Sumithra Murthy
I hold a Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Mumbai, India and a Master of Public Health from Northwestern University, Chicago. I am currently a Doctoral Candidate of PhD in Disability Studies at UIC.
Why did you choose DHD at UIC?
I chose DHD at UIC because the PhD Program in Disability Studies from UIC would equip me with the knowledge of complex social and environmental structures and values associated with disability, policies and practices on family support, and understanding of the need for cultural competence in the care of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). I believe that the knowledge thus acquired will help in improving the social and health outcomes of the family members as well as the persons with IDD. Bridging the gap between research on family support for persons with IDD and outreach of the practices and policies to the community is where I want to put my efforts in future.
What do you want to do with a DHD degree?
Bridging the gap between research on family support for persons with IDD and outreach of the practices and policies to the community is where I want to put my efforts in future with my DHD degree. Given the aging population of people with disabilities, it becomes imperative to identify and implement promising practices in family support and caregiving to the persons with disabilities. Tailor-made and customized research on family support for different cultures and traditions is the key to promotion of healthcare for persons with disabilities and their families. I envision myself working to make a meaningful contribution in improving the health, social and economic outcomes for family caregivers of people with IDD.
Research Interests
My main research interests are policies and practices on family support, and cultural competence in caregiving for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Specifically, I am interested in looking at the issues, needs and challenges of Indian and Indian-American family caregivers of people with IDD who are discriminated and marginalized in society.
Selected Presentations
Roundtable discussion at the MPA Annual Conference April 22 – April 24, 2021 on “Entrepreneurship: The Role of Community Psychologists” , Fabricio Balcazar, PhD, Sumithra Murthy, MBBS, MPH, Theresa Gibbons, BS, & Artemis Sefandonakis, BS.
Poster Presentation at the 2019 NARRTC Conference April 22 – April 24, 2019 in Arlington, VA on “Empowerment through Education and Employment: A Demonstration Project with Refugees with Disabilities in Illinois”, Sumithra Murthy, MBBS, MPH, Rooshey Hasnain, EdD, Kathryn Duke, OTD, Mansha Mirza, PhD and Anurag Sinhal, BS.
Poster Presentation at the 145th APHA Annual Meeting November 1 – November 5, 2017 in Atlanta, GA on “Prevalence and Associated factors of Hypertension in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities”, Sumithra Murthy, MBBS, MPH, Kelly Hsieh, PhD and Tamar Heller, PhD.
Selected Publications
Murthy, S., & Hsieh, K. (2021). Examining Association Between Reported High Cholesterol and Risk Factors in Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD): A Five-Year Follow-Up. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 59(2), 112-122. doi: https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-59.2.112
Heller, T., Arnold, C., & Murthy, S. (2021). Family Caregiving for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. In C. Bigby & M. Putnam (Eds.), Handbook on Aging with Disability. Routledge.
Hsieh, K., Scott, H. M., & Murthy, S. (2020). Associated Risk Factors for Depression and Anxiety in Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Five-Year Follow Up. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 125(1), 49-63.
Awards and Honors
2021 Ann & Edward Page-El Scholarship
2020 UIC President’s Research in Diversity Travel Award
2020 Anne Hopkins Scholarship
2019 Carlos Drazen Memorial Scholarship
2019 DHD Student Travel Award for International Data Collection