Portia Nartey, a doctoral student in social work at the WashU Brown School, will receive the 2026 Public Health Social Work Student Award from the American Public Health Association.
The award recognizes outstanding student research in public health social work. Nartey’s award-winning abstract, titled “Poverty is the killer of dreams: A socioecological qualitative exploration of the drivers of adolescent girls’ vulnerability in the eastern region of Ghana,” examines how poverty and interconnected social, family, educational and community conditions contribute to health vulnerabilities among adolescent girls in Ghana. The research draws on perspectives from adolescent girls, caregivers and community stakeholders.
The Brown School’s Global Programs Office supported Nartey’s work with a global doctoral pilot research grant.
Read more on the Brown School website.
