About

Paul L. Geltman is an Associate Professor of Health Policy and Health Services Research at the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. He holds an MD and an MPH in Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, both obtained in 1991. His academic and professional focus is on health policy and health services research, contributing to the development and implementation of policies aimed at improving healthcare delivery and outcomes. Based at the Boston University campus, he is involved in teaching, research, and community service within the dental school's framework.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Business
• Medicine
• Environmental health
• Nursing

Selected publications

• Factors Associated with Development of Tuberculosis Disease Among Refugees, Massachusetts, 2008–2018

  Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health · 2022-04-30

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Domestic Health Assessment

  Springer eBooks · 2020 · 3 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Business
  PublisherDOI

• Potential Impact of COVID-19 on Recently Resettled Refugee Populations in the United States and Canada: Perspectives of Refugee Healthcare Providers

  Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health · 2020 · 70 citations

  • Political Science
  • Medicine
  • Political Science
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The basic research factors questionnaire for studying early childhood caries

  UNC Libraries · 2019-08-18

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Background We describe development of the Early Childhood Caries (ECC) Basic Research Factors Questionnaire (BRFQ), a battery of measures assessing common potential predictors, mediators, and moderators of ECC. Individual-, family-, and community-level factors that are linked to oral health outcomes across at-risk populations are included. Developing standard measures of factors implicated in ECC has the potential to enhance our ability to understand mechanisms underlying successful prevention and to develop more effective interventions. Methods The Early Childhood Caries Collaborating Centers (EC4), funded by National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, developed the BRFQ, which was used across four randomized trials to develop and test interventions for reducing ECC in at-risk populations. Forty-five investigators from across the centers and NIDCR were involved in the development process. Eight “measures working groups” identified relevant constructs and effective measurement approaches, which were then categorized as “essential” or “optional” common data elements (CDEs) for the EC4 projects. Results Essential CDEs include 88 items, with an additional 177 measures categorized as optional CDEs. Essential CDEs fell under the following domains: oral health knowledge, oral health behavior, utilization/insurance and cost, parent/caregiver dental self-efficacy, quality of life, caregiver and family characteristics, and child characteristics. Conclusions The BRFQ makes available a battery of measures that support efforts to understand population risk factors for ECC and to compare oral health outcomes across populations at risk. The BRFQ development process may be useful to other clinical research networks and consortia developing CDEs in other health research fields. Trial registration All the trial that used the BRFQ were registered at Clinicaltrial.gov NCT01116726 , April 29, 2010; NCT01116739 , May 3, 2010; NCT01129440 , May 21, 2010; and NCT01205971 , September 19, 2010.

  PublisherDOI

• Trends in Elevated Blood Lead Levels Using 5 and 10 µg/dL Levels of Concern Among Refugee Children Resettled in Massachusetts, 1998-2015

  Public Health Reports · 2019-09-20 · 11 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVES: Refugee children are known to have a high prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs). We sought to determine trends in EBLLs among refugee children during an 18-year period and examine relationships between descriptive characteristics and EBLLs by using 10 µg/dL and 5 µg/dL levels of concern. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated refugee health screening data from Massachusetts for 1998 through 2015 for refugee children aged <7 years. We performed bivariate and multivariate analyses of variables including sex, age, region of origin, anemia, intestinal parasites, tuberculosis test results, and anthropometric measurements and used both 5 µg/dL and 10 µg/dL levels of concern for EBLLs. RESULTS: Of 3421 eligible refugee children, 3054 (88.2%) were tested. Using 5 µg/dL and 10 µg/dL levels of concern, 1279 (41.9%) and 241 (7.9%) children, respectively, had EBLLs. Mean BLLs declined steadily from 7.58 µg/dL in 2004 to 4.03 µg/dL in 2015. African (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.81-3.43), East Asian and Pacific (aOR = 1.98; 95% CI, 1.35-2.91), and South-Central Asian (aOR = 2.47; 95% CI, 1.53-4.01) regions of origin and anemia (aOR = 1.50; 95% CI, 1.14 -1.97) were significantly associated with BLLs ≥5 µg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of EBLLs among refugees compared with US-born children is high. Because EBBLs increase the risk for neurocognitive impairment in children, public health professionals, policy makers, researchers, refugee resettlement staff members, and health care providers must remain vigilant in screening for lead poisoning and educating refugees about the hazards posed to young children by lead.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Recovery From Malnutrition Among Refugee Children Following Participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program in Massachusetts, 1998-2010

