Epidemiology Faculty: Lynette Dias

Lynette Dias, Ph.D.
Research Scientist

Office Phone: (631) 444-2958
e-mail:lynette.dias@stonybrook.edu

Academic Interests:
Psychology
Health Literacy
Behavioral Aspects of Health and Illness
Dr. Dias received her doctorate in Social/Health Psychology from SUNY at Stony Brook. Her research focuses on evaluating the psychological and behavioral aspects of health and illness, particularly relating to maternal and child health.  Currently, she is a faculty member in the Division of Epidemiology, and serves as Study Coordinator for a multi-center, longitudinal study of myopia in children.  This has enabled her to examine the self-esteem of these participants over time, as well as to investigate the reasons that promote long-term participation in clinical studies.  Besides conducting research and teaching medical students, Dr. Dias is also interested in promoting health literacy and using research to inform policy and practice.
 
Selected Publications
Marsh-Tootle W, Dong L, Hyman, L, Gwiazda J, Weise K, Dias L, Fern K and the COMET Group. Myopia progression in children wearing spectacles vs. switching to contact lenses. Optometry and Vision  Science, in press.

Dong L, Hyman L, Manny R, Thomas J, Dias L, McLeod J, Gwiazda J and the COMET Group. Evaluating masking in a randomized double-masked clinical trial in children with myopia.  Optometry and Vision  Science 2006; 83: 46-52.

Dias L, Schoenfeld E, Thomas J, Baldwin C, McLeod J, Smith J, Owens R, Hyman L and the COMET Group.  Reasons for high retention in pediatric clinical trials: A comparison of participant and staff responses in the Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial (COMET). Clinical Trials 2005, 2: 443-452.

Lobel M, Dias L, Meyer B. Distress associated with prenatal screening for fetal abnormality. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2005, 28: 65-76.

Dias L, Hyman L, Manny R, Fern K and the COMET Group. Evaluating the self-esteem of myopic children over a three year period: The COMET Experience. Optometry and Vision  Science 2005, 82: 338-347.

Dias L, Manny R, Hyman L, Fern K, and the COMET Group.  The relationship between myopic children’s self-esteem and ocular and demographic characteristics. Optometry and Vision Science 2002, 79: 688-696.

Dias L and Lobel M. Social comparison in medically high-risk pregnant women. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 1997, 27: 1629-1649.