About

Justin Richardson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia. His research focuses on soil biogeochemistry, specifically examining the movement of nutrient and toxic elements between nonliving materials such as rocks and minerals and living systems. He studies how metals and metalloids are sourced from nonliving materials and transported via water and air to and from soils, with a particular emphasis on natural and human-disturbed terrestrial systems in the eastern United States. His laboratory applies a range of advanced chemical techniques, including x-ray, light, and mass-based instruments, to measure phases of nutrient and toxic metals in solid and aqueous phases. The core mission of his research is to ensure sustainable element cycling in natural forests and agroecosystems and to protect human and ecosystem health from toxic element exposure.

Research topics

• Sociology
• Psychology
• Political science
• Medicine
• Public relations

Selected publications

• When Policies Meet Practice

  2023-06-23

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Exploring the Unmet Needs of Postpartum Mothers: A Qualitative Study

  The Journal of Perinatal Education · 2022-03-31 · 12 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Illuminating the Contributions of African American Nurse Scientists Despite Structural Racism Barriers

  Advances in Nursing Science · 2022-11-01 · 1 citations

  article

  A qualitative descriptive approach examined African American nurse scientists' (AANSs') experiences with African American research participants despite obstacles of structural racism. Fourteen nurse scientists participated in semistructured interviews that provided data for the thematic analysis. Major themes included barriers to overcome as doctoral students, cultural experiences with structural racism, designers of culturally sensitive research, and humanitarian respect and relationship depth. This is the first research study to illuminate the contributions of AANSs who lead research in health disparities. Therefore, nursing leadership needs to illuminate AANSs' contributions, increase nurse diversification, and dismantle structural racism that creates obstacles that ultimately impact population health.

  PublisherDOI

• African American Perceptions of Participating in Health Research Despite Historical Mistrust

  Advances in Nursing Science · 2022-08-19 · 16 citations

  article

  A qualitative descriptive approach examined perspectives of African Americans (AA) on their participation in health research despite historical research mistreatment. Nineteen AAs participated in semistructured interviews that provided data that were analyzed using thematic analysis. Salient themes included race concordance, being respected and valued by the researcher, research participation motivators, and cultural experiences of racism in health care. This study challenges dominant ideology that AAs are unwilling to participate in research and offers solutions to promote research inclusive of their perceptions. Therefore, researchers need to design research with inclusiveness and transparency that openly displays how research will impact future generations.

  PublisherDOI

• COVID-19 vaccine uptake in United States counties: geospatial vaccination patterns and trajectories towards herd immunity

  medRxiv · 2021-05-31 · 9 citations

  preprintOpen access

  Abstract Following the COVID-19 pandemic, safe and effective vaccines were developed and authorized for use in the general population. Studying factors that encourage community acceptance of these vaccines is needed to prevent proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 variants, to safely relax local restrictions, and to return to pre-pandemic living conditions. To our knowledge, United States (US) county-level disparities in vaccination are yet to be investigated. Our data span February - May 2021 across 3138 US counties. We consider percentage of residents with at least one dose of an authorized COVID vaccine as the outcome. Spatio-temporal models were used to determine associations of vaccination rates with time-fixed and time-varying covariates. Spatial variability was modelled via Conditional Auto-regressive models; county trajectories over time were specified using random slopes. Greater vaccination rates occur in counties with older residents, high educational attainment, and high proportion of minority residents. Vaccination rates change with COVID risk metrics, suggesting continued slowing of vaccine uptake due to decreasing incidence and infection rates. County effects reveal strong regional patterns in average vaccination rates and trajectories. Although local herd immunity can be expected in August 2021 for counties with typical uptake rates, these counties are clustered in relatively few areas of the country.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• An Active Learning Approach to Teaching Social Determinants of Health

  Pedagogy in Health Promotion · 2020-06-15 · 4 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  This active learning exercise is designed to deconstruct the impact of social determinants through the assumption of randomly selected personas. As an active learning exercise, it provides opportunities for discussion, problem solving, writing, and synthesis, while incorporating multiple learning style preferences. Part 1 involves assessing the individual social determinants at work. Part 2 involves exploring ways said determinants can enhance community health through collaboration. Assumption of personas unlike one’s own facilitates an open discussion of social position and ranges of factors influential to health without potentially evoking a sense of defensiveness associated with personal privilege (or the lack thereof).

