Biography
Dr. Deanna Barath is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Public Health program at Florida State University, where she also serves as the Coordinator of Community Outreach and Accreditation. In these roles, she enhances the program’s connection to the public health workforce and supports continuous curriculum development and quality improvement initiatives.
With a background in health services research and program management, Dr. Barath is a dedicated leader bridging public health practice and academia. Before joining FSU, she held various positions at both the local and state levels of the Florida Department of Health. There, she led tobacco-free policy initiatives at FSU and throughout Tallahassee, guided community health assessments and improvement planning efforts across Florida, directed the agency’s 2016 strategic plan, and contributed to the state’s integrated approach to PHAB accreditation. Additionally, she played a key role in the Florida Healthy Babies initiative, which focused on reducing infant mortality and strengthening local health department research capacities.
Dr. Barath primarily teaches in the graduate program, with a focus on public health practice, policy, and program evaluation. She mentors graduate students through their capstone projects and supports undergraduates in their honors theses. Dr. Barath is deeply committed to mentoring students, fostering their growth, and helping them develop the practical skills, critical thinking, and professional networks necessary to succeed in the dynamic and evolving public health field. Through hands-on learning opportunities and community engagement, she strives to prepare graduates to become effective leaders in a variety of public health careers.
Dr. Barath is also available to collaborate with agencies and organizations seeking public health training. Please feel free to reach out to her for more information.
Education
PhD, Health Policy and Management
University of Maryland
Master of Public Health
Florida State University
Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology and Exercise Science,
Florida State University
Courses Taught
PHC 5155 Health Services Organization and Policy
PHC 5151 Health Politics and Policy Analysis (Capstone)
PHC 5936 Special Topics: Public Health Program Evaluation
PAD 5884 Healthcare Management
PHC 4157 Health Policy and Society
Awards & Honors
2024 Faculty Service Award, FSU College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
2024 Public Health Emerging and Engaging Leaders (PHEEL) Award, UMD Public Health Alumni Network
Selected Publications
Amaize A. Barath, D. Wang M. Q. & Chen, J. (2023). Reducing rural and urban disparities in potentially preventable hospitalizations – Evidence of hospital-based health information technology and enabling services. Telemedicine and e-Health. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2022.0476.
Chen J. Benjenk I. Barath D. Anderson A. C. & Reynolds C. F. 3rd. (2021, May). Disparities in Preventable Hospitalization Among Patients with Alzheimer Diseases. Am J Prev Med, 60(5), 595-604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2020.12.014
Chen J. Amaize A. & Barath D. (2020, Nov 12). Evaluating Telehealth Adoption and Related Barriers Among Hospitals Located in Rural and Urban Areas. J Rural Health. https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12534
Jimenez T. Restar A. Helm P. J. Cross R. I. Barath D. & Arndt J. (2020, Aug). Fatalism in the context of COVID-19: Perceiving coronavirus as a death sentence predicts reluctance to perform recommended preventive behaviors. SSM Popul Health, 11, 100615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100615
Barath D. Amaize A. & Chen J. (2020, Jul). Accountable Care Organizations and Preventable Hospitalizations Among Patients with Depression. Am J Prev Med, 59(1), e1-e10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2020.01.028
Jing R. Barath D. Zhang H. Chen J. & Fang H. (2020, Dec). Changes in Sleep Duration Associated with Retirement Transitions: The role of naps. J Sleep Res, 29(6), e12975. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12975
Barath D. & Chen J. (2019, Dec). Integrating Local Health Departments to Reduce Suicide-Related Emergency Department Visits Among People with Substance Use Disorders – Evidence from the state of Maryland. Prev Med, 129, 105825. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105825
Boudreaux M. Barath D. & Blewett L. A. (2019, Jan 1). Recent Changes in Health Insurance Coverage for Urban and Rural Veterans: Evidence from the First Year of the Affordable Care Act. Mil Med, 184(1-2), e76-e82. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usy053
Chen J. Novak P. Barath D. Goldman H. & Mortensen K. (2018, Feb). Local Health Departments’ Promotion of Mental Health Care and Reductions in 30-Day All-Cause Readmission Rates in Maryland. Med Care, 56(2), 153-161. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0000000000000850