  Journal of Public Health Management and Practice · 2019-04-09 · 7 citations

  articleSenior author

  OBJECTIVES: (1) To examine patterns of catch-up growth and anemia correction in refugee children younger than 5 years after participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, and (2) to identify factors associated with recovery from growth abnormalities. DESIGN: Records on 1731 refugee children younger than 5 years who arrived in Massachusetts between 1998-2010 were matched to WIC program records and then restricted to 779 children who had at least 2 WIC visits. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine how sex affected time to recovery from malnutrition and anemia. Factors associated with recovery were analyzed in SAS using multivariate logistic regression. SETTING: Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Refugee children younger than 5 years on arrival, who visited a WIC program at least twice between 1998 and 2010. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Proportion of children who recovered from low height-for-age (stunting), low weight-for-age, low weight-for-height (wasting), and anemia; (2) odds ratios for factors associated with recovery; and (3) Kaplan-Meier curves showing recovery over time from low height-for-age, low weight-for-age, and low weight-for-height. RESULTS: The number of WIC visits was associated with recovery from stunting, wasting, low weight-for-age, and anemia; results reached statistical significance for stunting (odds ratio [OR] = 8.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.25-33.19), low weight-for-age (OR = 5.28; 95% CI, 1.35-20.73), and anemia (OR = 6.50; 95% CI, 2.69-15.69). Female sex was associated with recovery from stunting, wasting, and low weight-for-age, whereas male sex was associated with recovery from anemia; the associations were statistically significant between female sex and stunting (OR = 9.14; 95% CI, 1.93-43.29), wasting (OR = 14.78; 95% CI, 1.57-138.85), and low weight-for-age (OR = 4.29; 95% CI, 1.09-16.79). CONCLUSIONS: Children who remained engaged in WIC may recover better from malnutrition than children with fewer WIC visits, although there are limitations to the available data.These findings suggest that those working with refugee families should prioritize outreach toward initiating and maintaining WIC program enrollment for eligible refugee children.

  PublisherDOI

• Families New to the United States

  American Academy of Pediatrics eBooks · 2018-09-05

  book-chapter

  This ground-breaking resource focuses on primary and secondary prevention, guiding pediatric care clinicians in incorporating mental health screening and surveillance into well child visits and provides evidence-based interventions to care for children and adolescents with mental health issues.https://shop.aap.org/promoting-mental-health-in-children-and-adolescents-paperback/

  PublisherDOI

• Refugee Children's Participation in the Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Nutrition (WIC) Program in Massachusetts, 1998-2010

  Journal of Public Health Management and Practice · 2018-04-18 · 8 citations

  articleSenior author

  OBJECTIVES: To (1) describe prevalence of growth abnormalities and anemia in refugee children; (2) describe the proportion of age-eligible refugee children enrolled in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and (3) identify risk factors for lack of enrollment in WIC. DESIGN: Data were collected from 1731 health screenings for refugee children younger than 5 years in Massachusetts in 1998-2010 and matched to WIC program records. Risk factors for lack of WIC enrollment were analyzed in SAS using multivariate logistic regression. SETTING: Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Refugee children under age 5 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) prevalence of growth abnormalities and anemia in refugee children, (2) proportion of age-eligible refugee children enrolled in WIC, and (3) association of risk factors with lack of WIC enrollment. RESULTS: Overall, 33% of refugee children under age 5 in Massachusetts had at least 1 growth and nutrition problem, including anemia (31%), stunting (10%), wasting (8%), and low weight for age (10%). WIC enrollment among refugee children under 5 years of age was only 62%, lower than that of all eligible children under 5 in Massachusetts (86%). Risk factors for lack of WIC enrollment among refugee children included age, world region of origin, and arrival cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Although many refugee children under age 5 experience growth or nutrition problems, one-third of refugee children in Massachusetts were not enrolled in WIC for nutrition assistance, representing a failure of the system. Agencies providing services at the local level should be supported to facilitate enrollment and participation for shared clients.

  PublisherDOI

• Relationships Between English Language Proficiency, Health Literacy, and Health Outcomes in Somali Refugees

  Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health · 2018-06-15 · 17 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Giving It Our Best Shot? Human Papillomavirus and Hepatitis B Virus Immunization Among Refugees, Massachusetts, 2011–2013

  Preventing Chronic Disease · 2017-06-15 · 27 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  INTRODUCTION: The receipt rate of hepatitis B virus vaccine among adolescents in the United States is high, while the receipt rate of human papillomavirus vaccine is low. Rates have not been closely studied among refugees, whose home countries have high rates of disease caused by these viruses. METHODS: We examined human papillomavirus and hepatitis B virus immunization rates among 2,269 refugees aged 9 to 26 years who resettled in Massachusetts from 2011 through 2013. This was a secondary analysis of data from their medical screenings. We used binary logistic regression to assess characteristics associated with immunization and bivariate analyses to compare refugee immunization rates with those of the general US population. RESULTS: Forty-five percent of US adolescents aged 13 to 17 years received 1 dose of human papillomavirus vaccine, compared with 68% of similarly aged refugees. Males (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-0.74), refugees older than 13 years (aOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.60-0.93), and refugees not from Sub-Saharan Africa (aOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59-0.92) were less likely to receive human papillomavirus vaccine, while arrivals in 2012 through 2013 were more likely (aOR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-1.9) than those arriving in 2011. Refugees older than 13 years were less likely to receive 2 doses of hepatitis B virus vaccine (aOR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.37-0.63) than older refugees. CONCLUSION: Specialized post-arrival health assessment may improve refugees' immunization rates.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R01DE017716

  NIH · $1.5M · 2013

Frequent coauthors

• Jennifer Cochran

  Massachusetts Department of Public Health

  140 shared

• Laura Smock

  Massachusetts Department of Public Health

  114 shared

• Thinh Nguyen

  North Carolina State University

  109 shared

• Elizabeth Metallinos‐Katsaras

  106 shared

• Hema Magge

  Brigham and Women's Hospital

  81 shared

• MaryKate Martelon

  Massachusetts General Hospital

  25 shared

• Heidi Ellis

  Boston Children's Hospital

  18 shared

• Nancy R. Kressin

  Boston University

  14 shared

Education

• M.D.

  George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

  1991

• Other, Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine

  George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

  1991