Dr. Elise Tirza Ohene-Kyei

Dr. Elise Tirza Ohene-Kyei is a physician, public health advocate, and writer whose work centers on adolescent sexual and reproductive health, menstrual health, and equity in care for vulnerable populations. 

Areas of expertise

  • Adolescent sexual and reproductive health, including contraception and STI prevention
  • Menstrual health education and culturally grounded digital health tools for African girls and women.
  • Global health and public health research focused on vulnerable populations especially women, children, and youth in low- and middle-income settings.
  • Health communication and storytelling to address stigma around sensitive social and health issues.
  • Program and digital tool design and implementation for youth.


Career

  • Adolescent Medicine Fellow, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Department of Pediatrics, focusing on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and global adolescent health, as well as infectious diseases. Since 2022
  • Medical Lead (Chief Medical/Clinical Lead), Poka Health / Poka Technology – a menstrual health app created by African women for African women, responsible for medical content and evidence-based product strategy. Since 2023
  • Physician, practicing medicine in Ghana From 2018 to 2020


Education

  • Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health – Master of Public Health (MPH), with emphasis on Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Child and Adolescent Health, and Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health.
  • Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), School of Medical Sciences Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB)
  • Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), School of Medical Sciences Bachelor of Science in Human Biology


Academic memberships 

  • Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine 

Academic interests

  • Involved in multidisciplinary adolescent health research teams at Johns Hopkins focusing on HIV, contraception, and youth-friendly service delivery.
  • Research interests include adolescent contraception preferences, long-acting HIV prevention, menstrual health innovations, and narrative approaches to health education.
  • Active in regional and global networks for youth health, medical education, and reproductive health advocacy. 

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles and Book Chapters and other Publications

  • Jackman, K. M., Agwu, A., Ohene-Kyei, E. T., Barfield, A., Huettner, S., & Trent, M. (2025). Perceptions about using a patient portal to self-disclose HIV-related information to sexual partners: a qualitative study among adolescents and emerging adults living with HIV. AIDS Care, 37(12), 2215–2228. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2025.2562233 
  • Kaufman, M.R., Wright, K., Shin, R., Ohene-Kyei ET et al. The power of social media activism in the #YesAllWomenMovement. Humanities Soc Sci Commun12, 1469 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05647-5 
  • Barfield A, Ohene-Kyei ET, Smith R, Trent M, Perin J, Jackman KM, Huettner S, Weld E, Haines A, Agwu A. Exploring Preferences, Concerns, and Implementation of Different Long-Acting Antiretroviral Strategies for Youth with HIV Facing Adherence Challenges. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2025 Jul;39(7):289-295. doi: 10.1089/apc.2025.0039. 
  • Ohene-Kyei, ET (2025) “Beauty” at What Cost? The Cancerous Price of Conforming to Western Hair Norms, The Labari Journal an opinion piece. https://labarijournal.com/beauty-at-what-cost-the-cancerous-price-of-conforming-to-western-hair-norms/ 
  • Ohene-Kyei, ET et al. Unmet HIV and Syphilis Screening Needs for Adolescents and Young Adults with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Impact of Covid-19, Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume76, Issue3, Supplement, 2025, Page S110, ISSN1054-139X, doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.11.227
  • Pregnancy, Elise Tirza Ohene-Kyei and Maria E. Trent, ©2024 Elsevier Inc. An update of J. Chuang, J. Santelli, K. Soren, Pregnancy in Adolescence, Editor(s): B. Bradford Brown, Mitchell J. Prinstein, Encyclopedia of Adolescence, Academic Press, 2011, Pages 231e236, ISBN 9780123739513, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-373951-3.00127-7
  • Thrul J, Yusuf H, …Ohene-Kyei ET, Gebo K, Agwu A. Accuracy of Provider Predictions of Viral Suppression Among Adolescents and Young Adults With HIV in an HIV Clinical Program. Journal of the International Assoc. of Providers of AIDS Care (JIAPAC). 2024;23. doi:10.1177/23259582241252587. 
  • Jackman KP, Ohene-Kyei ET, …Agwu A, Trent M. Patient Portal Privacy: Perspectives of Adolescents and Emerging Adults Living with HIV and the Parental/Guardian Role in Supporting Their Care. Appl Clin Inform. 2023 Aug;14(4):752-762. doi: 10.1055/s-0043-1772685.
  • Ohene - Kyei, Elise Tirza A. et al. Getting to Zero: The Association Between Connectedness & Self-Efficacy for Adherence to Antiretroviral among Youth living with HIV, Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 72, Issue 3, S98, 2023
  • A Barfield, M Trent, E T. Ohene-Kyei, J Perin, R Smith, A Haines, E Weld, ...Understanding the Translational Potential of Advances in HIV Leveraging Consumer Preferences for Care: Long-Acting Antiretroviral Treatment for Youth with HIV Journal of Adolescent Health 72 (3), S74, 2023.
  • KM Jackman, A Agwu, J Perin, E.T. Ohene-Kyei, R Smith, M Trent “There's a Lot of Stigma. I Don't Want People to Know.”: Confidence for Self-disclosing HIV Status to Sexual Partners Among Youth Enrolled in the Tech-2-Check Trial Journal of Adolescent Health 72 (3), S21-S22, 2023.
  • Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in the United States Osei, A.D., Ohene-Kyei, E.T.A., Echouffo-Tcheugui, J.B. (2023). In: Ahima, R.S. (eds) Metabolic Syndrome. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12125-3_55-1 
  • Award-winning writer and blogger at Letters from this Heart, addressing unspoken social and personal issues through fiction and reflective essays.
  • Author of the self-published novel Perspectives (2019), which uses storytelling to explore complex emotional and social themes.