Dr. Vivian's research transitioned from the clinical to community setting with an emphasis on disease prevention. She works with members of under-resourced communities to identify health issues that are important to their community, with the aim of combining knowledge with action and achieving social change to improve health outcomes and eliminate health disparities.

The Vivian research team is currently engaged in a community-based diabetes prevention program called Healthy Outcomes through Peer Educators (HOPE). HOPE is an intervention that allows grandmothers who reside in the same community an opportunity to provide each other with knowledge; experience; emotional, social, and practical help. HOPE will evaluate the impact of peer support on African American grandmother’s health behaviors and the spillover effect of these behaviors on their grandchildren. HOPE pairs grandmothers with prediabetes to peer educators who are also grandmothers and reside in the same community. Peers understand what is meaningful to their community, communicate in the language of the people, and can recognize and incorporate cultural buffers (e.g., cultural identity and spiritual coping) to help community members cope with stress and promote health outcomes.

Background: Dr. Vivian is currently Professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy, Master of Science from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin School of Human Ecology.  She is certified in diabetes care and education and advanced diabetes management. Dr. Vivian's research interest focus on identifying disparities in the treatment of hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases among ethnic minorities, particularly African American and Latino American patients and developing and implementing strategies to reduce and eliminate them. Recently, her research has sharpened its focus in response to heightened awareness of the great numbers of children and adolescents who are at special risk of diabetes.

Dr. Vivian currently serves on the Editorial Board of Diabetes Care.  Dr. Vivian has lectured at medical meetings, conferences, and symposia across the United States. Dr. Vivian has held numerous leadership positions within professional associations. She served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Diabetes Educators during 2011-2013. She is also a member of the American Diabetes Association, American Pharmacy Association, American Association Colleges Pharmacy and American College of Clinical Pharmacy.

1. Vivian E, Chewning B, Flanagan C. Chasing a dream against all odds. BMC Public Health. 2022;22(1):1748. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-14130-8. PMID: 36109735; PMCID: PMC9476302.
2. Gray, J, Hillman, LA, Vivian, E, St. Peter, WL. Pharmacist's role in reducing medication-related racial disparities in African American patients with chronic kidney disease. J Am Coll Clin Pharm. 2022; 1- 9. doi:10.1002/jac5.1653
3. Vivian E, Flanagan C. Peers empowering peers-feasibility of a peer educator training program to prevent diabetes. BMC Womens Health. 2022;22(1):65. doi:10.1186/s12905-022-01645-w
4. Vivian E, Flanagan, C., Chewning, B, Porco, M., Hoffath L. Hear Our Voice: Insights from Children of Different Cultural Backgrounds Living in Low-Income Housing. Progress In Community Health Partnerships. 2021;15(4):509-516.
5. Vivian EM. Vaccine Hesitancy in the Black Community - It’s a Matter of Trust. Open J Public Health. 2021; 3(1): 1019.
6. Wade T, Fahey O, Vanmieghem M and Vivian E.  Self-care behaviors of food insecure persons with diabetes Health Edu Care, 2019; 4: 1-4. doi: 10.15761/HEC.1000154
7. Powers MA, Bardsley J, Cypress M, Duker P, Funnell MM, Hess Fischl A, Maryniuk MD, Siminerio L, Vivian E. Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support in Type 2 Diabetes: A Joint Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Clin Diabetes. 2016; Apr;34(2):70-80.