Dr. Nathan Hale

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EDUCATION

• PhD. Health Services Policy and Management, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health (2010)
• M.P.H Community Health Education, University of Tennessee (2001)
• B.S. Public Health, University of the Cumberlands (2000)

COURSES 

• Health Services Research Methods (HSMP 6320)
• Population Health Management (HSMP 6310)
• Health Systems, Regulations, and Policies (HSMP 5040)
• Health Leadership and Management (HSMP 5200)

RESEARCH FOCUS

Access to care for vulnerable populations, maternal and child health, rural health

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Manalew W, Hale N, Smith M, Khoury A. Change in Contraceptive Use within South Carolina Medicaid Following the Choose Well Contraceptive Access Initiative: Did COVID-19 Alter the Trends? Women’s Health Reports (New Rochelle). 2024 Sep 24;5(1):697-704. doi: 10.1089/whr.2024.0040.

Manalew W, White M, Lee J, Hale N. Postpartum Insurance Loss: Predicting Factors, Associations with Postpartum Health Service Utilization, and the Role of Medicaid Expansion. Matern Child Health J. 2024 Oct;28(10):1782-1792.

Hale N, Lee J, de Jong J, Smith MG, Khoury AJ. Contraceptive Method Use Among a Population-Based Cohort During the South Carolina Choose Well Initiative. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e248262.

Hale N, Dehlendorf C, Smith MG, Stapleton J, McCartt P, Khoury A. Contraceptive Counseling, Method Satisfaction, and Planned Method Continuation among Women in the U.S. Southeast. Contraception. 2024 Apr;132:110365.

Hale N, Manalew W, Leinaar T, Smith MG, Sen P, Khoury A. Impact of the Choose Well Contraceptive Access Initiative on Method Use among Women Enrolled in South Carolina’s Medicaid Program: A mid-line assessment. Womens Health Issues. 2023 Nov-Dec;33(6):626-635.

Beatty KE, Hale N, Khoury AJ, Smith MG, Lee J, Ventura LM. Association of Health Insurance with Contraceptive Use and Interpersonal Quality of Contraceptive Care in the Southeast United States. South Med J. 2023;116(4):358-364.

Balio CP, Galler N, Meit M, Hale N, Beatty KE. Rising to Meet the Moment: What Does the Public Health Workforce Need to Modernize?. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2023 Jan-Feb 01;29(Suppl 1):S107-S115.  

Hale N, Meit M, Pettyjohn S, Wahlquist A, Loos M. The implications of long COVID for rural communities. J Rural Health. 2022;38(4):945-947.

Sharma P, Sen B, Hale N, Manalew WS, Leinaar E, Khoury A. Contraception Use and Pregnancy Outcomes for Alabama Medicaid Enrollees: A Baseline Analysis Using 2012-2017 Data. South Med J. 2022 Dec;115(12):899-906. 

Rocca CH, Smith MG, Hale NL, Khoury AJ. Ranges of pregnancy preferences and contraceptive use: Results from a population-based survey in the southeast United States. Perspect Sex Reprod Health.2022 Sep;54(3):90-98. 

Smith, MG. Hale, N. PhD, Kelley, S. Satterfield, K. Beatty, K. Khoury, A. South Carolina Choose Well Initiative to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy: Rationale, Implementation Design, and Evaluation Methodology. American Journal of Public Health. 2022. 112, S484_S489.

Manalew WS, Hale N, Leinaar E, Sen B, Smith M, Khoury A. Medicaid Cost Savings from Provision of Contraception to Beneficiaries in South Carolina, 2012-2018. Popul Health Manag. 2022;25(4):542-550.

Mann A, Khoury A, McCartt P, Smith MG, Hale N, Beatty K, Johnson L. Multi-level Influences on Providers’ Delivery of Contraceptive Services: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis. Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2022; 3(1):491-499.

Lee, J, Hale, N. Evidence and implications of the Affordable Care Act for racial/ethnic health disparities in diabetes health during and beyond the pandemic. Popul Health Manag. 2022;25(2):235-243. 

Hale N, Tatro K, Orimaye SO, et al. Changes in adolescent birth rates within Appalachian subregions and non-Appalachian counties in the United States, 2012–2018. J Appalach Health 2022;4(1):31–50.

