Kristina M. Bridges, Ph.D.

Professional Background

Kristina M. Bridges, PhD, (she/her) is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. Dr. Bridges graduated with a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) in 2012. Following graduation, Dr. Bridges worked for six years with community organizations combating food insecurity in Kansas City.

• BS, Biology , College of the Ozarks , Point Lookout, Missouri
• PhD, Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology , University of Kansas Medical Center , Kansas City, Kansas

Research

Overview

Dr. Bridges' research focuses on the impact of social and structural drivers of health on outcomes for primary care patients. To achieve sustainable change toward greater health equity, attention must be paid to the social, historical, and structural factors that have created and maintained intergenerational health inequities. Her research addresses inequities by testing interventions in three areas: 1) structural competency education for providers and medical trainees, 2) clinical quality improvement to address health inequities in primary care, and 3) community interventions to address food insecurity.

• Bridges, Kristina , LeMaster, Joseph, Parente, Daniel, Pacheco, Christina., M, Schultz, CM, Morrow, Emily , Corriveau, Erin, Miras Neira, Ton, Greiner, Allan, Woodward, Jennifer, Anders-Rumsey, J, Cirotski, D, Kessler Finocchario, Sarah, Ellerbeck, Edward. 2023. Assessing Social Needs and Engaging Community Health Workers in Underserved Kansas Counties: Insights From Primary Care Providers and Clinic Managers. Journal of Primary Care and Community Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10693805/
• Pacheco, Christina ., M, Bridges, Kristina , Ellerbeck, Edward, Ablah, Elizabeth, Greiner, Allen, Chen, Yvonnes, Collie-Akers, Vickie, Ramirez, Mariana, LeMaster, Joseph, Sykes, Kevin, Parente, Daniel, Corriveau, Erin, Miras Neira, Antonio, Scott, Angela, Knapp, Kara, Finocchario Kessler, Sarah. 2024. Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE): Engaging local communities in public health responses to health inequities exacerbated by COVID-19-Protocol Paper. Frontiers in Public Health
• Glen, Jason., E, Kristina, Bridger, Boy-Doe, Kakra. 2024. Evaluating the Impact of an Educational Intervention on the History of Racism in America for Teaching Structural Competency to Medical Academicians. BMC Medical Education
• Bridges, K., M, Rampon , K, Mabachi , N. 2023. More Than Half of Family Medicine Clerkships Do Not Address Systemic Racism: A CERA Study.. Family Medicine
• Bridges, K., M, Woodward, J, Murray, M, Mumm, E, Greiner, K., A. 2022. Pandemic Food Response in Primary Care to Minimize Exposure for Elderly Food Insecure Population.. Kansas journal of medicine, 15, 148-154
• Wetherill, Marianna, Bridges, Kristina., M, Talavera, Gabriella, Harvey, Susan, Skidmore, Brandon, Stewert Burger, Elizabeth. 2024. Planting seeds for food is medicine: Pre-implementation planning methods and formative evaluation findings from a multi-clinic initiative in the Midwest. Journal of Primary Care and Community Health
• Brady, Elliott, Bridges, Kristina, Murray, Megan, Cheng, Huan, Liu, Bing, He, Jianghua, Woodward, Jennifer. 2021. Relationship between a comprehensive social determinants of health screening and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Preventive Medicine Reports, 23, 101465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101465
• Hidaka, B., H, Hester, C., M, Bridges, K., M, Daley, C., M, Greiner, K., A. 2018. Fast food consumption is associated with higher education in women, but not men, among older adults in urban safety-net clinics: A cross-sectional survey.. Preventive medicine reports, 12, 148-151