Alicia Williamson earns “best paper” recognition in Yearbook of Medical Informatics

University of Michigan School of Information PhD candidate Alicia Williamson has earned “best paper” recognition in the 2022 Yearbook of Medical Informatics from the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA). 

The honor recognizes innovative research in consumer health informatics. The 2022 Yearbook’s theme was “Inclusive Digital Health: Addressing Equity, Literacy, and Bias for Resilient Health Systems.” 

“I’m very passionate about making technology work for under-resourced groups, especially as it relates to healthcare,” Williamson says. “It’s really exciting to see this paper receive recognition.” 

Williamson’s research is focused on community-based work to help vulnerable populations improve health outcomes and access healthcare services through the use of technologies. Her paper, “Uptake of and Engagement With an Online Sexual Health Intervention (HOPE eIntervention) Among African American Young Adults: Mixed Methods Study” studies a consumer health informatics intervention to promote the sexual health of African American youth.

The study finds that having a visually appealing website with succinct and tailored information coming from a trusted source can be especially helpful in getting teens to engage with sexual health information. 

“I think making technology that works for the people it’s designed for, that takes in people’s beliefs and values and has an understanding of who they are and how they use technologies, is critical,” Williamson says.

The paper was originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) and was completed with long time community-based collaborators Bettina Campbell and Terrence Campbell of YOUR Center in Flint, Michigan, UMSI professor of information Tiffany Veinot, U-M research specialist Susan Franzen, U-M school of public health researcher Thomas M Reischl and public health professor Marc Zimmerman. 

Before joining UMSI, Williamson completed their bachelor’s degree in psychology. They wanted to become a social worker, but fell in love with data used in mental health and social services. They have more than a decade of experience in working with community health organizations. 

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Learn more about Alicia Williamson’s research and interests.