Sara Al-Dahir
Dr. Al-Dahir provides both didactic and experiential education for pharmacy students in throughout the curriculum. Since completing her Fulbright Scholar award in Doha, Qatar, Dr. Al-Dahir continues to direct the Xavier-Qatar exchange since 2010. She continues to mentor students and residents in clinical research. Dr. Al-Dahir also incorporates her humanitarian work in her scholarship to recommend sustainable strategies for health interventions for marginalized communities.
Education:
- Vaccine Policy and Clinical Trials Certificate, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
- Doctor of Philosophy, International Health, Global Disease Epidemiology and Control, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
- Master of Public Health, Epidemiology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Doctor of Pharmacy, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Bachelor of Science, Molecular Biology and Middle Eastern History, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
Clinical Specialties:
Dr. Sara Al-Dahir practices in the area of Critical Care, Nutrition Support and Infectious Disease. Dr. Al-Dahir is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy. She has additional qualifications in Infectious Disease. Dr. Al-Dahir has additional certifications in Vaccine Policy and Clinical Trials Research from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Teaching Areas:
PCLN 5310: Therapeutics IV B1 Infectious Diseases
PCLN 5370: Nutrition
PHCY 5620 Clinical Calculations
PHAD 3710: Contemporary Topics in Public Health: A Pandemic Response
PHCY 3010: Global Health Disparities
PCLN 6322: APPE Global Health and Academic Rotation in Qatar
PCLN 6413: APPE Research Rotation
Research Interests:
Dr. Al-Dahir has published in Vaccine access and equity, Infectious Disease, Critical Care, and International Health, specifically vaccine uptake among children in conflict areas. Dr. Al-Dahir has published in the area of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, particularly incorporating international students into US based pharmacy experiences. Dr. Al-Dahir is focused on the issues of vaccine equity and the disproportionate impact of infectious syndromes on marginalized communities and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Dr. Al-Dahir has done research on the global burden of meningococcal meningitis under a grant supported by the WHO (World Health Organization). She also conducts research and serves as a consultant for UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund). She has presented nationally and internationally on issues related to vaccine equity.
Select Publications:
Vaccines, Access and Equity and Global Health:
Al-Dahir S, Earls M, Gillard C, Singleton B, Hall E. Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 Phased Vaccine Eligibility on COVID-19 Vaccine Intent among African Americans in Southeastern Louisiana: A Community-Based, Cohort Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 13;19(24):16737. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416737. PMID: 36554617; PMCID: PMC9779262.
Gillard CJ, Al-Dahir S, Earls M, Singleton B. A Culturally Competent Vaccine Hesitancy Educational Model for Community Pharmacists to Increase Vaccine Uptake, Louisiana, 2021-2022. Am J Public Health. 2022 Nov;112(S9):S900-S903. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2022.307070. PMID: 36446056.
Garcia C, Hossain SM, Lami F, Jabbar F, Rahi A, Kadhim KA, Al-Dahir S, Kou Griffiths U. Costs of childhood vaccine delivery in Iraq: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2022 Sep 13;12(9):e059566. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059566. PMID: 36100299; PMCID: PMC9472113.
Hossain SMM, Al-Dahir S, Hilfi RA, Majeed Y, Rahi A, Sabaratnam V, Al-Mulla T, Hossain O, Aldahir A, Norton R, Lami F. Evaluation of dedicated COVID-19 hospitals in the pandemic response in Iraq: pandemic preparation within a recovering healthcare infrastructure. BMJ Glob Health. 2022 Jun;7(Suppl 3):e008715. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-008715. PMID: 35750345; PMCID: PMC9226466.
Ibrahim S, Al-Dahir S, Al Mulla T, Lami F, Hossain SMM, Baqui A, Burnham G. Resilience of health systems in conflict affected governorates of Iraq, 2014-2018. Confl Health. 2021 Oct 18;15(1):76. doi: 10.1186/s13031-021-00412-2. PMID: 34663395; PMCID: PMC8521490.
