Departmental Affiliations
Center & Institute Affiliations
Tricia Aung, MSPH '12, focuses on optimizing health and nutrition data visualization for decision-makers in low- and middle-income countries.
Contact Info
Research Interests
Human centered design (HCD); Usability; Implementation science; Data visualization; Monitoring & evaluation; nutrition; Maternal, newborn and child health; Digital health
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Experiences & Accomplishments
Tricia is interested in applications of human centered design (HCD) to improve health interventions and data use in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the intersection between HCD and implementation science methods, and expanding usability assessments. Her research primarily focuses on more responsible and ethical use of HCD, including context-appropriate adaptations to HCD methods, expanding country-led HCD projects, and epistemic justice.
Tricia has worked in global health for over ten years after receiving her Master of Science in Public Health in International Health/Health Systems from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (JHSPH). She worked at Gavi and PATH before returning to JHSPH in 2016. As a Research Associate at JHSPH, she has focused on improving measurement of nutrition interventions and supported evaluations of global health programs and policies. She pioneered research in global health data visualization literacy and preferences in LMICs. She has trained over 1000 individuals on visualizing global health and nutrition data and storytelling for decision-making and provides technical support to global health stakeholders wanting to design data visualization accountability tools. She is currently a PhD student in the Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering at University of Washington.
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Recent publications
Aung T, Niyeha D, Shagihilu S, Mpembeni R, Kaganda J, Sheffel A, Heidkamp R. Optimizing data visualization for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health, and nutrition (RMNCH&N) policymaking: data visualization preferences and interpretation capacity among decision-makers in Tanzania. Global health research and policy. 2019 Dec;4(1):4.
Aung T, Niyeha D, Heidkamp R. Leveraging data visualization to improve the use of data for global health decision-making. Journal of Global Health. 2019 Dec;9(2).
Sawadogo-Lewis T, Vignola E, Aung T, Heidkamp R. Developing data use capacity in the maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition sector in Malawi, Mali, Mozambique and Tanzania: an evolving strategy. Journal of global health. 2019 Jun;9(1).
Niyeha D, Malamsha D, Mpembeni R, Charwe D, Epimark S, Malima K, Aveika A, Aung T, Hazel E, Tam Y, Heidkamp R. Explaining progress towards Millennium Development Goal 4 for child survival in Tanzania. Journal of global health. 2018 Dec;8(2).
Self A, Chipokosa S, Misomali A, Aung T, Harvey SA, Chimchere M, Chilembwe J, Park L, Chalimba C, Monjeza E, Kachale F. Youth accessing reproductive health services in Malawi: drivers, barriers, and suggestions from the perspectives of youth and parents. Reproductive health. 2018 Dec;15(1):108.