Open Research and Contributor Identifier

ORCID - 0000-0002-8798-0894

Education

• Indiana University, Postdoctoral Training, 2017

• Indiana University, PhD, 2014

• Indiana University, MS, 2010

• People's Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, MD, 2002

Background

• Physician In Charge, Primary Care Hospital, Namaloya, Ampara District, Sri Lanka
• Regional Epidemiologist, Ampara District, Sri Lanka
• Associate Instructor, Applied Health Science, School of Public Health Bloomington, Indiana University
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Applied Health Science, School of Public Health Bloomington, Indiana University
• Santosh Jain Endowed Memorial Award (first ever recipient), Indiana University Graduate School
• Donald Ludwig Scholarship, School of Public Health Bloomington, Indiana University
• Mohammad R. Torabi Scholarship, School of Public Health Bloomington, Indiana University

Research Interests

• Childhood obesity
• Modeling obesity interventions
• Substance use and medication misuse
• Mindfulness and mental health
• Childhood asthma

Selected Publications

Articles

Dutta T, Haderxhanaj L, Agley JD, Jayawardene WP, Meyerson BE. The Association of Individual and Intimate-Partner Level Factors with Cervical Cancer Screening among Women in Kenya. Preventing Chronic Disease. [accepted]

Carter G, Jayawardene WP, Agley JD, Garcia J, Miller W, Sherwood-Laughlin C, Meyerson BE. Development of a 10-item Tool to Identify APN Readiness to Prescribe Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. [accepted]

Jayawardene WP, Dickinson S, Lohrmann DK, Agley JD. Arm Circumference to Height Ratio as a Situational Alternative to BMI Percentile in Assessing Obesity and Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescents. Journal of Obesity. 2018. DOI: 10.1155/2018/7456461

Meyerson BE, Agley JD, Davis A, Jayawardene WP, Hoss A, Shannon DJ, Ryder PT, Ritchie R, Gassman R. Predicting pharmacy naloxone stocking and dispensing following a statewide standing order, Indiana 2016. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2018. DOI: 10

Jayawardene WP, Nilwala DC, Antwi GO, Lohrmann DK, Torabi MR, Dickinson S. Regression-Based Prediction of Seeking Diabetes-Related Emergency Medical Assistance by Regular Clinic Patients in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries. 2017. DOI 10.1007/s13410-017-0578-x

Lohrmann DK, Jayawardene WP, Torabi MR. Factors Associated With Changes in Fruit Intake during Young Adulthood: A Classification and Regression Tree Analysis of Longitudinal Data. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2017. PMID: 28318873 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2017.01.017

Jayawardene WP, Erbe RG, Lohrmann DK, Torabi MR. Use of Treatment and Counseling Services and Mind-Body Techniques by Students Experiencing Difficulties with Concentration, Emotions, and Behaviors. Journal of School Health. 2017; 87(2): 133-141. PMID: 28076919. DOI: 10.1111/josh.12475

Jayawardene WP, Lohrmann DK, Dickinson S, Talagala S, Torabi MR. Clinical Measures of Obesity and Cumulative Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescents. Clinical Obesity. 2016; 7(1):11-21. PMID: 28028931. DOI: 10.1111/cob.12171

Jayawardene WP, Lohrmann DK, Erbe RG, Torabi MR. Effects of Preventive Online Mindfulness Interventions on Stress and Mindfulness: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2017; 5: 150-159. PMCID: PMC5199155. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.013

Jayawardene WP, Lohrmann DK, Dickinson S, Torabi MR. Population-Level Measures to Predict Obesity Burden in Public Schools: looking upstream for midstream actions. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2016. PMID: 27708069. DOI: 10.1177/0890117116670305

Jayawardene WP, Torabi MR, Lohrmann DK. Exercise in Young Adulthood with Simultaneous and Future Changes in Fruit and Vegetable Intake. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2015:1-9. PMID: 26251968. DOI: 10.1080/07315724.2015.1022268

Agley J, Gassman R, YoussefAgha A, Jun M, Torabi M, Jayawardene W. Examining Sequences of Adolescent Substance Use Initiation Involving Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drug Abuse. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse. 2015; epub:1-8.DOI: 10.1080/1067828X.2013.812528

Jayawardene WP, Lohrmann DK, YoussefAgha AH. Discrepant body mass index: behaviors associated with height and weight misreporting among US adolescents from the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study. Childhood Obesity. 2014; 10(3): 225-233. PMID: 24828965. DOI: 10.1089/chi.2014.0002

Lohrmann DK, YoussefAgha AH, Jayawardene WP. Trends in BMI and Prevalence of Extreme High Obesity among Pennsylvania Children and Adolescents, 2007-2011: promising but cautionary. American Journal of Public Health. 2014; 104(4): e62-8. PMID: 24524514. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301851

