Elizabeth A. Walker, PhD, RN, Professor of Medicine, is director of the Pilot and Feasibility Grant Program for the New York Regional Center for Diabetes Translation Research (CDTR) at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr Walker recently conducted a pilot study to adapt the National Diabetes Prevention Program and tailor it for men of color in disadvantaged neighborhoods in New York City. Dr. Walker completed a series of large NIH-funded behavioral intervention studies, for which she was the principal investigator, in minority diabetes populations, using telephonic interventions in Spanish and English to promote medication adherence, lifestyle change, screening for complications, and other diabetes self-management behaviors. She has also completed several National Eye Institute funded studies to promote ophthalmic examinations to screen for retinopathy in minority diabetes participants. She is a behavioral scientist and co-investigator for the multi-center Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study, and she co-chairs its Medication Adherence Workgroup. Through the CDTR, she provides or facilitates various intervention and evaluation services to multiple health disparities grants in the New York City community.

She has collaborated in NIH-funded research with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Dr. Walker is a diabetes nurse specialist; she has been a certified diabetes educator (CDE) since 1986. She was co-chair of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Expert Panel on Risk Perception and Decision Making in Chronic Disease. In 1999-2000, she served as the National President, Health Care & Education, of the American Diabetes Association. In 2008, she was named a Fellow of the American Association of Diabetes Educators (FAADE).  In 2016, she was awarded the American Diabetes Association's Dr. Richard R. Rubin award for Contributions to Behavioral Science in Diabetes.  Adapting behavioral interventions for patients and providers in underserved countries is a focus of continuing global health work.

Walker EA, Weiss L, Gary-Webb T, et al:  Power Up for health:  A Pilot Study of a Diabetes prevention Program for Men from Disadvantaged Neighborhoods. Am J Men’s Health 2018; 12(4): 989-997.  PMID: 29540129.

Chamany S, Walker EA, Schechter CB, Gonzalez JS, Davis NJ, Ortega FM, Carrasco J, Basch CE, Silver LD. Telephone Intervention to Improve Diabetes Control: A Randomized Trial in the New York City A1c Registry.  Am J Preventive Med, 2015; 49(6):832-41.

Schechter CB, Walker EA, Ortega FM, Chamany S, Silver LD. Costs and effects of a telephonic diabetes self-management support intervention using health educators.  Journal of diabetes and its complications. 2016; 30(2):300-5

Tanenbaum ML, Leventhal H, Breland JY, Yu J, Walker EA, Gonzalez JS.  Successful self-management among non-insulin-treated adults with Type 2 diabetes: a self-regulation perspective.  Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association. 2015; 32(11):1504-12.

Walker EA, Silver L, Chamany S, Schechter CB, Gonzalez JS, Carrasco J, Powell D, Berger D, Basch CE. Baseline Characteristics and Latino vs. Non-Latino Contrasts Among Bronx A1c Study Participants. West J Nurs Res, 2014, 36(9):1030-51. 

Schechter CB, Cohen H, Shmukler C, Walker EA:  Intervention Costs and cost effectiveness of a successful telephonic intervention to promote diabetes control.  Diabetes Care 2012, 35:2156-60.  

Schechter CB, Ortega F, Rosen R, Wylie-Rosett J, Walker EA.  Dietary patterns in blacks and Hispanics with diagnosed diabetes in New York City’s South Bronx.  Am J Clin Nutr 2013, 97: 1-8.  

Shreck E, Gonzalez JS, Cohen HW, Walker EA.  Risk Perception and Self-Management in Urban, Diverse Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: The Improving Diabetes Outcomes Study.  Int J Behav Med Feb 6, 2013 [Epub ahead of print].  

Scollan-Koliopoulos M, Walker EA, Rapp KJ. Self-regulation Theory and the Multigenerational Legacy of Diabetes. The Diabetes Educ, 2011, 37(5): 669-79.

Walker EA, Shmukler C, Ullman R, Scollan-Koliopoulos M, Blanco,E, Cohen HW: A Successful telephonic Intervention to Improve Diabetes Control in Urban Adults: A Randomized Trial. Diabetes Care 2011, 34:2-8.

Cohen HW, Shmukler C, Ullman R, Rivera C, Walker EA. Medication adherence among diabetes patients with uncontrolled HbA_1c. Diabetic Medicine 2010, 27:210-216

Comellas M, Walker EA, Movsas S, Merkin S, Zonszein J, Strelnick H. Training community health promoters to implement diabetes self-management support programs for urban minority adults. The Diabetes Educ, 2010; 36:141-151.

Barnhart MJ, Walker EA, et al: Cardiovascular risk perception. Am J Health Promotion 23, 339-42, 2009.

