Yvonne Commodore-Mensah

PhD, MHS, BSN, RN

FAAN, FAHA, FPCNA

Associate Dean, Research

Director for Local/Global Reciprocal Innovation, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity

Dr. Yvonne Commodore-Mensah is a renowned cardiovascular nurse epidemiologist with national and international recognition. Her research focuses on reducing cardiovascular disease risk among African populations both in the United States and Africa through community-engaged research and implementation science. With expertise in immigrant health, global health, cardiovascular disease epidemiology, and social determinants of health, Dr. Commodore-Mensah leads groundbreaking studies to improve cardiovascular outcomes. She serves as the principal investigator for several significant projects, including the ADHINCRA Program, a randomized control trial addressing hypertension control in Africa, and the LINKED-BP and LINKED-HEARTS Programs, which are cluster-randomized controlled trials implementing multi-level interventions to enhance hypertension control and chronic condition management in primary care settings in the United States.

Her contributions to the field have earned her fellowships and awards from the American Academy of Nursing, American Heart Association, and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association. Her leadership extends to serving on the boards of several prestigious organizations, including the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, Greater Baltimore and Maryland American Heart Association, Horizon Foundation, and the Nursing is STEM Coalition. As President and Co-founder of the Ghanaian-Diaspora Nursing Alliance (G-DNA), she works to advance nursing and healthcare in Ghana. Dr. Commodore-Mensah directs the Glocal Cardiovascular Health Equity Lab and co-directs the Cardiometabolic Health Interest Group at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. Through her research, leadership, mentorship and advocacy, she continues to make significant strides in advancing cardiovascular health equity and promoting better health outcomes for African communities worldwide

JHU Center Affiliation:
Center for Cardiovascular & Chronic Care
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity
Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research

Full CV

[email protected]

@ycommodore

Specialties and Expertise

Cardiovascular
Chronic Care
Community
Disparities
Equity
Global
Health Technology
Obesity
Public Health
Research Design
Social Determinants of Health

Food as Medicine Gathering at Hopkins Bloomberg Center to Empower Black Entrepreneurs The Black Wall Street Times October 10, 2024

The Wright Center Earns National Recognition for Blood Pressure Control The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce October 1, 2024

Nation of Lifesavers Pavilion during Congressional Black Caucus Annual Conference inspiring policy change American Heart Association September 11, 2024

Food as Medicine Gathering at Hopkins Bloomberg Center to Empower Black Entrepreneurs The Black Wall Street Times October 10, 2024

The Wright Center Earns National Recognition for Blood Pressure Control The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce October 1, 2024

Nation of Lifesavers Pavilion during Congressional Black Caucus Annual Conference inspiring policy change American Heart Association September 11, 2024

The rules for measuring blood pressure – and why they exist ArcaMax July 31, 2024

Johns Hopkins announces funding for 40 Washington, D.C.-based events, projects Hub – Johns Hopkins University May 21, 2024

Why You Might Have a Higher Risk of Heart Disease as a Black Person—And What to Do About It SELF December 20, 2023

Publications

Baptiste DL, Turkson-Ocran RA, Ogungbe O, Koirala B, Francis L, Spaulding EM, Dennison Himmelfarb C, Commodore-Mensah Y (2022). Heterogeneity in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Prevalence Among White, African American, African Immigrant, and Afro-Caribbean Adults: Insights From the 2010-2018 National Health Interview Survey. J Am Heart Assoc. Sep 20;11(18):e025235. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.122.025235. Epub 2022 Sep 8. PMID: 36073627.

Khoong EC, Commodore-Mensah Y, Lyles CR, Fontil V (2022). Use of Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring to Improve Hypertension Equity. Curr Hypertens Rep. Aug 24:1–15. doi: 10.1007/s11906-022-01218-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36001268; PMCID: PMC9399977.

Mensah D, Ogungbe O, Turkson-Ocran RN, Onuoha C, Byiringiro S, Nmezi NA, Mannoh I, Wecker E, Madu EN, Commodore-Mensah Y (2022). The Cardiometabolic Health of African Immigrants in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. Jun 29;19(13):7959. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19137959. PMID: 35805618; PMCID: PMC9265760.