Jayawardene WP, YoussefAgha AH. Multiple and Substitute Addictions Involving Prescription Drugs among Twelfth Graders: gateway model revisited with market basket analysis. Journal of Addiction Medicine. 2014; 8(2): 102-110. PMID: 24440894. DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000012

Jayawardene WP, YoussefAgha AH, LaJoie S, Torabi MR. Psychological Distress among Nurses Caring for War-Victims in Sri Lanka. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. 2013; 7(3): 278-286. PMID: 21606212. DOI:10.1001/dmp.2011.36

Jayawardene WP, YoussefAgha AH, Lohrmann DK, El Afandi GS. Prediction of Asthma Exacerbations among Children through Integrating Air Pollution, Upper-Air, and School Health Surveillances. Allergy and Asthma Proceedings. 2013; 34(1):1-8. PMID: 23406925. DOI: 10.2500/aap.2013.34.3629

YoussefAgha, AH, Lohrmann, DK, Jayawardene, WP. Use of Data Mining to Reveal Body Mass Index (BMI): patterns among Pennsylvania schoolchildren, Pre-K to Grade 12. Journal of School Health. 2013; 83(2), 85-92. PMID: 23331267. DOI: 10.1111/josh.12002

Jayawardene WP, YoussefAgha AH, Lohrmann DK. Upper-Air Observation Indicators Predict Outbreaks of Allergies among Elementary School Children: integration of daily environmental and school health surveillance systems in Pennsylvania. International Journal of Child and Adolescent Health. 2013; 6(2), 177-189

YoussefAgha AH, Jayawardene WP, Lohrmann DK, El Afandi GS. Application of Data Mining Techniques to Predict Allergy Outbreaks among Elementary School Children: integration of hourly air pollution, bi-daily upper-air, and daily school health surveillance systems in Pennsylvania. Journal of Communication and Computer. 2013; 10(4), 451-460

YoussefAgha AH, Lohrmann DK, Jayawardene WP, Lorenzen-Huber L. Public Concerns and Projected Repercussions of Health Care Reform Using Simulation. Journal of Communication and Computer. 2013; 10(3), 409-415

YoussefAgha AH, Jayawardene WP, Obeng S, Lohrmann DK. A Content Analysis of Online News Media Reporting on American Health Care Reform. Journal of Communication and Computer. 2013; 10(2), 160-168

YoussefAgha AH, Jayawardene WP, Lohrmann DK. Hepatitis B and C among Northeast African Refugees in the United States: the need for screening, immunization, and follow-up. The International Journal of Health, Wellness and Society. 2013; 2(3), 101-110

YoussefAgha AH, Jayawardene WP, Lohrmann DK, El Afandi GS. Air Pollution Indicators Predict Outbreaks of Asthma Exacerbations among Elementary School Children: integration of daily environmental and school health surveillance systems in Pennsylvania. Journal of Environmental Monitoring. 2012; 14 (12), 3202 – 3210. PMID: 23147442. DOI: 10.1039/c2em30430a

YoussefAgha AH, Lohrmann DK, Jayawardene, WP, El Afandi GS. Upper-Air Observation Indicators Predict Outbreaks of Asthma Exacerbations among Elementary School Children: integration of daily environmental and school health surveillance systems in Pennsylvania. Journal of Asthma. 2012; 49(5):464-73. PMID: 22574718. DOI: 10.3109/02770903.2012.677896

Jayawardene WP, YoussefAgha AH, Mattar S, Labib N, Torabi MR. Differential Characteristics of Diabetes Epidemic across Global Regions. The International Journal of Health, Wellness and Society. 2012;1(4):61-78.

YoussefAgha AH, Maffini C, Jayawardene WP, Perez-Medina E, Torabi MR. Barriers Contributing to Health Disparities among Latinos in the United States. The International Journal of Health, Wellness and Society. 2012;1(4):163-178.

Jayawardene WP, Lohrmann DK, YoussefAgha AH, Nilwala DC. Prevention of Dengue Fever: an exploratory school-community intervention involving students empowered as change agents. Journal of School Health. 2011;81(9):566-573. PMID: 21831070. DOI: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2011.00628.x

Heaven C, Morales N, Luegers A, YoussefAgha AH, Jayawardene WP. Primary Prevention of Diabetes in the Middle East and North Africa Region: an ecological perspective. The International Journal of Health, Wellness and Society. 2011;1(2):87-100

Lohrmann DK, Jayawardene WP, Gillio R. Stemming the Flood: Childhood Obesity Prevention in Pennsylvania, 2005-2014 (State Report). PA: Highmark Foundation; 2016.

Books

Lohrmann DK, Jayawardene WP. Youth Obesity in Trends and Projections for Monroe County, Indiana, 2010-2017: Promising but Cautionary (County Report). IN: IU-Health Bloomington; 2016.

Obeng SG, YoussefAgha AH, Jayawardene WP, eds. Contemporary Issues in Public Health in North Africa and Middle East. New York, NY: Nova Science; 2014.