About

Dr. Kiana T. Murphy is a scholar-artist and Assistant Professor of American Studies at Brown University. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in English, and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in English, Creative Writing, and Sociology. Her work bridges Black speculative aesthetics, Black girlhood studies, Black feminism, visual cultures, and archives of Black women writers. She has been a Huntington Library Mellon Fellow researching in the Octavia Butler archives and is a fellow for the Center for Black, Brown, and Queer Studies (BBQ+). Her scholarly and creative work examines the significance of speculative aesthetics in African American literary and cultural production across the 20th and 21st centuries, focusing on how Black women, queer, and non-binary writers and artists craft techniques of worldbuilding that center Black girl children. Her interdisciplinary project explores mediums such as novels, film, poetry, comics, graphic novels, and archival materials to illustrate how Black girls generate new ethical ways of engaging with cultural forms, and how they challenge traditional understandings of care, relation, resistance, intimacy, friendship, and Black futures. Her creative work, including short fiction and poetry, addresses the effects of gentrification on Black children's imaginations in Washington, D.C. She has contributed to various publications and has been actively involved in Black studies communities, including co-organizing the Black Cultural Studies Collective and working as an assistant curator for Black women’s fiction and poetry collections. Her teaching encompasses courses on African American literature and culture, archive theory, comics and visual culture, queer studies, Black feminist theory, and Black science fiction.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Anesthesia
• Endocrinology
• Pathology
• Biology
• Genetics
• Gastroenterology
• Cell biology
• Surgery
• Emergency medicine
• Cardiology

Selected publications

• Evaluation of a disease-state education program in asthma: Application of the Knowledge-to-Action Framework

  Allergy and Asthma Proceedings · 2025-01-28 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  Background: In patients with asthma, bronchoconstriction and airway inflammation both contribute to airway narrowing and airflow limitations, which lead to symptoms and exacerbations. Short-acting β 2 -agonist (SABA)-only rescue therapy addresses only bronchoconstriction and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Current asthma management guidelines recommend concomitant treatment of symptoms and inflammation with a fast-acting bronchodilator and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) as rescue therapy for patients ≥12 years of age. However, there is an education and outreach gap for the wider adoption of anti-inflammatory rescue therapy in clinical practice. Objective: AstraZeneca has developed an education program for health-care practitioners (HCPs) based on a Knowledge-to-Action Framework, with the aim of increasing HCPs’ understanding of key disease-state concepts related to evidence-based management of asthma. Methods: A multichannel, evidence-based education program was presented at medical conferences across the United States between December 2022 and December 2023. Before and after each event, attendees were asked to complete a survey that rated their agreement with six disease-state concepts on a five-point Likert scale. These concepts related to the role of airway inflammation, fluctuations in inflammation, SABA and ICS therapy, and the risk of exacerbations. Postevent responses to the survey were assessed relative to pre-event responses and longitudinally over 12 months by using calculated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Acceptance and/or understanding of a concept was defined as a rating of “agree” or “strongly agree” from at least 80% of respondents. Results: The proportion of respondents who agreed or strongly agreed with each concept was significantly higher postevent versus pre-event (p < 0.001). The 80% acceptance and/or understanding threshold was surpassed for all concepts after the event. Conclusion: The medical education program improved understanding and/or acceptance of key disease-state concepts related to asthma management among participating HCPs. Effective communication of disease management concepts may lead to improved patient health outcomes through more rapid acceptance of guideline-recommended medical therapies.

  PublisherDOI

• Performance of the Pediatric Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (Peds-AIRQ) in Assessing Control Relative to the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and Patient Impression of Control

