Alexandria “Alex” Macmadu, PhD (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, and she is a member of the People, Place and Health Collective (PPHC) at Brown University.
Dr. Macmadu is a substance use epidemiologist whose research is focused on harm reduction. Her research program is community engaged, and it seeks to (1) examine the social determinants of drug use and overdose; (2) investigate evidence-based approaches to mitigate drug-related harms; and (3) advance justice and health equity in marginalized subgroups of people who use drugs, including BIPOC communities, rural populations, and persons affected by the criminal legal system.
To date, Dr. Macmadu has authored or co-authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications and one book chapter. Several of these works have been published in leading journals, including first-authored publications in The Lancet Public Health, JAMA Network Open, American Journal of Public Health, Addiction, and the International Journal of Drug Policy, and one co-authored manuscript in The Lancet.
Dr. Macmadu is the Scientific Advisor to the Community Engaged Research Core of the COBRE on Opioids and Overdose. She also serves as an Expert Advisor to the Rhode Island Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee.
Dr. Macmadu is a triple alumna, having received her PhD in epidemiology (’22), her MSc in behavioral and social sciences (’15), and her BA in ethics (’14) from Brown University.
| Kaplowitz E, Macmadu A, Green TC, Berk J, Rich JD, Brinkley-Rubinstein L. "It's probably going to save my life;" attitudes towards treatment among people incarcerated in the era of fentanyl." Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 232, 2022, pp. 109325. |
| Kaplowitz E, Truong A, Macmadu A, Berk J, Martin H, Burke C, Rich JD, Brinkley-Rubinstein L. "Anticipated Barriers to Sustained Engagement in Treatment With Medications for Opioid Use Disorder After Release From Incarceration." Journal of Addiction Medicine, vol. 17, no. 1, 2022, pp. 54-59. |
| Goedel WC, Macmadu A, Shihipar A, Moyo P, Cerdá M, Marshall BDL. "Association of medical cannabis licensure with prescription opioid receipt: A population-based, individual-level retrospective cohort study." International Journal of Drug Policy, vol. 100, 2022, pp. 103502. |
| Macmadu, Alexandria, Yolken, Annajane, Frueh, Lisa, Toussaint, Jai’el R., Newman, Roxxanne, Jacka, Brendan P., Collins, Alexandra B., Marshall, Brandon D. L. "Characteristics of events in which police responded to overdoses: an examination of incident reports in Rhode Island." Harm Reduction Journal, vol. 19, no. 1, 2022. |
| Macmadu A, Reddon H, Marshall BDL, Fairbairn N, Nolan S, Socías ME, Milloy MJ. "Crack cocaine use frequency is associated with HIV disease severity independent of antiretroviral therapy exposure: a prospective cohort study." AIDS and Behavior, vol. 26, no. 10, 2022, pp. 3356-3364. |
| Macmadu A, Frueh L, Collins AB, Newman R, Barnett NP, Rich JD, Clark MA, Marshall BDL. "Drug use behaviors, trauma, and emotional affect following the overdose of a social network member: A qualitative investigation." International Journal of Drug Policy, vol. 107, 2022, pp. 103792. |
| Cartus AR, Li Y, Macmadu A, Goedel WC, Allen B, Cerdá M, Marshall BDL. "Forecasted and Observed Drug Overdose Deaths in the US During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020." JAMA Network Open, vol. 5, no. 3, 2022, pp. e223418. |
| Bahji A, Li Y, Vickers-Smith R, Crystal S, Kerns RD, Gordon KS, Macmadu A, Skanderson M, So-Armah K, Sung ML, Bhondoekhan F, Marshall BDL, Edelman EJ. "Self-Reported Cannabis Use and HIV Viral Control among Patients with HIV Engaged in Care: Results from a National Cohort Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 9, 2022. |
| Macmadu, Alexandria, Batthala, Sivakumar, Correia Gabel, Annice M., Rosenberg, Marti, Ganguly, Rik, Yedinak, Jesse L., Hallowell, Benjamin D., Scagos, Rachel P., Samuels, Elizabeth A., Cerdá, Magdalena, Paull, Kimberly, Marshall, Brandon D. L. "Comparison of Characteristics of Deaths From Drug Overdose Before vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rhode Island." JAMA Network Open, vol. 4, no. 9, 2021, pp. e2125538. |
| Macmadu, Alexandria, Brinkley-Rubinstein, Lauren, Gonsher, Ian, Clarke, Jennifer G., Brockmann, Bradley W. "Engaged scholarship at the Brown University School of Public Health: designing education for better prisoner and community health." International Journal of Prisoner Health, vol. 17, no. 4, 2021, pp. 509-519. |
| Macmadu A, Brinkley-Rubinstein L. "Essential Strategies to Curb COVID-19 Transmission in Prisons and Jails." American Journal of Public Health, vol. 111, no. 5, 2021, pp. 776-777. |
