F. Hunter McGuire, PhD, MPH

Hey

Epidemiologist & Health Services Researcher

Quantitative Health Researcher @ RTI International

Research Interests


Mental health and access to treatment

My research documents and seeks to explain the population-level drivers of mental health disparities as well as barriers/facilitators to mental health services. Currently, my work focuses on the social determinants of eating disorders and differential access to eating disorder treatment across population subgroups.



LGBTQ+ health

I'm interested the impact of structural factors (e.g., laws/policies, non-discrimination protections) on the mental health status of LGBTQ+ communities. I use multilevel and intersectional modeling approaches to identify intervention targets that promote/inhibit positive mental health among LGBTQ+ people from youth to older age.



Quantitative methods for intersectionality

With large, US nationally-representative data sets, I explore and document health disparities across multiple dimensions of social position, including race/ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, and weight status. I'm interested in the development/adaptation of statistical methods to better account for the tenets of intersectionality theory.

Recent work:

  • Incorporating complex sample survey weights with Bayesian methods to estimate the prevalence and population distribution of depression among US adults at the intersection of race/ethnicity, sex/gender, and sexual orientation.


    • Systems science

    I use systems science methods (e.g., agent-based modeling, system dynamics) to describe complex system behavior (e.g., nonlinearity, feedback loops) and identify leverage points to reduce mental health outcome and treatment disparities.

    Recent work:

  • Building a system dyanmics model of the mental health service use cascade among men with eating disorders and simulating different intervention opportunities.
  • Using agent-based models to simulate interventions promoting evidence-based policymaking in state mental health agencies.


    • Publications


    • Compte, E.J., McGuire, F.H., Brown, T.A., Lavender, J.M., Murray, S.B., Capriotti, M.R., Flentje, A., Lubensky, M.E., Lunn, M.R., Obedin-Maliver, J. & Nagata, J.M. (2023). Investigating the factor structure and measurement invariance of the eating disorder examination questionnaire (EDE-Q) among cisgender gay men and lesbian women from the United States. Journal of Eating Disorders, 11, 164. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00880-2

    • Bukowski, A., Smith, J.S., Wheeler, S.B., Sanusi, B., McGuire, F.H., Zeno, E., Des Marais, A.C., Barclay, L., Hudgens, M.G., Jackson, S., & Brewer N.T. (2023). Cervical Cancer Screening Knowledge, Perceptions, and Behaviors in a Multiracial Cohort of Low-Income, Underscreened Women in North Carolina. Journal of Women's Health, 32(9), 970-981. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2022.0412

    • McGuire, F.H., Goldbach, J.T., Senese IV, J.G., Cabrera Jr., J.R., Schrager, S.M., & Duncan, A.E. (2023). Longitudinal association of homonegative school climate with body dysmorphic disorder among cisgender sexual minority adolescents: Testing mediation through proximal minority stressors. Body Image, 45, 86-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.02.007

    • Walsh-Bailey, C., Gilbert, A., Thembekile, S., Sandler, B., Baumann, A.A., Bradley, C.D., McLoughlin, G.M., McGuire, F.H., Fort, M.P., & Tabak, R.G. (2023). Protocol for a scoping review of health equity frameworks and models applied in empirical studies of chronic disease prevention and control. Systematic Reviews, 12, 83. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02240-2

    • Nagata, J.M., Compte, E.J., McGuire, F.H., Brown, T.A., Lavender, J.M., Murray, S.B., Capriotti, M.R., Flentje, A., Lubensky, M.E., Lunn, M.R., & Obedin-Maliver, J. (2023). Investigating the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) in a community sample of gender minority adults from the United States. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 56(8), 1570-1580. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23978

    • Zhong, Y., McGuire, F.H., Duncan, A.E. (2022). Who is trying to lose weight? Trends and prevalence in past-year weight loss attempts among US adults 1999-2018 at the intersection of race/ethnicity, gender, and weight status. Eating Behaviors, 47, 101682. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101682

    • Nagata, J.M., Compte, E.J., McGuire, F.H., Lavender, J.M., Brown, T.A., Murray, S.B., Flentje, A., Capriotti, M.R., Lubensky, M.E., Lunn, M.R., & Obedin-Maliver, J. (2022). Psychometric validation of the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI) among transgender men. Body Image, 42, 43-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.05.001

