Georgia State University School of Public Health Ph.D. student Malikah Waajid Successfully Defends Dissertation

2017 Dec 12

Malikah Waajid, from Lithonia, successfully defended her doctoral dissertation. The title is "Beyond an Epidemic: Examining the Syndemic Relationship between Alcohol Use, Violence and HIV among Youth Living in the Slums of Kampala."

Waajid worked with Dr. Monica Swahn, distinguished professor of epidemiology and biostatistics, on research looking at how alcohol use affects the risk of violence and HIV among young people living in the slums of Kampala, Uganda. The work also involved community organizations in Kampala, including the Uganda Youth Development Link, or UYDeL. The research is being used to develop interventions to assist slum communities in reducing those health risks.

Waajid is also a member of the school's Gamma Upsilon chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society.