Deborah Konkle-Parker, PhD, RN, FNP
 | Associate Professor of Nursing View CV
Contact - Phone: (601) 984-5553
- Fax: (601) 815-4014
- E-mail: dkparker@umc.edu
- Office: Jackson campus
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Biography
Dr. Deborah Konkle-Parker has a varied nurse practitioner role in The University of Mississippi Medical Center HIV clinic. She also serves as Principal Investigator for the Mississippi site of the Delta Region AIDS Education and Training Center, as well as a faculty member in the graduate programs at the UMMC School of Nursing, where she teaches research to master's and PhD students. She also conducts research regarding adherence to HIV treatment and was a clinician in the HIV clinic for many years, as she recognized her love for and the desperate need for behavioral research in management of chronic HIV disease. This led her to complete a PhD program and embark in an NIH-funded Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K-23). After completion of this research development, she has continued to pursue expansion of the HIV-related research at UMMC, which has included her funded R34 and other collaborative efforts. Her main focus is in improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations in Mississippi, including those with HIV, through research, education and practice.
Research overview
Dr. Konkle-Parker’s previous research has included exploring barriers to HIV medication adherence in a Deep-South primarily minority clinic population, and then testing an adherence intervention to improve the rate of adherence. She was also involved in a multi-site trial feasibility-testing a provider-initiated intervention to reduce high-risk behavior for transmitting HIV.
Current work is exploring barriers to prompt entry into HIV care after diagnosis, and barriers to maintenance of chronic HIV care. Future work includes developing and testing interventions to facilitate prompt entry into HIV care and maintenance of consistent care; the role of personal denial and other mental health issues in entering and staying in HIV care; and exploring the issues involved with those who have never entered care for their HIV in Mississippi.
In addition to research, she hopes to be able to obtain funding to develop substance abuse treatment services for HIV-infected individuals seen at UMMC.