Patience Afulani

Dr. Afulani conducts research on the social and health system factors underlying disparities in reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health (RMNCH). She is particularly interested in how RMNCH outcomes are shaped by the quality of care in health facilities as well as by social determinants. She also has an interest in the well-being and motivation of the health workforce.

Her research in Ghana, Kenya, and the United States has included examining sources of disparities in the use and quality of maternal health services, designing tools to measure person-centered maternal and reproductive health care, examining health workforce well-being, and developing and evaluating interventions to improve maternal and neonatal health. She led the development of the person-centered maternity care (PCMC) scale that is now used across the globe.