The research perspective
“I’ve spent years studying public health, research, and disability. My academic work has included research on disability and maternal health.”
Research, Lived.
by Dr. Naomi Patterson
Where research meets lived experience. A public health researcher living with multiple sclerosis, writing about disability, health and everyday life through both lenses.
01 / Two lenses
The lived perspective
“I live with multiple sclerosis. Depending on the day, and sometimes depending on what I’m doing, I may use a wheelchair, a walker, or another mobility aid.”
Both, in conversation
“I’m interested in what we learn when we put those perspectives in conversation with each other. That’s where Research, Lived begins.”
Research matters. Evidence matters. But lived experience matters, too. Real life doesn’t always fit neatly into a study.
02 / About Naomi
Turning complex data into insights that improve health.
I’m a public health researcher with a PhD and a strong foundation in data analysis, health trends, and translating complex findings into useful insights. Much of my work has involved identifying patterns in large datasets.
I also live with multiple sclerosis. So I find myself in an interesting position: someone who studies disability and health while also living with a disability myself.
- PhD, Public Health
- Tulane University, 2024
- MPH, Global Health
- Emory University, Infectious Disease
- Doctoral Fellow
- Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health, Tulane
- Writer
- Research, Lived. on Substack
03 / Writing
Essays from Research, Lived.
Honest conversations about health, disability, research and life. New essays on Tuesdays.
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The sign is mine
Living with the visibility of mobility aids.
“I walked around feeling like there was a sign following me. Disabled. Flashing above my head… But that sign is mine. I put it there.”
Getting my independence back?
What does independence actually mean when you’re not sure you have it?
“In the end, independence is a mixture of stubbornness and pride for me, and that’s a definition of independence I can live with.”
Why I’m here
What happens when research and lived experience are part of the same conversation?
“Mostly, though, I want this to be a place for honest conversations about health, disability, research, and life.”
“The sign is mine.”
04 / What I write about
Three ways in.
Living it
Disability, identity and everyday life: diagnosis, independence, mobility aids, fear, grief and language.
Understanding it
Science and its limits: research versus reality, healthcare and public health.
Questioning it
Accessibility and curiosity: everyday access, technology and AI, medication advertising and reader questions.
05 / Research path
From the lab bench to lived evidence.
- Data analysis
- SAS
- REDCap
- Qualitative interviewing
- Scientific writing
- Health equity
2021 – 2024
Doctoral Fellow
Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Worked to promote health equity within the Tulane University Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health (CEMCH).
2019 – 2024
PhD, Public Health
Tulane University, Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Social, Behavioral, and Population Sciences.
2020
Research Associate
Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Conducted qualitative interviews with community members to evaluate perceived risk and compliance with recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2017
Laboratory Intern
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
Composed and edited a 22-page manuscript on lessons learned from polio vaccination programs, applied to rotavirus vaccination programs and control.
2016 – 2018
MPH, Global Health
Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
Infectious Disease concentration. Thesis: The Impact of Immune Activation on BCG Vaccine Response.
2016 – 2017
Data Analyst
Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
Analyzed and cleaned data in REDCap to evaluate long-term health and pregnancy outcomes of adults diagnosed with heart defects as children.
2011 – 2015
Laboratory Assistant
Williams College
Synthesized and presented research on the immune response of the Arabidopsis plant to agrobacterium infection.
06 / Work with Naomi
Evidence, explained by someone who lives it.
- 01Research communication
- 02Evidence reviews
- 03Lived-experience advisory
- 04Speaking & panels
- 05Commissioned writing
Every project is scoped individually. Funding and conflicts are disclosed, and sponsors cannot buy conclusions.