Ogungbe O, Commodore-Mensah Y, Dennison Himmelfarb CR, Ferguson C, Martin K, Davidson PM (2022). COVID-19: Lessons Learned and a Need for Data Driven Decision Making. Heart Lung Circ. 2022 Jul;31(7):905-909. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2022.05.004. PMID: 35752453; PMCID: PMC9221316.

Baptiste, D. , Turkson-Ocran, R. A., Dennison Himmelfarb, C. R., & Han, H. R. CommodoreMensah, Y. (2021). Social Determinants of Emergency Department Visits among Persons diagnosed with Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke: An Analysis of the 2010-2018 National Health Interview Surveys. Ethnicity & Disease. 31(1):41-46; doi:10.18865/ed.31.1.41. PMID: 33519154

Commodore-Mensah Y, Turkson-Ocran RA, Foti K, Cooper LA, Himmelfarb CD (2021). Associations between Social Determinants and Hypertension, Stage 2 Hypertension and Controlled Blood Pressure among Men and Women in the US. Am J Hypertens. 2021 Jan 11:hpab011. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpab011. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33428705.

Oruche U, Liu J, Otey T, Hone A, Okwuchukwu I, Commodore-Mensah Y. (2020). Engaging Communities to Improve Healthcare for Non-communicable Diseases: Notes from the Field in Southeastern Nigeria. Engage! 1(3). https://doi.org/10.18060/24148

Mobula LM, Heller DJ, Commodore-Mensah Y, Walker Harris V, Cooper LA. (2020). Protecting the vulnerable during COVID-19: Treating and preventing chronic disease disparities. Gates Open Res. Sep 9;4:125. doi: 10.12688/gatesopenres.13181.1. eCollection 2020. PMCID: PMC7578408. PMID: 33117965

Commodore-Mensah Y, Hill M, Allen J, Cooper LA, Blumenthal R, Agyemang C, Himmelfarb CD. (2016). Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Disease Risk of Ghanaian- and Nigerian-Born West African Immigrants in the United States: The Afro-Cardiac Study. J Am Heart Assoc.</em>;5(2).

Commodore-Mensah Y, Himmelfarb CD, Agyemang C, Sumner AE. (2015). Cardiometabolic Health in African Immigrants to the United States: A Call to Re-examine Research on African-descent populations. Ethn Dis.</em>;25(3):373-80.

Commodore-Mensah Y, Sampah M, Berko C, Cudjoe J, Abu-Bonsrah N, Obisesan O, Agyemang C, Adeyemo A, Himmelfarb CD. (2015). The Afro-Cardiac Study: Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Acculturation in West African Immigrants in the United States: Rationale and Study Design. J Immigr Minor Health. 2015 Oct 1. [Epub ahead of print]

Himmelfarb CR, Commodore-Mensah Y, Hill MN. (2016). Expanding the Role of Nurses to Improve Hypertension Care and Control Globally. Ann Glob Health. 2016 Mar-Apr;82(2):243-53.

Samuel LJ, Commodore-Mensah Y, Himmelfarb CR. (2014). Developing Behavioral Theory With the Systematic Integration of Community Social Capital Concepts. Health Educ Behav. 2014 Aug;41(4):359-75. Epub 2013 Oct 2.

2020 World Heart Federation Salim Yusuf Emerging Leaders Programme

2019 Fellow, American Academy of Nursing

2019-present Fellow, American Heart Association, Council on Cardiovascular Nursing

2018-present Fellow, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association 2019 Miriam E. Brailey Award, The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

2018 Nancy Fink Award, The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

2016 Martha N. Hill New Investigator Award, American Heart Association

2015 Dissertation Award—Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing

2015 Lawrence W. Green Paper of the Year Award—Samuel, L.J, Commodore- Mensah, Y., Himmelfarb, C.R (2013). “Developing behavioral theory with the systematic integration of neighborhood social capital concepts,” Health Educ Behavior

2014 Winning Abstract Award (Data-based Category)—Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Conference

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