About

Shahpar Najmabadi, PhD, MPH, MS, is a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Public Health, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Utah School of Medicine. As a public health professional and researcher with a clinical background, she is deeply committed to improving reproductive health outcomes. Her research advances evidence-based healthcare practices aimed at reducing preventable mortality and morbidity and promoting the lifelong well-being of women. Her current work includes investigating menstrual cycle biomarkers as indicators of reproductive health issues and conducting maternal and child health needs assessments to inform equitable and effective public health interventions. She is also engaged in healthcare workforce research, advocating for policies that foster fairness and sustainability within the U.S. healthcare system.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Demography
• Obstetrics
• Family medicine
• Gynecology
• Internal medicine
• Medical education

Selected publications

• Disparities in depression screening following adoption of universal screening protocol

  JAAPA · 2026-03-10

  article

  OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the rates of depression screening between patient groups at an academic medical center (AMC)-associated family medicine clinic (FMC) that adopted universal annual depression screening. METHODS: This study is a retrospective data analysis of electronic health records for patients seen within the AMC health system between June 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022, and whose assigned primary care provider practiced at the FMC. The demographic groups of interest were race, ethnicity, language preference, and insurance status. RESULTS: Of the 12,428 patients included, 78.7% were 30 years of age or older, 59.9% identified as female, 82.9% as White, and 88.7% as not Hispanic or Latino/a/x; 97.2% preferred English and 72.3% had commercial insurance. Patients were less likely to be screened if they identified as male, identified as a non-White race, had a non-English language preference, or were uninsured. CONCLUSION: Focused interventions are needed to address the disparities in depression screening rates among these groups.

  PublisherDOI

• Undergraduate Grade Point Average Mediates the Relationship Between Childhood Socioeconomic Indicators and Likelihood of Physician Assistant/Associate Matriculation

  The Journal of Physician Assistant Education · 2026-05-20

  article

  INTRODUCTION: Socioeconomic status (SES) is a complex construct that includes social factors that influence one's access to economic, environmental, and educational resources. Physician assistant/associate (PA) programs often use undergraduate grade point average (GPA), one measure of academic achievement, to assess applicants for admission, but the extent to which SES impacts undergraduate academic achievement remains unexplored. This study examines the relationship between SES and matriculation into PA programs and the extent to which undergraduate academic achievement mediates that relationship. METHODS: Using data from 3 application cycles of the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants, ten self-reported indicators of environmental and economic disadvantage (EED) were analyzed. Mediation analyses assessed whether and to what extent undergraduate academic achievement mediates the association between EED indicators and odds of PA program matriculation. RESULTS: In unadjusted logistic regression models, applicants who reported EED indicators had lower odds of matriculation than those who did not. In adjusted models, many EED indicators that initially appeared disadvantageous became nonsignificant or advantageous. Grade point average was a significant mediator of the relationship between SES and matriculation likelihood for most (80%) EED indicators and substantially mediated the relationship between the first-generation college student indicator and decrements in odds of matriculation. DISCUSSION: Our study is the first to examine the relationship between multiple markers of SES and PA program matriculation and, notably, identifies undergraduate GPA as a significant mediator of this relationship. Our findings highlight how childhood EED detrimentally impacts opportunity later in life and identifies intervention targets to improve equity in access to PA education.

  PublisherDOI

• Pregnancies, intentions, and fertility behaviors during use of the Creighton Model FertilityCare System after initial intention to avoid pregnancy: Results from the Creighton Model effectiveness, intentions, behaviors assessment study

  PLoS ONE · 2025-07-29

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  BACKGROUND: Knowledge of the fertile and infertile phases of the menstrual cycle can be applied to conceive or to avoid pregnancy. Fertility intentions and sexual behaviors during the fertile time may influence whether and when pregnancy occurs. The Creighton Model FertilityCare System (CrMS) is a specific system of fertility appreciation used to conceive or to avoid pregnancy. The objective of this paper is to report intentions, behaviors, and pregnancy rates during use of the CrMS among couples who initially intended to avoid pregnancy. DATA AND METHODS: We analyzed a prospective cohort study conducted in 17 CrMS centers across the USA and Canada, following 296 couples for up to one year after onset of initial use of the CrMS to avoid pregnancy. Baseline data included demographics, motivations, and pregnancy intentions for each partner. Couples contributed 2894 menstrual cycles, most of which had data collected (by questionnaires and daily diary) on cycle-specific pregnancy intentions, days of potential fertility, and fertility behaviors. Pregnancies were prospectively actively ascertained. RESULTS: We found a high concordance (91%) in cycle pregnancy intentions between partners. However, 44% of cycles with strong intentions to avoid pregnancy included intercourse on potentially fertile days or days of undetermined fertility status. Across all sensitivity scenarios, cumulative 13-cycle pregnancy rates with cycle intention to conceive ranged from 88.0% to 89.8%, and cumulative 13-cycle pregnancy rates with cycle intention to avoid ranged from 29.1% to 35.3%. In multivariate analysis, baseline motivations and intentions for pregnancy within 2 years were strongly correlated with the likelihood of pregnancy, more so than cycle intentions. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that in some populations using natural family planning, baseline motivations and intentions may be more strongly related to pregnancy rates than cycle intentions. Our findings also highlight essential elements for evaluating correct use, including complete recording of intercourse and its timing.