    • Nagata, J.M., McGuire, F.H., Lavender, J.M., Brown, T.A., Murray, S.B., Greene, R., Compte, E.J., Flentje, A., Lubensky, M.E., Obedin-Maliver, J., & Lunn, M.R. (2022). Appearance and performance-enhancing drugs and supplements, eating disorders, and muscle dysmorphia among gender minority people. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 55, 678–687. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23708

    • Nagata, J.M., McGuire, F.H., Lavender, J.M., Brown, T.A., Murray, S.B., Compte, E.J., Flentje, A., Lubensky, M.E., Obedin-Maliver, J., & Lunn, M.R. (2022). Appearance and performance-enhancing drugs and supplements (APEDS) use: Lifetime use and associations with eating disorder and muscle dysmorphia symptoms among cisgender sexual minority people. Eating Behaviors, 44, 101595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101595

    • Combs, T.B., Nelson, K.L., Luke, D.A., McGuire, F.H., Cruden, G., Henson, R.M., Adams, D., Hoagwood, K., & Purtle, J. (2022). Simulating the role of knowledge brokers in policymaking in state agencies: An agent-based model. Health Services Research, 57(S1), 122-136. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.13916

    • McGuire, F.H., Carl, A., Woodcock, L., Frey, L., Dake, E., Matthews, D.D., Russell, K., & Adkins, D. (2021). Differences in patient and parent reports of depression and anxiety symptoms in a clinical sample of transgender and gender diverse youth. LGBT Health, 8(6), 404-411. https://doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2020.0478

    • Nagata, J.M., Compte, E.J., McGuire, F.H., Lavender, J.M., Brown, T.A., Murray, S.B., Flentje, A., Capriotti, M.R., Lubensky, M.E., Lunn, M.R., & Obedin-Maliver, J. (2021). Community norms of the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI) among gender minority populations. Journal of Eating Disorders, 9(1), 87. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-021-00442-4

    • McGuire, F.H., Andre, K., Bradsher, M.L., Harrison, D., Sterling, R.K., Reddy, K.R., Serper, M., Golin, C.E., Reau, N., Lim, J.K., Nelson, D.R., Sarkar, S., & Evon, D.M. (2021). Willingness to participate in health and medical research among Black patients with liver disease: a national cross-sectional study. Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 28(7),982-993. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvh.13493

    • Swezey, T., McGuire, F.H., Hurley, P., Panhuis, J., Goldstein, K., Chuck, T., Perry, B., Dombeck, C., Brennan, C., Phrsai, N., & Corneli, A. (2020). More than a box to check: sponsor and investigator perspectives on making GCP training relevant. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 19, 100606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2020.100606

    • Rohner, E., McGuire, F.H., Li, Q., Miele, K., Desai, S.A., Schmitt, J., Knittel, A., Nelson, J., Edelman, C., Sivaraman, V., Baker, A., Romocki, L.S., Rahangdale, L., & Smith, J.S. (2020). Racial and ethnic differences in acceptability of urine and cervico-vaginal sample self-collection for HPV-based cervical cancer screening. Journal of Women’s Health, 29(7), 971–979. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2019.8132

    • Perry, B., Geoghegan, C., Lin, L., McGuire, F.H., Nido, V., Grabert, B., Morin, S.L., Hallinan, Z.P., & Corneli, A. (2019). Patient preferences for using mobile technologies in clinical trials. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 15, 100399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2019.100399

    • Vulimiri, M., Saunders, R., Bleser, W., Madanay, F., Moseley, C., McGuire, F.H., Ubel, P., McKethan, A., McClellan, M., & Wong, C. (2019). Engaging beneficiaries in Medicaid programs that incentivize health promoting behaviors. Health Affairs, 38(3), 431-439. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05427

    Experience


    Professional experience

    Quantitative Health Researcher, RTI International (2024 - present)

    Doctoral Researcher, Washington University in St. Louis (2020 - 2024)

    Graduate Research Assistant, University of North Carolina School of Medicine & Gillings School of Global Public Health (2018 - 2020)

    Research Assistant, Duke University School of Medicine (2016 - 2018)

    Education

    PhD in Public Health Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis (May 2024)

    MPH in Health Behavior, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (May 2020)

    BA in Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (May 2016)

    Skills

  • Programming languages: R, Stata, SAS, SQL, Python, Stan
  • Methods: Bayesian statistics, complex sample surveys, multilevel & longitudinal modeling, propensity score analysis, network analysis, system dyanmics, structural equation modeling, missing data imputation