| Kaplowitz E, Truong AQ, Macmadu A, Peterson M, Brinkley-Rubinstein L, Potter N, Green TC, Clarke JG, Rich JD. "Fentanyl-related overdose during incarceration: a comprehensive review." Health & Justice, vol. 9, no. 1, 2021, pp. 13. |
| Macmadu A, Adams JW, Bessey SE, Brinkley-Rubinstein L, Martin RA, Clarke JG, Green TC, Rich JD, Marshall BDL. "Optimizing the impact of medications for opioid use disorder at release from prison and jail settings: A microsimulation modeling study." International Journal of Drug Policy, vol. 91, 2021, pp. 102841. |
| Macmadu A, Paull K, Youssef R, Batthala S, Wilson KH, Samuels EA, Yedinak JL, Marshall BDL. "Predictors of enrollment in opioid agonist therapy after opioid overdose or diagnosis with opioid use disorder: A cohort study." Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 219, 2021, pp. 108435. |
| Zang X, Macmadu A, Krieger MS, Behrends CN, Green TC, Morgan JR, Murphy SM, Nolen S, Walley AY, Schackman BR, Marshall BD. "Targeting community-based naloxone distribution using opioid overdose death rates: A descriptive analysis of naloxone rescue kits and opioid overdose deaths in Massachusetts and Rhode Island." International Journal of Drug Policy, vol. 98, 2021, pp. 103435. |
| Miller-Lloyd L, Landry J, Macmadu A, Allard I, Waxman M. "Barriers to Healthcare for People Who Inject Drugs: A Survey at a Syringe Exchange Program." Substance Use & Misuse, vol. 55, no. 6, 2020, pp. 896-899. |
| Macmadu, Alexandria, Rich, Josiah D. "Commentary on Richardson et al . : Strategies to mitigate payment‐coincident drug‐related harms are urgently needed." Addiction, vol. 116, no. 3, 2020, pp. 546-547. |
| Macmadu A, Berk J, Kaplowitz E, Mercedes M, Rich JD, Brinkley-Rubinstein L. "COVID-19 and mass incarceration: a call for urgent action." The Lancet. Public health, vol. 5, no. 11, 2020, pp. e571-e572. |
| Macmadu, Alexandria, Goedel, William C., Adams, Joëlla W., Brinkley-Rubinstein, Lauren, Green, Traci C., Clarke, Jennifer G., Martin, Rosemarie A., Rich, Josiah D., Marshall, Brandon D.L. "Estimating the impact of wide scale uptake of screening and medications for opioid use disorder in US prisons and jails." Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 208, 2020, pp. 107858. |
| Peterson M, Rich J, Macmadu A, Truong AQ, Green TC, Beletsky L, Pognon K, Brinkley-Rubinstein L. "One guy goes to jail, two people are ready to take his spot": Perspectives on drug-induced homicide laws among incarcerated individuals." International Journal of Drug Policy, vol. 70, 2019, pp. 47-53. |
| Lam JA, Lee HIS, Truong AQ, Macmadu A, Clarke JG, Rich J, Brockmann B. "Brief video intervention to improve attitudes throughout medications for opioid use disorder in a correctional setting." Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, vol. 104, 2019, pp. 28-33. |
| Wang EA, Macmadu A, Rich JD. "Examining the Impact of Criminal Justice Involvement on Health Through Federally Funded, National Population-Based Surveys in the United States." public health reports, vol. 134, no. 1_suppl, 2019, pp. 22S-33S. |
| Peterson, Meghan, Macmadu, Alexandria, Truong, Ashley Q., Rich, Josiah, Pognon, Kimberly, Lurie, Mark, Clarke, Jennifer G., Brinkley-Rubinstein, Lauren. "Pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness and interest among participants in a medications for addiction treatment program in a unified jail and prison setting in Rhode Island." Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, vol. 106, 2019, pp. 73-78. |
| Brinkley-Rubinstein L, Peterson M, Clarke J, Macmadu A, Truong A, Pognon K, Parker M, Marshall BDL, Green T, Martin R, Stein L, Rich JD. "The benefits and implementation challenges of the first state-wide comprehensive medication for addictions program in a unified jail and prison setting." Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 205, 2019, pp. 107514. |
| Brinkley-Rubinstein L, McKenzie M, Macmadu A, Larney S, Zaller N, Dauria E, Rich J. "A randomized, open label trial of methadone continuation versus forced withdrawal in a combined US prison and jail: Findings at 12 months post-release." Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 184, 2018, pp. 57-63. |
| Brinkley-Rubinstein L, Sadacharan R, Macmadu A, Rich JD. "Introduction to the Special Issue of the Journal of Urban Health on Incarceration and Health." Journal of Urban Health, vol. 95, no. 4, 2018, pp. 441-443. |
| Brinkley-Rubinstein L, Macmadu A, Marshall BDL, Heise A, Ranapurwala SI, Rich JD, Green TC. "Risk of fentanyl-involved overdose among those with past year incarceration: Findings from a recent outbreak in 2014 and 2015." Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 185, 2018, pp. 189-191. |
| Smith JM, Uvin AZ, Macmadu A, Rich JD. "Epidemiology and Treatment of Hepatitis B in Prisoners." Current hepatology reports, vol. 16, no. 3, 2017, pp. 178-183. |