  PublisherDOI

• Restoration of serum estradiol and reduced incidence of miscarriage in patients with low serum estradiol during pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study using a multifactorial protocol including DHEA

  Frontiers in Reproductive Health · 2024-01-04 · 11 citations

  articleOpen access

  Background Low serum estradiol in early pregnancy is associated with an elevated risk of miscarriage. We sought to determine whether efforts to restore low blood estradiol via estradiol or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation would reduce the risk of miscarriage as part of a multifactorial symptom-based treatment protocol. Methods This retrospective cohort study included women with low serum estradiol levels in early pregnancy, defined as ≤50% of reference levels by gestational age. Estradiol or DHEA were administered orally, and the primary outcome measure was serum estradiol level, in reference to gestational age. The secondary outcome measures included miscarriage, birth weight, and gestational age at birth. Results We found no significant effect of estradiol supplementation on serum estradiol levels referenced to gestational age, while DHEA supplementation strongly increased estradiol levels. For pregnancies with low estradiol, the miscarriage rate in the non-supplemented group was 45.5%, while miscarriage rate in the estradiol and DHEA supplemented groups were 21.2% ( p = 0.067) and 17.5% ( p = 0.038), respectively. Birth weight, size, gestational age, and preterm deliveries were not significantly different. No sexual abnormalities were reported in children ( n = 29) of DHEA-supplemented patients after 5–7 years follow-up. Conclusions In conclusion, DHEA supplementation restored serum estradiol levels, and when included in the treatment protocol, there was a statistically significant reduction in miscarriage.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• PA scope of practice reform

  JAAPA · 2024-12-19 · 1 citations

  article

  ABSTRACT: State-level physician associate/assistant (PA) practice regulations have evolved since the profession's inception. The conditions that influence states' adoption of PA regulatory reforms are not fully understood. As some states begin to adopt components of optimal team practice, PAs in other states continue to face significant legal and regulatory practice restrictions. This article describes state economic, demographic, and workforce characteristics and highlights important differences across states that may affect future reform adoption and shape reform outcomes.

  PublisherDOI

• Non-native English-speaking applicants and the likelihood of physician assistant program matriculation

  Medical Education Online · 2024-02-07 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  PURPOSE: Effective communication is critical in patient care. Multilingual medical providers, including Physician Assistants (PAs) can contribute to improved health care among patients with limited English proficiency; however, this is contingent upon matriculating multilingual providers. In this study, the association between prospective applicants' self-reported English as second language (ESL) status and their likelihood of matriculation into a PA program was investigated. METHODS: Participants included applicants to five admission cycles of the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistant from 2012 to 2020. Logistic regression was utilized to investigate association between applicant ESL status and odds of program matriculation in both bivariate and multivariable regression models. Models were adjusted for citizenship status, undergraduate grade point average, gender, age, race/ethnicity, number of programs applied to, and patient care hours. RESULTS: In unadjusted and adjusted models, ESL status was associated with a significantly lower odds of matriculation to a PA program across all study years. In adjusted multivariable models, associations were strongest for 2014-2015 where ESL status was associated with a 35% lower odds of matriculation (odds ratio 0.65, 95% confidence interval 0.56, 0.76) when controlling for demographics, citizenship status, patient care experience, and academic achievement. In sensitivity analyses restricting to (a) those with TOEFL scores ≥ 100, and (b) restricting to those ESL applicants without TOEFL scores, we did not observe important changes in our results. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that non-native English-speaking applicants have lower odds of PA program matriculation. Decrements in matriculation odds were large magnitude, minimally impacted by adjustment for confounders and persistent across the years. These findings suggest that PA program admission processes may disadvantage non-native English-speaking applicants. While there are potential explanations for the observed findings, they are cause for concern. Matriculating and training PAs who have language concordance with underserved populations are important means of improving patient outcomes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Military Veteran Matriculation in US Physician Associate/Assistant Programs

  The Journal of Physician Assistant Education · 2024-01-16 · 1 citations

  article

  INTRODUCTION: This study aims to determine whether veterans have differential access to physician associate/assistant (PA) education by examining likelihood of matriculation relative to nonveteran peers. We explore associations between veteran status and likelihood of matriculation for change over time and whether effects differ among active duty versus non-active-duty applicants. METHODS: Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate associations between self-identified military status and likelihood of PA program matriculation in five Centralized Applicant Services for Physician Assistants admissions cycles (2012-2013, 2014-2015, 2016-2017, 2018-2019, 2020-2021). Models controlled for age, sex, race/ethnicity, patient care experience hours, total undergraduate grade point average, and number of applications submitted and applied a Bonferroni correction for alpha inflation. RESULTS: Veteran applicant numbers were small across the study time frame but increased from 2012 (n = 708) to 2020 (n = 978), representing a 38% increase over the lookback period. Despite growth, the proportion of veterans in the matriculant pool has decreased from 4.2% in 2012 to 3.0% in 2020. In unadjusted models, military status was not strongly associated with odds of matriculation. In adjusted models, both veteran and active-duty status were associated with higher odds of matriculation, although this increase was not statistically significant at the 0.005 level for applicants on active-duty. DISCUSSION: Military veterans and active-duty military personnel have higher likelihood of matriculation into US PA programs relative to nonveteran peers. The proportion of veterans in the matriculant pool has decreased over time. This suggests that while PA programs seems to value previous military experience, further efforts to evaluate and address barriers to military veterans in applying for admissions is needed.

