Nasser Sharareh

Nasser Sharareh, PhD

Languages spoken: English, Persian

Academic Information

Departments Primary - Population Health Sciences

Research Interests

  • Food Insecurity
  • Geographical Access to Services
  • Community-Engaged Research
  • Health Services Research
  • Health Disparities
  • Social Determinants of Health

Dr. Sharareh is a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Health System Innovation and Research (HSIR) within the Department of Population Health Sciences (PHS).

He was born and raised in Iran. In 2014, he immigrated to the U.S. as an international student. Just under four years, he received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Binghamton University with a concentration on Health Systems. Following that, he completed his postdoctoral training on health services research with Dr. Rachel Hess; and now, he serves as a faculty member in the PHS department.

As a health services researcher, he conducts interdisciplinary research at the nexus of health disparities, implementation science, place, social determinants of health, and systems science to improve access to food. His vision is to develop communities where everyone has access to healthy foods, regardless of who they are, where they live, or whether they can afford them.

In his research, he applies variety of methodological methods including quantitative (e.g., systems science, GIS, statistics, machine learning), qualitative (e.g., interviews, focus groups), and implementation science methods. Within a community-engaged lens, he collaborates with community partners including United Way of Salt Lake, International Rescue Committee, Utah Food Security Council, and Utah Department of Health to improve community access to healthy foods.

Research Statement

As a health services researcher, Dr. Sharareh conducts interdisciplinary research at the nexus of health disparities, implementation science, place, social determinants of health, and systems science to improve access to food. His vision is for everyone to have access to healthy foods, regardless of who they are, where they live, or whether they can afford them.

In his research, he applies variety of methodological methods including quantitative (e.g., systems science, GIS, statistics, machine learning), qualitative (e.g., interviews, focus groups), and implementation science methods. Within a community-engaged lens, he collaborates with community partners including United Way of Salt Lake, International Rescue Committee, Utah Food Security Council, and Utah Department of Health to improve community access to healthy foods.

Education History

Postdoctoral Training University of Utah School of Medicine
 Postdoctoral Research Associate
State University of New York at Binghamton
 PhD
Graduate Training State University of New York at Binghamton
 MS
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
 BS

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Asare AO, Stagg BC, Sharareh N, Stipelman C, Del Fiol G, Smith JD (2024). Vision Loss in Children from Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Households: Evidence from the National Survey of Children's Health 2018-2020. J Immigr Minor Health, 26(5), 813-822. (Read full article)
  2. Zheutlin AR, Sharareh N, Guadamuz JS, Berchie RO, Derington CG, Jacobs JA, Mondesir FL, Alexander GC, Levitan EB, Safford M, Vos RO, Qato DM, Bress AP (2024). Association Between Pharmacy Proximity With Cardiovascular Medication Use and Risk Factor Control in the United States. J Am Heart Assoc, e031717. (Read full article)
  3. Bybee SG, Sharareh N, Guo JW, Luther B, Grigorian E, Wang CY, Wong B, Wallace AS (2024). A Secondary Data Analysis of Technology Access as a Determinant of Health and Impediment in Social Needs Screening and Referral Processes. AJPM Focus, 3(2), 100189. (Read full article)
  4. Sharareh N, Adesoba TP, Wallace AS, Bybee S, Potter LN, Seligman H, Wilson FA (2023). Associations between food insecurity and other social risk factors among U.S. adults. J Gen Intern Med. (Read full article)
  5. Sharareh N, Bybee S, Goldstein E, Jones S, Hess R, Wallace A, Seligman H, Wilson FA (2023). Disparities in food insecurity between sexual minority and heterosexual adults - a higher burden on bisexual individuals. Front Public Health, 11, 1237091. (Read full article)
  6. Sharareh N, Seligman HK, Adesoba TP, Wallace AS, Hess R, Wilson FA (2023). Food Insecurity Disparities Among Immigrants in the U.S. AJPM Focus, 2(3), 100113. (Read full article)
  7. Sharareh N, Wang CY, S Wallace A, Butler J (2023). Indications of food insecurity in the content of telephone calls to a community referral system. PLoS One, 18(4), e0284624. (Read full article)
  8. Sharareh N, Wallace AS, Brintz BJ, Wan N, Guo JW, Wong B (2022). Associated factors with patient-reported unmet food needs among emergency department adult patients - A social need perspective. Prev Med Rep, 29, 101974. (Read full article)
  9. Sharareh N, Wallace AS (2022). Applying a Health Access Framework to Understand and Address Food Insecurity. Healthcare (Basel), 10(2). (Read full article)
  10. Behler RP, Sharareh N, Whetten JS, Sabounchi NS (2020). Analyzing the cost-effectiveness of Lyme disease risk reduction approaches. J Public Health Policy, 41(2), 155-169. (Read full article)
  11. Sharareh N, Hess R, Wan N, Zick CD, Wallace AS (2020). Incorporation of Information-Seeking Behavior Into Food Insecurity Research. Am J Prev Med, 58(6), 879-887. (Read full article)
  12. Sharareh N, Hess R, White S, Dunn A, Singer PM, Cochran J (2020). A vulnerability assessment for the HCV infections associated with injection drug use. Prev Med, 134, 106040. (Read full article)
  13. Sharareh N, Sabounchi SS, McFarland M, Hess R (2019). Evidence of Modeling Impact in Development of Policies for Controlling the Opioid Epidemic and Improving Public Health: A Scoping Review. Subst Abuse, 13, 1178221819866211. (Read full article)
  14. Sharareh N, Behler RP, Roome AB, Shepherd J, Garruto RM, Sabounchi NS (2019). Risk Factors of Lyme Disease: An Intersection of Environmental Ecology and Systems Science. Healthcare (Basel), 7(2). (Read full article)
  15. Sabounchi N, Sharareh N, Irshaidat F, Atav S (2018). Spatial dynamics of access to primary care for the medicaid population. Health Syst (Basingstoke), 9(1), 64-75. (Read full article)
  16. Sharareh N, Sabounchi NS, Roome A, Spathis R, Garruto RM (2017). Model-based risk assessment and public health analysis to prevent Lyme disease. R Soc Open Sci, 4(11), 170841. (Read full article)
  17. Sharareh N, S Sabounchi N, Sayama H, MacDonald R (2016). The Ebola Crisis and the Corresponding Public Behavior: A System Dynamics Approach. PLoS Curr, 8. (Read full article)

Conference Proceedings

  1. Rojas KM, Sharareh N, Cosier L, Santos DL (2019). Considering the Dynamics of FDA Human Factors Validation Requirement: Implications of Failure and Need to Ensure Project Success-A Conceptual Framework. International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care, Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, 8(1), 234-47.
  2. Sharareh N, Sabounchi NS, Hess R (2019). Advancing Spatiotemporal Modeling of Access to Healthcare – A Methodological Perspective. 52nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 1195-1204.