Kristine M Ruppert

DrPH
  • Assistant Professor
  • Faculty in Epidemiology

Contributions to Public Health

  • My experience and publications reflect my experience in working on a diverse set of project themes. I have collaborated on projects that require skills that are applied to large data repositories along with more focused studies that rely on analyses of smaller data bases and electronic medical records. I have experience in analyzing both clinical, pharmaco-epidemiological, and psychosocial outcomes related to diabetes, and women’s health (menopause, bone health, sleep disturbances, and treatments for women undergoing hysterectomies).
    • Cauley, J.A., Kravitz, H.M., Ruppert, K., Lian, Y., Hall, M.J., Harlow, S.D., Finkelstein, J.S. and Greendale, G. (2023), Self-Reported Sleep Disturbances over the Menopausal Transition and Fracture Risk: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. JBMR Plus e10762. 
    • Cauley, JA, Ruppert, K. Lian, Y, et al. Serum Estradiol, Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin and the Risk of Fracture across the Menopausal Transition:  Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN). J. Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019 Jan 23. PMID:22850443
  • I have been involved in numerous pharmaco-epidemiology studies involving initiation of medications and their effects on women’s bone loss and fracture. We have found that insulin increases the rate of bone loss, thiazide diuretics slow the rate of decline and protein pump inhibitors and analgesics have no effect on loss. Other current studies we are examining is the use of antihypertensives and thyroid hormones on bone loss and fracture.
    • Ruppert, KM. Cauley, J. Lian, Y. Zgibor, JC. Derby, C. Solomon, DH. The effect of Insulin on Bone Mineral Density among Women with Type 2 Diabetes: A SWAN Pharmacoepidemiology Study. Osteoporosis Int. (10, 2017). PMID:2907580
    • Solomon DH, Ruppert K, Cauley JA, Lian Y, Altwies H, Shieh A, Burnett-Bowie S-A. The Effect of Starting Metformin on Bone Mineral Density among Women with Type 2 Diabetes in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Osteoporosis International, Jan 2024. PMID: 37731055
Education

1987 University of Pittsburgh - BSN

1994 Duquesne University - MSN

2004 University of Pittsburgh - DrPH, biostatistics

Teaching

EPIDEM 2185 Introduction to SAS

Department/Affiliation