive Justice for Pregnant Women at the Intersections of Covid-19 and Incarceration, Texas Perinatal Task Force
- 2020, Reproductive Justice at the Intersection of Incarceration, Sex-Ed Radio. The Koop Radio 91.7 FM, Austin, Texas
- 2019, Reproductive Justice, The University of Texas Health at San Antonio
- 2019, HB 1651: Care of Pregnant Individuals in Texas County Jails, Testimony, 86th Texas Legislative Session
- 2017, Incoming Nursing Students, Student Alumni, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas
- 2016, Incoming Nursing Students, Student Alumni, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas
- 2015, Baby Planning with Allison’s’ Baby Concierge, The Bobby and J.J. Radio Show Allison’s Baby Concierge, LLC, San Antonio, Texas
- 2015, The Basics and Q & A related to Infant Carrier Wearing, The Bloom Event for Expectant Parents, Allison’s Baby Concierge, LLC, San Antonio, Texas
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2023, Submitted Abstract, Association Justice Involved Females and Organizations (AJFO), Tulsa, Oklahoma
- 2022, Data Visualization to Improve Culturally Tailored Messaging, St. David’s CHPR Conference, Panel Discussion, University of Texas at Austin
- 2022, The Experiences of Latina Mothers Impacted by Incarceration, St. David’s CHPR Conference, Poster Presentation, University of Texas at Austin
- 2015, Delaying the Newborn Bath, Nurse Residency Research Presentation. University Health System, San Antonio
Peer-reviewed Articles (*indicates data-based)
Published Policy briefs and policy
Abstracts
Presentations
Invited Podium Presentations
Peer Reviewed Podium Presentations
Peer Reviewed Poster Presentations