  PublisherDOI

• Evidence that the woman’s ovarian cycle is driven by an internal circamonthly timing system

  Science Advances · 2024-04-10 · 15 citations

  articleOpen access

  The ovarian cycle has a well-established circa-monthly rhythm, but the mechanisms involved in its regularity are unknown. Is the rhythmicity driven by an endogenous clock-like timer or by other internal or external processes? Here, using two large epidemiological datasets (26,912 cycles from 2303 European women and 4786 cycles from 721 North American women), analyzed with time series and circular statistics, we find evidence that the rhythmic characteristics of the menstrual cycle are more likely to be explained by an endogenous clock-like driving mechanism than by any other internal or external process. We also show that the menstrual cycle is weakly but significantly influenced by the 29.5-day lunar cycle and that the phase alignment between the two cycles differs between the European and the North American populations. Given the need to find efficient treatments of subfertility in women, our results should be confirmed in larger populations, and chronobiological approaches to optimize the ovulatory cycle should be evaluated.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Gender Minority Physician Assistant/Associate Applicants and Likelihood of Matriculation: A Retrospective Analysis

  The Journal of Physician Assistant Education · 2024-12-12

  article

  INTRODUCTION: Gender minorities are undermeasured among physician assistant/associate programs and across the profession. This study describes the 2020 to 2021 Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants self-identified gender minority applicant pool, examining whether gender minority status is associated with matriculation. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 2020 to 2021 admission cycle participants (n = 30,123) was described and evaluated for associations between self-identified gender minority status and likelihood of program matriculation using logistic regression. Models were controlled for important potential confounders, including total undergraduate grade point average, race/ethnicity, hours of patient experience, and age. RESULTS: Of the 30,123 total applicants, 0.21% (n = 63) self-identified as a gender minority. Total matriculation was 27.64% (n = 8325) compared with gender minority matriculation of 20.63% (n = 13). Gender minority status was associated with a nonsignificant lower likelihood of matriculation (odds ratio [OR] = 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.37-1.25). Fully adjusted models were unchanged controlling for academic achievement, patient care experience, age, and race/ethnicity (OR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.51-1.35). DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that gender minority applicants have a similar likelihood of matriculation in physician assistant/associate programs as compared with non-gender minority applicants. Low prevalence of self-identified gender minority status could indicate reluctance to self-identify and is concerningly lower than population prevalence.

  PublisherDOI

• Gender Disparities in Physician Assistant Educator Promotion and Compensation: A Mixed Methods Approach

  The Journal of Physician Assistant Education · 2023-01-23 · 5 citations

  article

  INTRODUCTION: The gender wage gap is well documented in many industries. A disparity in salary between female and male physician assistant (PA) educators has been demonstrated, but disparities in academic rank have not been shown. The purpose of this study was to re-examine gender disparities in compensation to PA educators and to explore whether gender-based disparities exist in promotion to higher academic rank in this field. METHODS: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used to determine differences in salary and rank by gender. PA Education Association Faculty and Directors Survey data from 2014, 2017, and 2019 were analyzed. A focus group was conducted to explain the findings and understand the barriers to promotion for female faculty. RESULTS: Female PA faculty members earn $7573 less than their male colleagues when controlling for all other variables. Female faculty members have an increased likelihood (RR 1.150) for being in early career stage versus late career stage. Obtaining a doctoral degree decreased the risk for being in an early career stage (RR 0.567) with men twice as likely to have a doctoral degree as women. DISCUSSION: Rank and salary disparities exist in PA faculty by gender. Female faculty are less likely to hold doctoral degrees or to be promoted to higher academic ranks, and they earn less than men. Degree level and career track are themes unique to the PA education profession, and further research is needed to understand their impact. With more women entering PA education, pay equity and promotion need to be addressed.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Virginia L. Valentin

  University of Kentucky

  50 shared

• Ryan White

  University of Kentucky

  43 shared

• Mary Warner

  George Washington University

  37 shared

• Richard W. Dehn

  University of Arizona

  36 shared

• Joseph B. Stanford

  Utah Department of Health

  23 shared

• Karen C. Schliep

  16 shared

• Christina A. Porucznik

  University of Utah

  16 shared

• Marlene J. Egger

  12 shared

Labs

• Shahpar Najmabadi LabPI

Education

• Ph.D.

  University of Utah School of Medicine

• Other

  University of Utah School of Medicine

• M.S.

  University of Utah School of Medicine