Melissa Ann Stockton, MSPH, Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Associate Scholar, Center for Global Health (CGH), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Department: Psychiatry
Graduate Group Affiliations
Contact information
3535 Market St
Suite 200
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Suite 200
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Publications
Education:
BA (International Affairs, Global Public Health)
The George Washington University, 2013.
MSPH (Epidemiology)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2018.
Ph.D. (Epidemiology)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2020.
Permanent linkBA (International Affairs, Global Public Health)
The George Washington University, 2013.
MSPH (Epidemiology)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2018.
Ph.D. (Epidemiology)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2020.
Description of Research Expertise
Dr. Stockton is a social epidemiologist and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. She received a career developmental award (K01) to integrate an intervention addressing intersectional HIV-mental illness stigma into depression care and conduct a hybrid effectiveness-implementation pilot among depressed adults living with HIV in Malawi. My work focuses on implementing and evaluating evidence-based interventions that both address intersectional stigma and deliver high-quality psychological care to vulnerable populations. She has expertise in stigma, HIV, mental health, and implementation science.Selected Publications
Brooks, Merrian J., Choe, Karen, Eschliman, Evan L., Poku, Ohemaa B., Setumo, Samson B. L., Entaile, Patlo, Morapedi, Kealeboga, Sebogodi, Kelebogile, Stockton, Melissa, Ho-Foster, Ari, Nyblade, Laura, Yang, Lawrence H.: A Qualitative Study of the Adaptation of a Facility-Level Training Using “What Matters Most” to Reduce Intersectional Stigma Toward Pregnant Women Living With HIV in Botswana. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care Page: 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000569, July 2025.Stockton, Melissa A, Jeon, Sangchoon, Akyirem, Samuel, Zigah, Edem, Wallace-Atiapah, Nii Dromo, Abu-Ba’are, Gamji Rabiu, Amo-Oto, Richard Panix, Ofori, Irene, Adu, Michael, Torpey, Kwasi: Symptoms of common mental disorders and suicidality among sexually diverse men who have sex with men in Ghana. PLOS Mental Health 2(7): e0000331, July 2025.
Melissa A. Stockton, Sarah L. Rossi, Laura Limarzi-Klyn, Jack Kramer, Katherine G. Waddell, Steven Mphonda, Bradley N. Gaynes, Kazione Kulisewa, Michael Udedi, Brian W. Pence, Nivedita L. Bhushan, Bulent Turan, Mina Hosseinipour, Lawrence Yang, Milton L. Wainberg : Drivers, Manifestations, and Impacts of HIV and Mental Illness Stigma in Malawi and the Potential for Multi-Condition Stigma Intervention. International Conference on HIV Treatment, Pathogenesis, and Prevention Research (INTEREST) 2025, Windhoek, Namibia May 2025.
Melissa A. Stockton, Sarah L. Rossi, Laura Limarzi-Klyn, Jack Kramer, Katherine G. Waddell, Steven Mphonda, Bradley N. Gaynes, Kazione Kulisewa, Michael Udedi, Brian W. Pence, Nivedita L. Bhushan, Bulent Turan, Mina Hosseinipour, Lawrence Yang, Milton L. Wainberg : Gender in HIV and mental illness stigma and opportunities for intervention in Malawi. International Conference on HIV Treatment, Pathogenesis, and Prevention Research (INTEREST) 2025, Windhoek, Namibia May 2025.
Sarah L. Rossi, Laura Limarzi-Klyn, Melissa A. Stockton, Jack Kramer, Katherine G. Waddell, Steven Mphonda, Bradley N. Gaynes, Kazione Kulisewa, Michael Udedi, Brian W. Pence, Nivedita L. Bhushan, Bulent Turan, Mina Hosseinipour, Lawrence Yang, Milton L. Wainberg: Understanding Internalized HIV Stigma in Malawi: Integrating Scale Responses and Qualitative Perspectives The 16th AIDS Impact Conference, Casablanca, Morocco May 2025.
Dao TTD, Gaynes BN, Pence BW, Mphonda SM, Kulisewa K, Udedi M, Stockton MA, Kramer J, Waddell KG, Faidas M, Mortensen H, Bhushan NL.: Friendship Bench intervention to address depression and improve HIV care engagement among adolescents living with HIV in Malawi: Study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial. PLoS One 20: e0302666, Mar 2025.
Stockton MA, Mazinyo EW, Mlanjeni L, Ngcelwane N, Nogemane K, Nobatyi P, Sweetland AC, Basaraba C, Greene MC, Bezuidenhout C, Grobler C, Wall MM, Medina-Marino A, Wainberg ML.: Validation of screening instruments for alcohol and substance use disorders among men and women in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Drug Alcohol Depend 268: 112559, Jan 2025.
Apreku A, Abu-Ba'are GR, Dada D, Foster M, Stockton MA, Aidoo-Frimpong GA, Kuffour OFO, Adjei G, Manu A, Torpey K, Nyblade L, Nelson LE, Logie CH.: Examining Experiences of Gender Identities, Roles, and Relations among Men with Same-Gender Sexual Histories: Implications of Gender Nonconformity on Access to Quality Healthcare in Urban Ghana. J Urban Health 2025.
Stockton MA, Kramer J, Chienda J, Morrison AM, Tikhiwa HA, Sansbury G, Zumazuma A, Mortensen H, Ng'oma M, Nyirongo P, Mtonga I, Devadas J, Chiliza B, Sefasi AP, Mhango P, Gaynes BN, Pence BW, Kulisewa K.: Applying the Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework to psychosis stigma in Malawi. PLOS Ment Health 2025.
Parcesepe AM, Stockton M, Bernard C, Kanguya T, Kwobah EK, Lopez A, Murenzi G, Ross J, Minga A, Maruri F, Tlali M, Goodrich S, Perazzo H, Musabyimana F, Nimkar S, Lancaster K, Consortium I.: Prevalence and co-occurrence of symptoms of mental and substance use disorders among people with HIV age 40 and older in low- and middle-income countries: a cross-sectional study. J Int AIDS Soc October 2024.