Skip to main content

Valerie A. Smith

Professor in Population Health Sciences
Population Health Sciences

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 Cite

A 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 Cite

Filling 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 Cite
View All Publications

Recent Grants


Developing robust anti-Obesity Medication ImplemeNtatiOn approaches to maximize population health (the DOMINO study)

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2028

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 North Carolina, Chapel Hill · 2015 DrPH
Stanford University · 2008 M.S.
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · 2007 B.S.