Hossain SM, Chou V, Ibrahim S, Alhilfi R, Lami F, Sarnak D, Khanam R, Al-Dahir S, Burnham G, Baqui A, and S Ahmed. Child Mortality and Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health in Iraq in the Last Two Decades: Trends and a Way Toward the SDG Targets for Child Survival. The Lancet (preprint). https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3797585.
Therapeutics: Nutrition, Infectious Disease and Critical Care:
Al-Dahir S, Vithlani N, Smith A, Davis H and S Sirohi. Vitamins, Amino Acids and Drugs and Formulations Used in Nutrition Side Effects of Drugs Annual 1 ISSN: 0378-6080. 2017 Elsevier B.V. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/bs.seda. 2017.06.012
Johnson J, Al-Dahir S. Chronic ICU Pain and Post-Intensive Care Syndrome. US Pharm. 2016;41(3):HS11-HS15.
El-Desoky RH, Al-Dahir S, Butler I, Sarpong D, Nawas GT, et al. Are providers PrEPed? a retrospective cohort study analyzing retention in care among pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) patient. Clin HIV AIDS J. 2019 Sep;2(2):111.
Al-Dahir S, Gillard C, Figueroa J. Variations in Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns Among Respiratory Isolates: A Comparison of TICU and Institutional Antibiograms. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2015 Feb;16(1):62-7. doi: 10.1089/sur.2013.171.
Gillard, C, Al-Dahir S. Observations of Resistance through Minimum Inhibitory Concentration Trends for Respiratory Specimens of Commonly Isolated Organisms. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2016 Mar 1;73(5 Suppl 1):S42-8.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning:
Landry SW, Singleton B, Al-Dahir S, Nguyen A, Robinson DS. Sterile Compounding Knowledge, Skills, and Confidence Among Graduating Doctor of Pharmacy Students. Am J Pharm Educ. 2021 Mar;85(3):8345. doi: 10.5688/ajpe8345. Epub 2020 Dec 23. PMID: 34283771; PMCID: PMC8006480.
Al-Dahir S, Alsharif NZ, Gleason SE, Tofade T, Flores EK, Katz M, Dornblaser EK. Current Practices in Hosting Non-US Pharmacy Students at US Pharmacy Schools in Experiential Clerkships. Am J Pharm Educ. 2017 Nov;81(9):6004. doi: 10.5688/ajpe6004. PMID: 29302084; PMCID: PMC5738942.
Al-Dahir S, Bryant K, Kennedy K, Robinson D. Evaluating the Use of On-Line Virtual Patients versus Traditional Problem-Based Learning in Advanced Professional Experience Rotations. Am J Pharm Educ. 2014 May 15;78(4):76. doi: 10.5688/ajpe78476.
For a Full list of Publications:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Al-Dahir+S&cauthor_id=36100299
Grants and Research:
Community Collaboratives and Clinical Bridges to Address Structural Barriers to Clinical Trial Participation
Genentech©, January 1, 2023-December 30, 2025
Assessing Vaccine Hesitancy and a Pharmacist Led Intervention Model to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Among African Americans
NIMHHD: 3U54MD007595-12S4
November 1, 2020-December 31, 2023
COVID-19 Vaccine Education at the Point of Testing to Increase Vaccine Uptake in Vulnerable Communities in Southeastern Louisiana
NIMHHD: 3U54MD007595-13S3
July 1, 2021 - December 31, 2023
Using Community Collaboratives and Faith Based Bridges to Support Ongoing COVID-19 Patient Education Among Vulnerable Communities in Southeastern Louisiana
Pfizer© Global Medical Grants
Louisiana (LA) Community-Engagement Research Alliance Against COVID-19 in Disproportionately Affected Communities (LA-CEAL) 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 (Subaward from Tulane University)
NIH, September 28, 2020-February 28, 2023