Episode 87: Dr. Rhonda Moore

Interviewee: Dr. Rhonda Moore 

Interviewer: Dr. Lisa Meeks

Description: 

In this episode of the Docs with Disabilities podcast, Dr. Rhonda Moore, a medical anthropologist and program officer at the NIH shares her journey grappling with chronic pain, autism, and attention deficit disorder, all amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. She very candidly shares insight into her journey as a kid, from growing up with a brother with autism, to taking theater classes as a means to derive and learn confidence. Through her personal narrative, Dr. Moore shed light on the challenges faced by black women in navigating the healthcare system, highlighting the importance of representation and support for individuals with disabilities. The conversation was marked by a deep sense of empathy and understanding, creating a safe and empowering space for Dr. Moore to share her experiences. Together, Drs. Meeks and Moore delve into the complexities of disability, chronic pain, and the pursuit of equity and inclusion in the medical field. Dr. Moore emphasizes the significance of diverse narratives and the power of self-acceptance and support. 

Bio: ​​Rhonda Moore (she/her) is an Autistic Medical Anthropologist and Program Officer for the Genetic Counseling Resource at the  National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research Program. Her work combines anthropological methods, ethics, data science and clinical medicine to better understand patient experiences and health disparities across culturally and medically diverse care settings (cancer, pain, palliative care), community engaged research, and the differential and ethical impacts of new and emerging technologies on health outcomes in diverse and vulnerable populations. She is writer/editor of the following books: Climate Change and Heath Equity (forthcoming, Springer 2023), the Handbook of Pain and Palliative Care (Springer, 2012, 2nd edition, Springer, 2019), Biobehavioral Approaches to Pain (Springer 2009) and Cancer Culture and Communication (Springer 2004).  Prior to serving at the All of Us Research Program, she was a Program Officer in Global Mental Health at the US NIMH. Her program in Global Mental Health focused on social determinants of health, ethics of new and emerging technologies, citizen science, climate change and mental health, and reciprocal innovation. She was also the program lead for the digital global mental health technology program in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). She received her PhD in Cultural Anthropology from Stanford University, followed by post-doctoral fellowships and training in Behavioral Science (Stanford Medical School), Epidemiology (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) and Hospice/Palliative Care (St. Austell, Cornwall UK).

Transcript

Keywords: medical anthropology, actually autistic, community engaged research, disability in medicine, mental health, health equity, ADHD, AuDHD, neurodiversity paradigm, neurodivergence,  chronic pain, EDS, Ehlers Danlos, Fibromyalgia.

Produced by: Pranati Movva, Jasmine Lopez, R.E. Natowicz, Jacob Feeman and Dr. Lisa Meeks. 

Audio editor: Jacob Feeman

Digital Media: Katie Sullivan

Resources: 

National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Autism Spectrum Disorder. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd#:~:text=Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorder-,Overview,first%202%20years%20of%20life.

Autism Society (2023). https://autismsociety.org/