Schechter CB, Basch CE, Caban A, Walker EA: Cost effectiveness of a telephone intervention to promote dilated fundus examination in adults with diabetes mellitus. Clin Ophthal 34, 185-91,2008.

Walker EA, Schechter CB, Caban A, Basch CE: Telephone intervention to promote diabetic retinopathy screening in the urban poor. Am J Prev Med 34 (3) 185-191, 2008.

Caban A, Walker EA, Sanchez S, Mera M: It feels like home when you have rice and beans: Perspectives of Hispanics living with diabetes. Diabetes Spectrum 21,120-127, 2008.

Kim C, McEwen LN, Piette JD, Goewey J, Ferrara A, Walker EA: Risk perception for diabetes among women with histories of gestational diabetes. Diabetes Care 30:2281-86, 2007.

Scollan-Koliopoulos M, O'Connell K, Walker EA: Legacy of diabetes and self-care behavior. Res Nurs Health 30:508-517, 2007.

Walker EA, Caban A, Schechter CB et al: Measuring comparative risk perceptions in an urban minority population. The Diabetes Educ 33:103-110, 2007.

Walker EA, Molitch M, Kramer MK et al for the DPP Research Group: Adherence to preventive medications: Predictors and outcomes in the Diabetes Prevention Program. Diabetes Care 29:1997-2002, 2006.

Caban A, Walker EA: A systematic review of cultural issues relevant to Hispanics with diabetes. The Diabetes Educ 32:584-595, 2006.

Scollan-Koliopoulis M, O’Connell K, Walker EA: Asessing legacies of diabetes: Recollections of family members’ illness representations and outcomes. J Theory Construction & Testing. 9:40-49, 2006.

Walker EA: Understanding the individual’s health behaviors and choices. In The Art and Science of Diabetes Self-Management Education. Mensing C, Walker EA, Cypress M, Haltenson C, Mc Loughlin S (Eds). Pp. 1-5, American Association of Diabetes Educators, Chicago, IL, 2006.

Scollan-Koliopoulis M, Guadagno S, Walker EA: Gestational diabetes management: Guidelines to a healthy pregnancy. The Nurse Practitioner 31:14-23, 2006.

Caban A, Walker EA, Schechter CB: Depression, Discrimination and Quality of Life for Urban Hispanics. Diabetes Suppl 1, 55: A421, 2006.

Caban A, Walker EA, Schechter CB: Risk perceptions and depressed mood among Hispanics with diabetes. Diabetes Suppl 1, A468, 2005.

Walker EA, Caban A, Basch CE, Schechter CB, Blanco E, DeWitt T, Mojica G, Kalten M: Results of a behavioral intervention study to improve retinopathy screening rates. Diabetes 2005 Suppl 1, A231.

Scollan-Koliopoulis M, O’Connell K, Walker EA: Multigenerational legacies of diabetes and illness representation: A useful framework for facilitating health behavior. Clinical Nurse Specialist 19:302-307, 2005.

Caban A, Walker E, Zonszein J: Management of type 2 diabetes in the Hispanic community: Overcoming barriers. Caring for Hispanic Patients: J Am Acad Fam Physicians 1:23-28, 2004.

Walker EA: Comparative risk perceptions of diabetes and its complications. Proceedings of the Society of Risk Analysis, p.121, Dec 2004.

Walker EA for the DPP Research Group: Medication Adherence in the Diabetes Prevention Program. Diabetologica 46:A87, 2003.

Walker EA, Mertz CK, Kalten MK, Flynn J: Risk perception for developing diabetes: Comparative risk judgments of physicians. Diabetes Care 26:2543-2548, 2003.

Walker EA, Usher JA: Understanding and enhancing adherence in adults with diabetes. Current Diabetes Reports 3:141-148, 2003.

Walker EA, Wylie-Rosett J, Shamoon H: Health education for diabetes self-management. In D. Porte, R. Sherwin, A. Baron (Eds): Ellenberg and Rifkin's Diabetes Mellitus (6th ed), New York: McGraw-Hill, (pp. 983-991), 2003.

Knowler W, Barrett-Connor E, Fowler S, Hamman R, Lachin J, Walker EA et al.: Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle modification or metformin. N Engl J Med 346:393-403, 2002.

Fisher EB, Walker EA, Bostrum A, Fischoff B, Haire-Joshu D, Johnson SB: Behavioral science research in prevention of diabetes: Status and opportunities. Diabetes Care 25:599-606, 2002.

Walker EA, Basch CE, Zybert PA: What is the sensitivity and specificity of self-report of retinopathy screening? Diabetes Care 25:933-934, 2002.

Walker EA. Preventing type 2 diabetes in adults. In R. Rubin and B. Anderson (Eds). Practical Psychology for Diabetes Clinicians. (pp.181-190). Alexandria, VA: American Diabetes Association, 2002.