Nancy Oliva, PhD, MHA, MPP

Dr. Oliva is focused on promoting health and social supports for older adults and individuals with one or more disability to age in place in their selected communities. Her current mixed methods research activities are focused on evaluating how older adults’ and disabled populations’ health needs are best identified and addressed by and in their local communities/county jurisdictions, with the aim of mitigating serious health impacts from potentially harmful climate-related events/ other hazardous community events.

Older adults and individuals with one/more disability are at higher risk of harm and death from climate-change induced events and other natural or human-induced disasters. As a state (California) Healthcare Disaster Volunteer, and active county—level medical reserve core volunteer, Dr. Oliva is aware that these two populations require proactive and relevant disaster planning, hazard mitigation, and emergency response procedures that are informed by evidence-based research on pre/post planning and service gaps impacting to two populations. Additional research on how best to deliver hazard mitigation for these two vulnerable and growing state /national populations is needed. It is essential for populations at high risk of community disaster effects, including injury and death, to receive equitable inclusion, care and support before, during, and after disaster events. Equitable and inclusive best-practice support for these high risk populations before, during, and after disaster events is a policy topic worthy of research and a primary focus of her current academic research and funding efforts.