  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine · 2025-05-01

  article

  Abstract Rationale Approximately half of US children with asthma aged 5-11 years have uncontrolled disease, placing them at risk for missed school days, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, and negatively impacting quality of life for both child and parent/caregiver. The Pediatric AIRQ (Peds-AIRQ) was recently validated against a standard of GINA symptom control (impairment) and prior-year exacerbations (risk) and offers an equally weighted, 8-item (5 impairment and 3 risk), yes/no composite tool for children aged 5-11 years (well-controlled 0-1, not well-controlled 2-3, very poorly controlled 4-8 yes responses). The relationship of asthma control as measured by the Peds-AIRQ to the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and parent/caregiver impression of their child's asthma control, risk, and severity was evaluated. Methods The validated PedsQL Acute Version for Parents (for children aged 5-7 years) and the PedsQL Acute Version for Children (for children aged 8-11 years) were used to assess HRQoL in children enrolled in the Peds-AIRQ validation study. Parents/caregivers were asked to rate their child's asthma control, risk, and severity on a 5-point Likert scale, where higher scores indicated more risk and worse control/greater severity (ie, 1=completely controlled, 2=well-controlled, 3=somewhat controlled, 4=poorly controlled, 5=not controlled). Scores of 4 and 5 were combined due to low numbers of patients in the not-controlled category. Generalized linear models were used to compare mean PedsQL scores across Peds-AIRQ control groups and Peds-AIRQ scores across parent/caregiver impression of asthma control, risk, and severity. Results This analysis included 399 children: mean(SD) age was 7.9(1.9) years (107 were aged 5-6 years, 136 7-8 years, 156 9-11 years); 63% male; 69% White children, 15% Black or Black-mixed race children; 33% Hispanic or Latino children; and 39% had public insurance. Among these children, 183 (46%) had ≥1 exacerbation within the past year. Overall, PedsQL scores decreased (indicating worse quality of life) with worsening asthma control as indicated by Peds-AIRQ control category (overall P<0.001). Higher Peds-AIRQ scores (worse asthma control) were significantly associated with worsening parent/caregiver impression of their child's asthma control, risk, and severity (P<0.001, for each). Conclusions At point of care, the Peds-AIRQ reflects patient health-related quality of life and may be beneficial as a parent/caregiver-clinician shared decision-making tool, as it mirrors parent/caregiver impression of their child's asthma control, risk to health, and symptom severity.

  PublisherDOI

• ASTHMA CONTROL IN PARTICIPANTS WITH MILD ASTHMA ENROLLED IN THE BATURA CLINICAL TRIAL: IMPAIRMENT AND RISK PROFILES AT RANDOMIZATION

  CHEST Journal · 2025-10-01

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• What is the Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire and how can it help patients with asthma? A plain language summary of publications

  Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease · 2025-10-01

  reviewOpen accessSenior author

  ) has been designed and tested to measure patients' levels of asthma control in a healthcare setting.• Unlike other available questionnaires that only assess asthma symptoms that can be bothersome or limit a person's activities and quality of life (impairment-related symptoms), the AIRQ also includes questions related to risk of an asthma attack. This allows for a broader measurement of asthma control and a prediction of the chance of having future asthma attacks.• AIRQ scores are linked to a patient's own experience of their health and how it impacts their daily life (health-related quality of life).• The AIRQ may make it easier for patients and healthcare professionals to have shared decision-making discussions that can lead to better asthma care and asthma outcomes.• This document summarizes several published studies of the AIRQ in people with asthma.

  PublisherDOI

• Performance of the Pediatric Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (Peds-AIRQ) in Assessing Control for Children With Asthma Aged 5 to 11 Years

  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine · 2025-05-01

  articleSenior author

  Abstract Rationale Asthma control is often overestimated in clinical practice because exacerbation history may not be considered. Almost half of US children with asthma aged 5-11 years have uncontrolled disease, placing them at risk for exacerbations. The Peds-AIRQ was validated against a standard of GINA symptom control (impairment) and prior-year exacerbations (risk) and offers an equally weighted, 8-item (5 impairment, 3 risk), yes/no control tool for children aged 5-11 years (well-controlled 0-1, not well-controlled 2-3, very poorly controlled 4-8 yes responses). We compared Peds-AIRQ with other assessments in categorizing control for children relative to prior-year exacerbations. Methods Control assessments by C-ACT (well-controlled, not well-controlled, very poorly controlled) and parent/caregiver impression and physician opinion (controlled, well-controlled, somewhat-controlled, poorly controlled, not-controlled) were obtained for children aged 5-11 years enrolled in the Peds-AIRQ validation study. Physician opinion was informed by clinic visit (history, physical examination, chart review of medications and prior-year exacerbations). Chi-square and McNemar's test compared proportions of children with prior-year exacerbations assessed as completely/well-controlled and uncontrolled (not well-, somewhat-, poorly, very poorly, and not-controlled) by each assessment measure versus Peds-AIRQ, overall and by age subgroup (5-6, 7-8, and 9-11 years); significance P≤0.05. Results 399 children were included: mean(SD) age 7.9(1.9) years (n=107 5-6-year-olds, 136 7-8-year-olds, 156 9-11-year-olds); 63% male; 69% White, 15% self-reported Black/Black-mixed race; 33% self-reported Hispanic/Latino ethnicity; 39% public insurance. Overall, 45.9% experienced ≥1 prior-year exacerbation (5-6-year-olds: 48.6%, 7-8-year-olds: 49.3%; 9-11-year-olds: 41%, P=0.30). Peds-AIRQ identified a lower proportion of children as well-controlled (39.8%) vs C-ACT (69.2%), physicians (64.9%), and parent/caregivers (71.9%); P <0.001. Peds-AIRQ classified the lowest proportion of children with prior-year exacerbations as well-controlled (20.8% vs C-ACT: 39.1%, physicians: 32.0%, parents/caregivers: 36.9%; P <0.001). No differences were observed across age subgroups within any of these assessments. For the total population, Peds-AIRQ identified the lowest proportion as well-controlled and the highest proportion as uncontrolled among those who experienced ≥1 or ≥2 prior-year exacerbations (Figure, well-controlled Peds-AIRQ vs other assessments: 8% vs 20-27% for ≥1, 5% vs 14-18% for ≥2; uncontrolled Peds-AIRQ vs other assessments: 38% vs 18-25% for ≥1, 29% vs 16-20% for ≥2; P<0.001 for all comparisons). Conclusions Compared with C-ACT, physician opinion, and parent/caregiver impression, Peds-AIRQ is least likely to assess children with prior-year exacerbations as well-controlled and most likely to identify those with an exacerbation history as uncontrolled. At point-of-care, Peds-AIRQ can help identify children who may benefit from optimization of their asthma management.

