About

Lora L. Sabin, PhD, is a professor of global health in the Department of Global Health at Boston University School of Public Health. Since joining the school in 2001, she has conducted applied research on behavioral interventions and applied economics related to HIV, malaria, and other infectious diseases, as well as child, adolescent, and maternal health in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Her current and recent major projects include assessing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve HIV treatment and retention outcomes in South Africa, analyzing the cost-effectiveness of health interventions for veterans across the US, designing HIV treatment interventions for adolescents in Kenya, evaluating the implementation of long-acting injectable HIV treatments in US urban centers, studying hospital quality improvement in Ghana, and assessing HIV treatment retention strategies among pregnant and postpartum women in Uganda. She also evaluates interactive text messaging to improve knowledge and continuing medical education among community-based health workers and HIV providers in Vietnam. In addition to her research, Dr. Sabin serves as the Director of the school’s Program Management certificate and teaches courses in health economics, program management in global settings, and poverty, health, and development. She co-directs a module on data, determinants, and decision-making for public health in the school’s online MPH program. Her background includes a MA in East Asian Studies and a PhD in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University, and she has lived in East Asia for ten years, teaching at universities and academic centers in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Nursing
• Family medicine
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Medicine
• Public relations
• Internal medicine
• Environmental health
• Psychotherapist
• Psychiatry
• Obstetrics

Selected publications

• Additional file 1 of Cost of diabetes and hypertension care among patients in rural Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

  Figshare · 2026-02-04

  articleOpen access

  Supplementary Material 1.

  PublisherDOI

• Additional file 3 of Service availability and readiness for diabetes and hypertension care among health facilities in Lagos State, Nigeria

  Figshare · 2026-03-19

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Supplementary Material 3

  PublisherDOI

• Qualitative Data from the WiseMama Uganda Study

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-03-09

  datasetOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Service availability and readiness for diabetes and hypertension care among health facilities in Lagos State, Nigeria

  BMC Primary Care · 2026-03-19

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  More than 80% of the global premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) occurs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Nigeria, like most LMICs, has limited capacity to respond to diabetes and hypertension. As the Lagos State government accelerates the rollout of its mandatory health insurance, Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS), the number of individuals with diabetes and hypertension seeking care will increase. This study aimed to determine service availability and service readiness for diabetes and hypertension among health facilities providing primary care for these conditions in Lagos State, and to explore the facility characteristics associated with service readiness. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 84 facilities enrolled in the baseline study of an impact evaluation of the Lagos State Health Scheme. We collected data using relevant modules of the World Health Organization’s Harmonized Health Facility Assessment tool. Service availability was defined as providing diagnosis or treatment for either condition, and service readiness scores were calculated as the proportion of tracer items available and functional at the facility on the survey day. Further, we used a multiple linear regression model to estimate associations between facility characteristics and service readiness. Service availability for both conditions was high. The mean diabetes and hypertension service readiness scores were 69% and 66%, respectively. The percentage of fully ready healthcare facilities was very low (2.6% for diabetes and 2.5% for hypertension). The staff and guidelines domain received the lowest score for both conditions. There was no association between service readiness and LSHS empanelment status. Providing only outpatient services had a negative association with service readiness for both conditions. Participation in a quality improvement program had a positive association with hypertension service readiness score. While the mean service readiness scores for diabetes and hypertension were moderately high among sampled health facilities, only a very small percentage were fully service ready. There were critical deficits in service readiness domains that must be addressed to ensure the required inputs for high-quality diabetes and hypertension care is available in the State.

  PublisherDOI

• Cost of diabetes and hypertension care among patients in rural Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

  BMC Public Health · 2026-02-04

  articleOpen access

  Hypertension and diabetes impose significant health and economic burdens in low-and middle-income countries like Bangladesh. This study aimed to estimate both direct and indirect costs associated with hypertension and diabetes care in Dinajpur, a rural district of Bangladesh, and identify factors influencing these costs. This cross-sectional study used baseline data from a community survey conducted as part of an ongoing implementation research project. A multistage cluster sampling approach was used to randomly select adults aged 40 years and above from 45 wards across three subdistricts of Dinajpur. The analysis included 832 individuals who reported being on medication for hypertension (n = 635) and/or diabetes (n = 335). Data were collected through structured questionnaires, capturing direct (medical and non-medical) and indirect costs (productivity losses). Descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon rank-sum, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for univariate analyses. Multivariate linear regression models with log-transformed cost data were used to identify cost determinants. The average monthly total cost per patient was BDT 1,308 (USD 10.8) for hypertension and BDT 2,064 (USD 17.1) for diabetes. For both conditions, direct medical costs accounted for around 80% of total costs (60% for medicines), direct non-medical costs around 11% (mostly food and travel), and indirect costs approximately 9%. Direct costs were lower at public facilities compared to private dispensaries (Hypertension: GMR 0.46, 95% CI 0.33–0.64; Diabetes: GMR 0.15, 95% CI 0.10–0.24), while higher costs were observed for private clinics and NGO facilities. Level of education was associated with higher direct costs, particularly among patients with primary or secondary or higher education. Comorbidities were also associated with higher direct costs: in hypertension, cardiovascular disease (GMR 1.78, 95% CI 1.35–2.35) and high cholesterol (GMR 2.16, 95% CI 1.49–3.14) increased direct costs, with similar associations for diabetes costs. Indirect costs, reflecting productivity losses, were higher for private clinics, public facilities, and NGO facilities compared to private dispensaries. In the sample taken from a rural region from Bangladesh, hypertension and diabetes care entails a considerable financial burden, driven largely by medicine costs and reliance on private healthcare providers. Improved access to essential services and financial protection strategies are needed to reduce out-of-pocket expenditures.