  PublisherDOI

• It’s Not What You Say, It’s What You Do: A CBPR Approach Using Qualitative Interviews

  2020-01-01

  book1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Type 2 Diabetes Prevalence, Distribution and Risk Factors in St. Kitts and Nevis, West Indies

  International Journal of Diabetes and Clinical Research · 2019-11-28 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVES: This study in collaboration with the St. Kitts & Nevis Ministry of Health (MOH) investigated the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and its risk factors, the second leading cause of death in the country. METHODS: Medical records of patients between the ages of 18 and 75 as of January 1, 2010 treated between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2015 in the government-funded health centers (HCs) were eligible for inclusion (N = 2737). All HC visits (n = 4169) generated by a representative sample of patients (n = 761) were evaluated using Caribbean Public Health Association Public Health Association (CARPHA) guidelines for risk ranges. RESULTS: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is 23% and is concentrated in the 45-64 year-old cohort. Though women outnumber men 3:1 in the sample, gender-prevalence rates are similar (23% and 22% respectively). There is also evidence that comorbidities are prevalent among diabetics (76%) and many nondiabetics are at risk of diabetes (20%). CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the MOH's concerns that type 2 diabetes presents local risk and brings into question historic assumptions that women are at greater risk of diabetes than men.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Hard is Normal: Military Families' Transitions Within the Process of Deployment

  Research in Nursing & Health · 2015-11-23 · 25 citations

  reviewSenior author

  US military deployments have become more frequent and lengthier in duration since 2003. Over half of US military members are married, and many also have children. The authors sought to understand the process of deployment from the perspective of the military family. After a thorough search of the literature, 21 primary research reports of 19 studies with an aggregate sample of 874 were analyzed using qualitative metasynthesis. The deployment process was experienced in four temporal domains. The military family as a whole shared the pre-deployment transition: all family members felt uncertain about the future, needed to complete tasks to "get ready" for deployment, and experienced a sense of distancing in preparation for the upcoming separation. The AD member went through the deployment transition independently, needing to "stay engaged" with the military mission, building a surrogate family and simultaneously trying to maintain connection with the family at home. In parallel, the home front family was going through a transposement transition, moving forward as an altered family unit, taking on new roles and responsibilities, and trying to simultaneously connect with the deployed member and find support from other military families. In post-deployment, the family went through the "reintegration" transition together, managing expectations, and readjusting family roles, all needing understanding and appreciation for their sacrifices during the recent separation. Effective family communication was important for military family well-being after deployment but unexpectedly challenging for many. Clinical, research, and policy recommendations are discussed.

  PublisherDOI

• Comparison of Abuse Experiences of Rural and Urban African American Women During Perinatal Period

  Journal of Interpersonal Violence · 2014-10-13 · 13 citations

  articleOpen access

  A subsample of 12 African American women (6 urban and 6 rural) were selected from a larger longitudinal, randomized control trial, Domestic Violence Enhanced Home Visitation (DOVE-R01 900903 National Institute of Nursing Research [NINR]/National Institutes of Health [NIH]). All African American women were chosen to control for any racial- and/or race-related cultural differences that may exist among women across geographical areas. The experiences of abuse during the perinatal period are drawn from in-depth interviews conducted at five points in time during pregnancy and the post-partum period. The analysis describes three major themes that highlight the similarities and differences among rural and urban women. The main themes found were (1) types of abuse, (2) location of abuse, and (3) response to abuse. In addition, two sub-themes (a) defiance and compliance and (b) role of children were also identified. Implications for universal screening for women of reproductive age, safer gun laws, and the need for further research are discussed.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• UVa MHIRT: Training Future Leaders to Address Global Rural Health Disparities

  NIH · $1.3M · 2014–2021

Frequent coauthors

• Marie Campbell Statler

  Rush University

  13 shared

• Randy Jones

  University of Virginia

  13 shared

• Susan Kools

  University of Virginia

  13 shared

• Barbra Mann Wall

  University of Virginia

  13 shared

• Carol Camp Yeakey

  Washington University in St. Louis

  4 shared

• Judith Brooks Buck

  4 shared

• T.D. Wright

  3 shared

• Donna Y. Ford

  The Ohio State University

  2 shared