  PublisherDOI

• Author response for "What is the Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire and how can it help patients with asthma? A plain language summary of publications"

  2025-08-21

  peer-reviewSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Pediatric Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire: A Control Assessment for Children Aged 5 to 11 Years

  The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice · 2025-07-07 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• AS-NEEDED ALBUTEROL-BUDESONIDE VS AS-NEEDED ALBUTEROL DECREASES SEVERE EXACERBATION RISK AND IMPROVES ASTHMA CONTROL AT 16 WEEKS IN MILD ASTHMA: BATURA POST-HOC ANALYSES

  CHEST Journal · 2025-10-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Impact of Utilizing a Composite versus a Symptom-Only Validation Standard in the Development of the Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire

  Journal of Asthma and Allergy · 2024-08-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Bradley E Chipps,1 Robert S Zeiger,2 David A Beuther,3 Robert A Wise,4 William McCann,5 Joan Reibman,6 Maureen George,7 Ileen Gilbert,8 James M Eudicone,8 Karin S Coyne,9 Gale Harding,9 Kevin R Murphy10 1Capital Allergy & Respiratory Disease Center, Sacramento, CA, USA; 2Department of Clinical Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA, USA; 3Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, USA; 4Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; 5Allergy Partners, Asheville, NC, USA; 6Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; 7Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY, USA; 8BioPharmaceuticals Medical, AstraZeneca, Wilmington, DE, USA; 9Evidera, Bethesda, MD, USA; 10Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USACorrespondence: Bradley E Chipps, Capital Allergy & Respiratory Disease Center, 5609 J Street, Suite C, Sacramento, CA, 95819, USA, Tel +1 916-453-1454, Email bchipps@capitalallergy.com

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Use of Albuterol/Budesonide as Reliever Therapy to Reduce Asthma Exacerbations

  The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice · 2024-02-03 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access

  -agonist (SABA) and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) as an alternative reliever at step 2. The Food and Drug Administration approved a pressurized metered-dose inhaler containing albuterol and budesonide for as-needed treatment or prevention of bronchoconstriction and for reducing exacerbation risk in patients with asthma aged ≥18 years. This combination is approved for use as a reliever with or without maintenance therapy, but it is not indicated for maintenance therapy (or for single maintenance and reliever therapy). Intervening with as-needed SABA-ICS during the window of opportunity to reduce inflammation during loss of asthma control can reduce exacerbation risk, by exerting both genomic and nongenomic anti-inflammatory effects. We propose that the use of albuterol-budesonide rather than albuterol as a reliever to manage episodic symptoms driven by acute bronchoconstriction and airway inflammation can improve outcomes. This combination approach, shown to decrease asthma exacerbations and oral corticosteroid burden in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma, represents a paradigm shift for asthma treatment in the United States. Further safety and efficacy studies should provide evidence that this type of reliever should be standard of care.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Gideon Koren

  63 shared

• Dmitry Terentyev

  The Ohio State University

  51 shared

• Yichun Lu

  Lifespan

  40 shared

• David A. Beuther

  National Jewish Health

  39 shared

• Mark E. Anderson

  New York University

  39 shared

• Robert A. Wise

  Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates

  38 shared

• Brett Baggett

  Brown University

  38 shared

• Jonathan Granger

  37 shared

Education

• B.A., English/Creative Writing/Sociology

  University of Wisconsin-Madison

• M.A., English

  University of Pennsylvania

• Ph.D., English

  University of Pennsylvania

Awards & honors

• Huntington Library Mellon Fellowship (2021-2022)
• Center for Black, Brown, and Queer Studies (BBQ+) Fellowship…
• National Endowment for the Humanities Institute Fellow (Towa…
• National Endowment for the Humanities Institute Fellow (Reco…
• University of Pennsylvania Predoctoral Fellowship for Excell…