Overview
Valerie A. Smith, DrPH, is a Professor in the Duke University Department of Population Health Sciences. Her methodological research interests include methods for semicontinuous and zero-inflated data, cost and utilization modeling, causal inference methods, observational study design, and longitudinal data analysis.
Dr. Smith works largely in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of researchers, with a focus on health policy interventions, health care utilization and expenditure patterns, program and policy evaluation, bariatric surgery and obesity treatment evaluation, aging, and caregiving.
Areas of expertise: Biostatistics, Health Services Research, Health Economics, and Health Policy
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Professor in Population Health Sciences
·
2025 - Present
Population Health Sciences,
Basic Science Departments
Professor in Biostatistics & Bioinformatics
·
2025 - Present
Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Division of Biostatistics,
Biostatistics & Bioinformatics
Professor in Medicine
·
2025 - Present
Medicine, General Internal Medicine,
Medicine
Recent Publications
Virtual adaptation of a nurse-driven strategy to improve blood pressure control among people with HIV.
Journal Article HIV Res Clin Pract · December 2025 People with HIV are at increased risk of cardiovascular events; thus, care delivery strategies that increase access to comprehensive cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk management are a priority. We report the results of a multi-component telemedicine-based ... Full text Link to item CiteA Proposed Universal "Home Time" Quality of Life Measure for Older Adults.
Journal Article J Am Geriatr Soc · May 7, 2025 BACKGROUND: Researchers and insurers use "home time," or an individual's time at home compared to time in different health care settings, as a population-level quality of life (QoL) or quality of care measure. With varying definitions, it is unknown which ... Full text Link to item CiteFilling Diabetes Medications Through VA or Medicare, or Both: Factors in Decision Making, Challenges, and Informational Needs.
Journal Article J Gen Intern Med · May 6, 2025 BACKGROUND: Veterans' dual use of VA and Medicare Part D to fill diabetes medications is common and has advantages as well as disadvantages. OBJECTIVE: To understand the factors Veterans and their care partners consider when choosing whether to fill their ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Developing robust anti-Obesity Medication ImplemeNtatiOn approaches to maximize population health (the DOMINO study)
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2028Improving medication adherence and disease control for patients with multimorbidity: the role of price transparency tools
ResearchAdvisor · Awarded by National Institute on Aging · 2023 - 2027Improving 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 - 2026View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill ·
2015
DrPH
Stanford University ·
2008
M.S.
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill ·
2007
B.S.