  PublisherDOI

• Additional file 1 of Service availability and readiness for diabetes and hypertension care among health facilities in Lagos State, Nigeria

  Figshare · 2026-03-19

  datasetOpen accessSenior author

  Supplementary Material 1

  PublisherDOI

• Cost of diabetes and hypertension care among patients in rural Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

  Figshare · 2026-02-04

  otherOpen access

  Abstract Background Hypertension and diabetes impose significant health and economic burdens in low-and middle-income countries like Bangladesh. This study aimed to estimate both direct and indirect costs associated with hypertension and diabetes care in Dinajpur, a rural district of Bangladesh, and identify factors influencing these costs. Methods This cross-sectional study used baseline data from a community survey conducted as part of an ongoing implementation research project. A multistage cluster sampling approach was used to randomly select adults aged 40 years and above from 45 wards across three subdistricts of Dinajpur. The analysis included 832 individuals who reported being on medication for hypertension (n = 635) and/or diabetes (n = 335). Data were collected through structured questionnaires, capturing direct (medical and non-medical) and indirect costs (productivity losses). Descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon rank-sum, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for univariate analyses. Multivariate linear regression models with log-transformed cost data were used to identify cost determinants. Results The average monthly total cost per patient was BDT 1,308 (USD 10.8) for hypertension and BDT 2,064 (USD 17.1) for diabetes. For both conditions, direct medical costs accounted for around 80% of total costs (60% for medicines), direct non-medical costs around 11% (mostly food and travel), and indirect costs approximately 9%. Direct costs were lower at public facilities compared to private dispensaries (Hypertension: GMR 0.46, 95% CI 0.33–0.64; Diabetes: GMR 0.15, 95% CI 0.10–0.24), while higher costs were observed for private clinics and NGO facilities. Level of education was associated with higher direct costs, particularly among patients with primary or secondary or higher education. Comorbidities were also associated with higher direct costs: in hypertension, cardiovascular disease (GMR 1.78, 95% CI 1.35–2.35) and high cholesterol (GMR 2.16, 95% CI 1.49–3.14) increased direct costs, with similar associations for diabetes costs. Indirect costs, reflecting productivity losses, were higher for private clinics, public facilities, and NGO facilities compared to private dispensaries. Conclusions In the sample taken from a rural region from Bangladesh, hypertension and diabetes care entails a considerable financial burden, driven largely by medicine costs and reliance on private healthcare providers. Improved access to essential services and financial protection strategies are needed to reduce out-of-pocket expenditures.

  PublisherDOI

• Additional file 2 of Service availability and readiness for diabetes and hypertension care among health facilities in Lagos State, Nigeria

  Figshare · 2026-03-19

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Supplementary Material 2

  PublisherDOI

• Socioeconomic inequality in hypertension prevalence and care continuum: evidence from rural Bangladesh

  Research Square · 2026-02-03

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Aligning Definitions with Realities: An Interpretive Descriptive Study on the Complexities of Measuring Retention in HIV Care in the Global Context

  medRxiv · 2026-02-16 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Background Retention in HIV care is associated with higher rates of antiretroviral treatment adherence and viral suppression, as well as lower risk of AIDS-related morbidity and mortality. However, the multidimensional nature of retention complicates measurement standardization, limiting comparability and global evaluation. This study explored how HIV stakeholders define and assess retention, aiming to develop a patient-centred and conceptually robust understanding to inform research and practice. Methods We conducted a qualitative study using Interpretive Description (ID) methodology, an applied qualitative approach designed to generate practice-relevant knowledge in health research. We purposively sampled 20 stakeholders representing diverse areas of expertise and geographic regions across World Bank country income classifications. We conducted, video-recorded, and transcribed in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Using constant comparative analysis (CCA), we identified recurring, convergent, and contradictory patterns. Results The analysis identified five overarching themes. The first two, exploratory themes, included: Patient-Centred Understanding of Retention in HIV Care, which captured how stakeholders conceptualized retention in their respective contexts, and Operationalization of Retention Measures, which explored the key components used to measure retention. The next two, explanatory themes, included Purpose-Driven Definitions of Retention , which described how retention measures were selected based on their intended use; and Building Capacity through Shared Understanding and Integrated Action , which emphasized retention as a cyclical, interconnected process dependent on collaboration between patients and health systems. The final, prescriptive theme, Advancements Shaping Retention , reflected stakeholders’ shared vision of improving retention through innovations in HIV treatment and technology. Conclusions The findings suggest that stakeholders operationalize retention measures in line with specific objectives and individual health goals, while remaining attentive to contextual realities. Retention measures should remain flexible and patient-centred, rather than relying on a single rigid standard.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R34DA032423

  NIH · $670k · 2015

Frequent coauthors

• Davidson H. Hamer

  Boston University

  85 shared

• Christopher Gill

  59 shared

• Mary Bachman DeSilva

  49 shared

• Neeru Singh

  National Institute for Research in Tribal Health

  40 shared

• Kojo Yeboah‐Antwi

  38 shared

• Mohamad I. Brooks

  Pathfinder International

  34 shared

• Jessica E. Haberer

  Harvard University

  31 shared

• William MacLeod

  Boston University

  30 shared

Education

• Political Economy and Government, Economics and Government

  Harvard University

  1995