Shana D Stites
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Research Associate , Population Aging Research Center (PARC)
Department: Psychiatry
Contact information
Ralston House, Suite 214
3615 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
3615 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Fax: 215-573-8684
Education:
B.S. (Pre-Med, Psychology)
Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA , 2000.
M.A. (Sociology)
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 2004.
M.S. (Psychology)
Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA, 2008.
Psy.D. (Psychology)
Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA, 2012.
--- (Aging Research)
NIA Butler-Williams Scholars Program, 2020.
B.S. (Pre-Med, Psychology)
Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA , 2000.
M.A. (Sociology)
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 2004.
M.S. (Psychology)
Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA, 2008.
Psy.D. (Psychology)
Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA, 2012.
--- (Aging Research)
NIA Butler-Williams Scholars Program, 2020.
Post-Graduate Training
Clinical Internship, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA , 2011-2012.
Scholar, Christopher M. Clark Scholars at the Penn Memory Center, Philadelphia, PA, 2017-2020.
Research Fellow, Alzheimer’s Association, 2017-Present.
Postgraduate Clinical Trainee, Department of Neurology, Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2018-2019.
Permanent linkClinical Internship, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA , 2011-2012.
Scholar, Christopher M. Clark Scholars at the Penn Memory Center, Philadelphia, PA, 2017-2020.
Research Fellow, Alzheimer’s Association, 2017-Present.
Postgraduate Clinical Trainee, Department of Neurology, Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2018-2019.
Description of Research Expertise
Shana D. Stites, PsyD, MA, MS, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. As a clinical psychologist and researcher with the Penn Project on Precision Medicine for the Brain (P3MB), Dr. Stites’ research focuses on advancing diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease dementia. The goal is to understand ways to promote quality of life and psychological wellbeing. This includes understanding the impacts of the disease on individuals who may be directly affected bypathology as well as their family members. As part of this work, Dr. Stites has a special focus on better understanding how aspects of identity, such as age, gender, and race, operate as determinants in the disease experience. Understanding these features of the disease experience may offer insights into disease-mechanisms and into development of
interventions that help limit burdens of the disease.
Dr. Stites is a graduate of the National Institute on Aging’s (NIA’s) Butler-Williams Scholars Program, has a master’s of arts in sociology from Lehigh University, and earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from Chestnut Hill College with a concentration in psychological assessment and special focus on the role of multicultural diversity in clinical practice and representation in research. Dr. Stites clinical training includes completion of a doctoral internship at Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA and post-doctoral training in the Penn Memory Center and Department of Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
Selected Publications
Stites SD, Cannon T, Kuz C, Harkins K, Krieger A, Sankar P, Perez A: Differences in Alzheimer’s Disease Stigma Between Self-Identifying Latino and non-Latino American Adults. Latinos and Alzheimer's Symposium, San Diego, CA, USA and Virtual April 2024 Notes: Notes: Tyasia Cannon, Mentee, Poster Presentation.Stites,S.D., Largent, E.A., Schumann, R., Harkins, K., Sankar, P., Krieger, A.: How Reactions to a Brain Scan Result Differ for Adults Based on Self-Identified Black and White Race. Alzheimer's & Dementia 20(3): 1527-1537, March 2024 Notes: https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.13558.
Stites, S. D., Lee, B. N., Rubright, J. D., Harkins, K., & Mechanic-Hamilton, D. : Cognitive Complaint Types Can Correlate With Cognitive Testing, Perceived Stress, and Symptom Distress in Older Adults With Normal Cognition and Dementia. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders 38(1): 34-41, January-March 2024 Notes: 10.1097/WAD.0000000000000595.
Lee BN, Wang J, Hall MA, Kim D, Stites SD, Shen L, for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative: Sex Modifies Effects of Imaging and CSF Biomarkers on Cognitive and Functional Outcomes: A Study of Alzheimer's Disease. Neurobiology of Aging 133: 67-77, January 2024 Notes: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.10.002 Mentee, Brain Lee, Paper.
Largent, E.A., Peterson, A., Harkins, K., Coykendall, C., Kleid, M., Abera, M., Stites, S.D., Karlawish, J., and Clapp, J.T.: “A Raw Blessing” – Caregivers’ Experiences Providing Care to Persons Living with Dementia in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 51(3): 626-640, December 2023 Notes: doi:10.1017/jme.2023.99.
Karlawish, J., Peterson, A., Kleid, M., Harkins, K., Largent, E. A., Stites, S. D., Coykendall, C., & Clapp, J. T.: Caregiver Accounts of Lucid Episodes in Persons with Advanced Dementia. The Gerontologist December 2023 Notes: Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnad170.
Morgan, B., Stites, S. D., Greenfield, F., Fisher, L., Kalafsky, M., Hodgson, N., & Massimo, L: Time Out Weekly Smile: A Pilot Test of a Virtual Respite Program. Geriatric nursing 54: 178-183, November 2023 Notes: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2023.09.003.
Patel N, Halberstadter K, Schumann R, Mechanic-Hamilton D, Stites SD,: Experiences of Discrimination in Older Adults Enrolled in an Alzheimer's Disease Research Cohort. National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) Conference Philadelphia, PA October 2023 Notes: Mentee, Nisha Patel, Poster presentation.
Dedhia M, Schumann R, Stites SD: Associations between Sex-Based Variation in Brain Volume and Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) Advancements: Toward Health Equity in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias San Antonio, TX and Online October 2023 Notes: Mentee, Mehek Dedhia, Virtual poster presentation.
Yannatos, I., Stites, S.D., Brown, R.T., & McMillan, C.T.: Contributions of Neighborhood Social Environment and Air Pollution Exposure to Black-White Disparities in Epigenetic Aging. PLoS One July 2023 Notes: DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287112.