Director of the Doctoral Program in Health Services, Policy and Practice, Associate Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice

Overview

Omar Galárraga, a health economist and health services researcher, is the Director of the Health Services Research (HSR) doctoral program at Brown University, where he is a tenured Associate Professor of Health Services Policy and Practice at the School of Public Health. At Brown, he also serves in the steering committee for the Population Studies and Training Center (PSTC), on the advisory committee for the Center for Latin American Studies (CLACS), and the advisory board for the Data Science Institute (DSI).

His research uses insights from health and behavioral economics with a special focus on HIV treatment and prevention, health systems, and applied health econometric analysis. He evaluates economic-based interventions using experimental and rigorous non-experimental methods; his contributions have appeared in over 130 publications in health economics, public health and health services research. He currently serves as Multiple Principal Investigator on 3 NIH-funded R01 projects: (1) Harambee: Integrated Community-Based HIV/NCD Care & Microfinance Groups in Kenya [5R01MH118075] measures the effectiveness, mechanisms, and cost-effectiveness of an HIV differentiated care model integrating community-based care into existing microfinance groups; (2) Impact of Prescription Caps on Health Outcomes in People Infected with HIV [5R01MH122301] evaluates how prescription cap policies imposed on low-income Medicaid beneficiaries impact treatment adherence and can have adverse effects on health and allocation of public funds; (3) Empirical testing of a widely available insurance-based monetary incentive program for exercise: A randomized trial [1R01CA262894] is an RCT to test different financial incentive programs to promote physical activity among low-active adults. 

Dr. Galárraga serves as Associate Editor for Health Economics; as standing member of the NIH Science of Implementation in Health and Healthcare (SIHH) study section; and as an appointed member of the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council (OARAC).  He conducts research in Ecuador, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, and the U.S. in collaboration with community and academic partners.

Brown Affiliations

Research Areas

On the Web

  • PubMed Publications Record
  • Harambee Study: differentiated HIV care and microfinance in Kenya
  • Galárraga Research Lab
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter @Prof_Omar_G
  • NIH funded projects
  • Google Scholar Page
  • Verified Peer Reviews
  • Research Papers in Economics
  • Humans in Public Health podcast on behavioral economics approaches for HIV prevention and treatment (August 2023)
  • ORCID Profile
  • Video AIDS Conference: Behavioral Economics & Conditional Incentives to Strengthen HIV Treatment and Prevention: Actioning the Science (July 2022)
  • Webinar at Desmond Tutu Health Foundation: Empowerment, Cash Transfers & Social Determinants (March 2022)
  • Video IU Global Health Research Talk: Integrated community-based HIV & NCD care within microfinance groups in Kenya: HARAMBEE protocol & baseline results (April 2022)
  • Press Release for iSAY: incentives for South African youth (Oct. 2020)
  • Interview on decision to defund W.H.O. (El Confidencial, Madrid, April 2020)
  • NIH/FIC report on Integrated Modeling of Epidemiologic and Economic Long-term Outcomes in Africa (inMODELA) (Oct. 2018)
  • Short VIDEO on our students at Brown (Fall 2019)
  • Press Release: HIV & economic Incentives (Lancet HIV review) (Oct. 2019)
  • MD Magazine: Women with HIV face rising health risks in unstable housing (Sept.2018)
  • Webinar on Economic Incentives for HIV Prevention and Treatment (March 2019)
  • Press Release: Curbing alcohol to fight HIV can save money in Kenya, April 2017
  • Press Release: Incentive level for reducing HIV risk (March 2013)
  • Global Health News Report: New York Times (April 2013)
  • Press Release: Study models ways to cut Mexico’s HIV rates (October 2014)
  • Interview with Letra S (UNAM La Jornada) (July 2014)
  • Press Release: HIV risks high in Mexico City (November 2014)
  • News Report: New models to reduce HIV risk among sex workers in Mexico (La Jornada May 2015)