Case Summary:     

North America Immigration Law Group (NAILG) framed this NIW around a proposed endeavor to develop and validate accurate psychological tools that diagnose and treat psychiatric conditions arising during major epidemics, and to uncover cognitive factors that influence transmission of common diseases. By improving screening, clarifying risk perception and stigma, and guiding targeted interventions, the work aims to reduce inappropriate treatments and costs while strengthening U.S. public health readiness.

Research Focus and Contributions

The petition highlighted three integrated lines of work. First, designing and validating questionnaires and scales that measure knowledge, attitudes, and stigma related to infectious-disease outbreaks, enabling earlier recognition of epidemic-linked psychiatric symptoms. Second, assessing treatment strategies for mental disorders when they co-occur with chronic or contagious illnesses, including reviews that inform clinical decision-making. Third, examining socio-behavioral determinants such as child labor and substance-use contexts to inform public-health policy and prevention programs. Together, these efforts create practical tools and evidence to guide clinicians and health agencies.

Research Impact and Metrics

• 10 peer-reviewed journal articles, plus 7 first-authored books and an additional manuscript in preparation.
• 44 citations by independent research teams.
• At least 3 invited reviews for field journals.

Here is an anonymized excerpt from a recommendation letter that underscores the practical impact of her work:

“[Client] is an accomplished psychiatrist whose work explores drug and non-drug treatments for mental disorders with clear public-health implications. During the pandemic, the [client] developed and validated a questionnaire to measure enacted COVID-19 stigma, revealing low prevalence among the non-infected and identifying education as a key predictor—findings that inform targeted interventions.”

Demonstrating Substantial Merit and National Importance

We documented how epidemic-related psychological distress and the rising economic burden of mental illness make better diagnostic tools and targeted interventions a national priority. Evidence in the record shows widespread distress in U.S. populations during recent public-health crises and projects multi-trillion-dollar global costs for mental health, underscoring the urgency of validated instruments that improve care and reduce downstream costs.

Well Positioned to Advance the Proposed Endeavor

The client’s M.D. training, publication record in recognized venues, invitations to review for leading journals, and a clear plan for U.S.-based research demonstrate the capacity to continue advancing this work. The record also shows that multiple papers rank among the top citation percentiles for their publication years, and that peers adopt and extend these methods in independent studies.

NIW Approval and Outlook

Approved in 1 year, 1 month, and 11 days, this NIW recognizes a research agenda that equips U.S. clinicians and health systems with reliable psychological tools for epidemic settings. NAILG is proud to have guided this petition and looks forward to the client’s continued contributions to evidence-based mental-health diagnostics and disease-prevention strategies in the United States.