Hale N, Manalew WS, Leinaar E, Smith M, Sen B, Sharma P, Khoury A. Contraceptive Use and Pregnancy Outcomes Among Women Enrolled in South Carolina Medicaid Programs. Matern Child Health J. 2021 Dec;25(12):1960-1971. 

Okwori G, Smith MG, Beatty K, Khoury A, Ventura L, Hale N. Geographic differences in contraception provision and utilization among federally funded family planning clinics in South Carolina and Alabama. J Rural Health. 2022;38(3):639-649.

Ariyo O, Khoury AJ, Smith MG, Leinaar E, Odebunmi OO, Slawson DL, Hale NL. From training to implementation: Improving contraceptive practices in South Carolina. Contraception. 2021 Aug;104(2):155-158. 

Orimaye SO, Hale N, Leinaar E, Smith MG, Khoury A. Adolescent Birth Rates and Rural-Urban Differences by Levels of Deprivation and Health Professional Shortage Areas in the United States, 2017-2018. Am J Public Health. 2021 Jan;111(1):136-144. 

Hale N, Smith M, Baker K, Khoury A. Contraceptive Use Patterns among Women of Reproductive Age in Two Southeastern States. Womens Health Issues. 2020 Nov - Dec;30(6):436-445. 

Beatty K, Heffernan M, Hale N, Meit M. Funding and Service Delivery in Rural and Urban Local US Health Departments in 2010 and 2016. Am J Public Health. 2020 Sep;110(9):1293-1299. 

Hale N, Beatty K, Smith M. The Intersection of Residence, Community Vulnerability, and Premature Mortality. J Rural Health. 2019 Sep;35(4):471-479. 

Hale N, Khoury A, Smith M. Use of Highly Effective Reversible Contraception in Title X Clinics: Variation by Selected State Characteristics. Womens Health Issues. 2018 Jul - Aug;28(4):289-296. 

Radcliff E, Hale N, Browder J, Cartledge C. Building Community Partnerships: Using Social Network Analysis to Strengthen Service Networks Supporting a South Carolina Program for Pregnant and Parenting Teens. J Community Health. 2018 Apr;43(2):273-279. 

Hale NL, Klaiman T, Beatty KE, Meit MB. Local Health Departments as Clinical Safety Net in Rural Communities. Am J Prev Med. 2016 Nov;51(5):706-713. 

Veschusio CN, Probst JC, Martin AB, Hardin JW, L Hale N. Impact of South Carolina's Medicaid fluoride varnish reimbursement policy on children's receipt of fluoride varnish in medical and dental settings. J Public Health Dent. 2016 Sep;76(4):356-361. 

Hale N, Probst J, Robertson A. Rural Area Deprivation and Hospitalizations Among Children for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions. J Community Health. 2016 Jun;41(3):451-60. 

Hale NL, Smith M, Hardin J. Changes in the Clinical Capacity of Local Health Departments and Continuity of Reproductive Health Services. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2016 Mar-Apr;22(2):204-11. 

Beatty K, Hale N, Meit M, Masters P, Khoury A. Local Health Department Clinical Service Delivery along the Urban/Rural Continuum. Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research. 2016; 5(1):21-27.

Hale NL, Smith M, Hardin J, Brock-Martin A. Rural populations and early periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment services: challenges and opportunities for local public health departments. Am J Public Health. 2015 Apr;105 Suppl 2:S330-6. 

Hale N, Picklesimer AH, Billings DL, Covington-Kolb S. The impact of Centering Pregnancy Group Prenatal Care on postpartum family planning. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2014;210(1):50.e1-50.e507. 

Hatala J, Probst J, Byrd M, Hardin J. Hale N. Factors Associated with LPHA Participation in Core Public Health
Functions Related to Obesity Prevention, 2008. Journal of Management Policy and Practice. 2013; 14(6):92-106.

Hale NL, Probst JC, Liu J, Martin AB, Bennett KJ, Glover S. Postpartum screening for diabetes among Medicaid-eligible South Carolina women with gestational diabetes. Womens Health Issues. 2012;22(2):e163-e169. 

Picklesimer AH, Billings D, Hale N, Blackhurst D, Covington-Kolb S. The effect of CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care on preterm birth in a low-income population. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012 May;206(5):415.e1-7. 

Hale NL, Probst JC, Liu J, Bennett KJ, Martin AB, Glover S. Variation in Excessive Fetal Growth across Levels of Prenatal Care among Women with Gestational Diabetes. J Prim Care Community Health. 2011 Oct 1;2(4):225-8. 

