Skip to main content

Megan E Shepherd-Banigan

Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences
Population Health Sciences
215 Morris Street, DUMC Box 104023, Durham, NC 27701

Overview


Dr. Megan Shepherd-Banigan designs research studies to improve the health, emotional well-being, and social functioning of adults with mental and physical disabilities. Her methods combine empirical approaches that address methodologically challenging research questions in health systems and policy research. Dr. Shepherd-Banigan uses large survey and administrative datasets to evaluate the impact of policies that support family members to care for adults with disabilities.  

Dr. Shepherd-Banigan won a VA Career Development Award from 2019-2024 and is studying ways to strengthen family support for veterans under-going traumatic stress treatment. She also leads a project that surveys family caregivers of Vietnam-era veterans who might be eligible for expanded support services under the VA Mission Act to evaluate program impacts. As co-investigator on an NIA-funded CARE IDEAS study (Terri Wetle, PI) , she is investigating end-of-life-care planning and well-being among dementia care dyads.  Finally, Dr. Shepherd-Banigan is leading a project in partnership with the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers to identify creative empirically-based approaches to support family caregivers. 

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences · 2025 - Present Population Health Sciences, Basic Science Departments
Core Faculty Member, Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy · 2024 - Present Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy, University Initiatives & Academic Support Units

In the News


Published October 18, 2023
Intervention to Improve Veterans’ Engagement in Therapy for PTSD
Published April 1, 2022
As research grows in primary care and serious mental illness, a glaring gap remains
Published October 1, 2019
Caregiver survey reveals opportunities to leverage family caregivers as a clinical resource

View All News

Recent Publications


Veteran Mental Health Emergency Care Utilization Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Journal Article Health Serv Res · June 5, 2025 OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether Veterans infected with SARS-CoV-2 have an elevated risk for needing mental health emergency care (MHEC) relative to uninfected comparators, as measured by emergency department or urgent care clinic utilization for a mental he ... Full text Link to item Cite

Experiences Receiving and Delivering Virtual Health Care For Women: Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.

Journal Article J Med Internet Res · May 15, 2025 BACKGROUND: Persisting sex- and gender-based disparities in access to high-quality, personalized health care in the United States can lead to devastating outcomes with long-lasting consequences. Strategic use of virtual resources could expand equitable hea ... Full text Link to item Cite

Initiation and Persistence of Antipsychotic Medications at Hospital Discharge Among Community-Dwelling Veterans With Dementia.

Journal Article Am J Geriatr Psychiatry · May 2025 OBJECTIVES: Adults with dementia are frequently prescribed antipsychotic medications despite concerns that risks outweigh benefits. Understanding conditions where antipsychotics are initially prescribed, such as hospitalization, may offer insights into red ... Full text Link to item Cite
View All Publications

Recent Grants


Understanding Disparities in Dementia Care Access and Quality

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Alzheimer's Association · 2024 - 2026

Improving the lives of persons living with dementia and their families through person-centered measurement of home time

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2026

View All Grants

Education, Training & Certifications


University of Washington · 2014 Ph.D.