| Macmadu A, Carroll JJ, Hadland SE, Green TC, Marshall BD. "Prevalence and correlates of fentanyl-contaminated heroin exposure among young adults who use prescription opioids non-medically." Addictive Behaviors, vol. 68, 2017, pp. 35-38. |
| Saucier CD, Zaller N, Macmadu A, Green TC. "An Initial evaluation of law enforcement overdose training in Rhode Island." Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 162, 2016, pp. 211-8. |
| Rich JD, Beckwith CG, Macmadu A, Marshall BD, Brinkley-Rubinstein L, Amon JJ, Milloy MJ, King MR, Sanchez J, Atwoli L, Altice FL. "Clinical care of incarcerated people with HIV, viral hepatitis, or tuberculosis." The Lancet, vol. 388, no. 10049, 2016, pp. 1103-1114. |
Prior Research Funding:
NIH/NIDA F31-DA052971
Examining the impact of nonfatal and fatal overdose in social networks on individual overdose risk
March 1, 2021 - May 31, 2022
Role: Principal Investigator
Book Chapters:
Macmadu A, Reddy M, Tomasulo A, Coyle A, Rich JD. Populations at Special Health Risk: Incarcerated. In: Quah, SR, Cockerham, WC, editors. International Encyclopedia of Public Health, 2nd edition. Oxford: Academic Press; 2017. Vol. 5, pp. 563-572.
Professional Publications:
Berk J, Macmadu A, Kaplowitz E, Rich JD. COVID-19 exposes a broken prison system. Issues in Science and Technology. 37, no. 1 (Fall 2020): 30–33.
Macmadu A, Brockmann BW, Rich JD. An examination of the provision of health care to people who are incarcerated. National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. (in press).
Green TC, Rich JD, Marshall BDL, Bratberg J, Goyer J, McCance-Katz E, Macmadu A, Kinnard EN, Brinkley-Rubinstein L. Rhode Island’s Strategic Plan on Addiction and Overdose: Four Strategies to Alter the Course of an Epidemic. Rhode Island Governor’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force. November, 2015.
Macmadu A, Rich JD. Correctional health is community health. Issues in Science and Technology. 2015;32(1), 64-70.
| Presidential Postdoctoral Research Associate | Brown University School of Public Health, epidemiology | 2022- |
Public Health Impact Award, Brown University School of Public Health (2022)
International Network on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users Scholarship (2021)
Brown University School of Public Health, Student Abstract Competition (2021)
Brown University School of Public Health, Best Doctoral Poster (2021)
Brown University Graduate School Presidential Fellowship (2018-2021)
Langeloth Foundation Student Scholarship (2019)
Brown University School of Public Health, Student Abstract Competition (2019)
Langeloth Foundation Junior Investigator Scholarship (2018)
William A. and Phyllis Wolfe Foundation Scholarship (2010-2014)
Alpha Natural Resources General Scholarship (2010-2014)
W.C. Bailey Jr. Scholar Scholarship (2010)
Wyoming East Foundation Scholarship (2010)
Josephine Chappell-Booker Memorial Scholarship (2010)
American Red Cross High School Scholarship Award (2010)
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Barnett, Nancy | Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
| Beckwith, Curt | Professor of Medicine |
| Berk, Justin | Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology |
| Brockmann, Bradley | Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice |
| Clark, Melissa | Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice |
| Clarke, Jennifer | Associate Professor of Medicine, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Collins, Alexandra | Assistant Professor of Epidemiology |
| Dow, Patience | Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice |
| Goedel, William | Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Director of the Doctoral Program in Epidemiology |
| Green, Traci | Adjunct Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Adjunct Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine |
| Jacka, Brendan | Investigator in Epidemiology |
| Lurie, Mark | Professor of Epidemiology |
| Marshall, Brandon | Professor of Epidemiology |
| Martin, Rosemarie | Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences |
| Rich, Josiah | Professor of Medicine, Professor of Epidemiology |
| Samuels, Elizabeth | Adjunct Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology |
| Yedinak, Jesse | Assistant Professor of the Practice of Epidemiology |
Dr. Macmadu is committed to mentoring and training the next generation of substance use epidemiologists and public health scientists. Dr. Macmadu’s teaching philosophy fosters a collaborative and engaging learning environment, and her approach to curriculum development emphasizes scholar-activism and community engagement. In the past, Dr. Macmadu has served as a co-instructor of "Designing Education for Better Prisoner and Community Health" (PHP 1820).