Hale NL, Bennett KJ, Probst JC. Diabetes care and outcomes: disparities across rural America. J Community Health. 2010 Aug;35(4):365-74. 

Martin AB, Probst J, Wang JY, Hale N. Effect of having a personal healthcare provider on access to dental care among children. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2009 May-Jun;15(3):191-9. 

FUNDED RESEARCH AND EVALUATION

Co Primary Investigator, (Co-PI-Manalew), Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Project Title: Geographic Differences in Postpartum Primary Care Transitions. R4253151 (2024-2025)Co-Primary Investigator: Evaluation of the Choose Well Initiative to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy. 2017 – 2025. 

Primary Investigator: National and State-Level Impact of the Choose Well Initiative on Reproductive Health Outcomes. 2017-2025. 

Primary Investigator: Rural/Urban Differences in Adverse Childhood Experiences.  ETSU Sponsored Awards, Research Development Committee (RDC), 2016. 

Co-Primary Investigator: Building Analytic Capacity for Policy Analysis and Decision-Making. Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), via Mathematica Policy Research, 2015-2016. 

Primary Investigator: Evaluation of the Implementation of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) State Expansion Grant. South Carolina Children’s Trust Fund, 2013-2016. 

Primary Investigator: Evaluation of the Implementation of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). South Carolina Children’s Trust Fund, 2011-2016.  

Primary Investigator: Evaluation of the Parenting and Pregnant Teen Program Implementation. South Carolina Children’s Trust Fund & South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2013-2016. 

Primary Investigator: Fiscal Constraints and Access to Reproductive Health Services in South Carolina: The Impact of Local Clinic Retraction on Utilization, Outcomes, and Quality of Services in South Carolina. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2012-2014. 

Primary Investigator: Measuring the Effects of Public/Private Transition of Pediatric Preventive Services on Unmet Need Among Medicaid Eligible Children. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2012-2014. 

Primary investigator: Evaluation of Chapter Directed Program Initiative. South Carolina March of Dimes Cooperative Agreement, 2012-2013. 

Co-Investigator: The Comparative Effectiveness of CenteringPregnacy vs. Individual Prenatal Care among Low Income Women in Relation to Preterm Birth, Psychosocial Outcomes and Postnatal Utilization of Health Services. University of South Carolina, IHAC Seed Grant. 2011-2012.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

“Local Health Departments and Clinical Services: Lessons from Practice” Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHAT), Northeast Regional Meeting, April 21, 2017. 

“Translation And Communication Talks: Ways to get your research across to stakeholders” AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting. Boston MA, June 28, 2016. 

"Translation And Communication Talks" AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, Translation & Communications Interest Group. Minneapolis MN, June 13, 2015.

"Local Health Departments and Clinical Services: Lessons from South Carolina" Rural Learning Collaborative, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), May 25, 2015.

"Success Stories in Translating and Disseminating Research" National Health Policy Conference. Washington, D.C., February 10, 2015.

"Transition of Direct Services from Local Health Departments: The Case of EPSDT" AcademyHealth Public Health Systems Research Close-Up Briefing, Reserve Officers Association, Washington DC. October 21, 2014

AWARDS AND HONORS

Women’s Health Issues, Editors Choice Award for Manuscript "Use of Highly Effective Reversible Contraception in Title X Clinics: Variation by Selected State Characteristics." (2018) 

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Editors Choice Award for Manuscript "The impact of Centering Pregnancy Group Prenatal Care on postpartum family planning." (2014) 

Delta Omega, Public Health Honor Society, University of South Carolina (2013) 

Winner of the Charles E. Gibbs Leadership Prize for the best paper published in Women's Health Issues "Postpartum Screening for Diabetes among South Carolina Women with Gestational Diabetes" (2012) 

Dr. June D. Gorski Endowment Scholarship (2001/2001)

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

Assistant Professor (Research), Department of Health Services Policy and Management, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health

Deputy Director, South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, University of South Carolina

Deputy Director, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia SC

Director of Research and Planning, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia SC

Local Public Health Department Director, State of Tennessee, Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office (Jackson, Clay, Macon, Smith)

Epidemiologist, State of Tennessee, Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office, Cookeville, TN

PERSONAL INTERESTS

Exercise, nutrition, physical/mental challenges, anything outdoors and with my family