Associate Professor
Phone: 903.877.5960
Email: abraham.mengist@uttyler.edu
Department: Internal Medicine
Abraham Mengist
Biography:
Dr. Abraham Mengist is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, at the University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine. He earned his Ph.D. in Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology from Florida International University in 2019. Before joining UT Tyler, he served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, a Graduate Assistant at Florida International University, and a Lecturer at Addis Ababa University and Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia.
Dr. Mengist's research focuses on improving population health through epidemiologic research, implementation science, and health services research. His work spans infectious diseases, chronic disease prevention, and healthcare delivery, with an emphasis on generating evidence that informs clinical practice and public health policy. Before joining UT Tyler, Dr. Mengist taught graduate courses in Applied Epidemiology, Analytical Epidemiology, and Grant Writing and mentored master's and doctoral students in their thesis and dissertation research.
Education
- Ph.D., Public Health (Epidemiology), Florida International University, 2019
- M.Sc., Biology (Biomedical Sciences), Addis Ababa University, 2008
- B.Ed., Biology, Bahir Dar University, 2005
Research interest
Dr. Mengist's research integrates epidemiology, implementation science, and health services research to improve health outcomes in both domestic and global settings. His work has focused on developing and evaluating innovative approaches for the diagnosis, treatment, and control of neglected tropical diseases, including malaria, schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminth infections, while investigating their relationships with undernutrition, anemia, and cognitive impairment.
His research has also examined factors influencing HPV vaccination uptake and cervical cancer prevention, as well as the effects of substance use on brain health among people living with HIV. More recently, his work has expanded to cardiovascular disease prevention and outcomes research, with an emphasis on improving healthcare utilization, reducing disparities in access to care, and advancing health outcomes through the analysis of large healthcare databases and real-world evidence. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and other funding agencies. He collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to translate epidemiologic evidence into strategies that improve clinical care and population health.