Cristina Drenkard MD/PhD
Overview
Dr. Drenkard graduated from School of Medicine, National University of Rosario in Argentina. She underwent postgraduate training in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology in Cordoba, Argentina. In 1987, she moved to Mexico City where she underwent additional training in Clinical Epidemiology at the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology of The National Institute of Nutrition Salvador Zubiran. Mentored by Dr. Donato Alarcon-Segovia, her research was focused on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome outcomes. Dr. Drenkard was a member of the faculty at the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology of The National Institute of Nutrition Salvador Zubiran until 1997, when she returned to Argentina. In 2002, Dr. Drenkard earned a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology from the National University of Cordoba, Argentina.
Dr. Drenkard's research is focused on lupus health disparities with emphasis on patient-centered outcomes and behavioral interventions research. Her interest areas are: 1) cutaneous lupus in white-black populations; 2) impact of psychosocial factors on patient-centered outcomes; 3) cost-effective self-management interventions; 4) patient-provider-health system interactions and lupus care; 5) Lupus patient education in minorities.
Dr. Drenkard leads weekly Journal Club sessions aimed to discuss both, classical and current articles of rheumatology, under a critical reading appraisal.
Dr. Drenkard is a member of the Medical Advisory Committee of the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America. She also serves as an advisor and member of the Steering Committee of lupus awareness and education programs led by the American College of Rheumatology Collaborative Initiatives. In 2008, she founded the first support group for Latino patients with lupus in GA. Since then, she has been working with the Latino community of Atlanta to raise awareness about lupus and to educate and empower lupus patients and families who suffer from this chronic condition.
Academic Appointment
- Associate Professor, Division of Rheumatology, Emory School of Medicine
- Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
Education
Degrees
- PhD from School of Medical Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba
- MD from School of Medical Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Rosario
Research
Focus
- Dr. Drenkard is currently involved in epidemiologic research projects that seek to understand the burden and health-related inequities in SLE, particularly among ethnic minorities who suffer from this disease. She is the co-Principal Investigator of the CDCfunded Georgia Lupus Registry, a population-based registry aimed to estimate the incidence and prevalence of SLE in a large geographic area of Atlanta, US.
Publications
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Racial differences in clinical trial perceptions among a large, predominantly Black cohort of people with systemic lupus erythematosus in the Southeastern USA.
Volume: 12
01/04/2025 Authors: Williams JN; Mozee H; Bao G; Dunlop-Thomas C; Schofield K; Drenkard C; Lim SS -
Predictors of first hospitalization due to disease activity and infections in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.
Lupus Volume: 33 Page(s): 1492 - 1501
11/01/2024 Authors: Pons-Estel GJ; Quintana R; Ugarte-Gil MF; Harvey GB; Wojdyla D; Serrano-Morales R; Gmez Puerta JA; Garca MA; Catoggio LJ; Saurit V -
Informing Digital Programs for Lupus Self-Management Education: A Systematic Scoping Review.
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) Volume: 76 Page(s): 1211 - 1223
09/01/2024 Authors: Carpenter K; Gilman S; French M; Shakur Y; Dunlop-Thomas C; Cullerton L; Drenkard C; Barbour KE; Lim SS -
Fluid Cognition Among Individuals With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) Volume: 76 Page(s): 1121 - 1131
08/01/2024 Authors: Plantinga LC; Yazdany J; Pearce BD; Hoge C; Dunlop-Thomas C; Lim SS; Drenkard C; Katz PP; Bowling CB -
Financial Hardship and Sleep Quality Among Black American Women With and Without Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Psychosom Med Volume: 86 Page(s): 315 - 323
05/01/2024 Authors: Abdallah K; Udaipuria S; Murden R; McKinnon II; Erving CL; Fields N; Moore R; Booker B; Burey T; Dunlop-Thomas C -
Physical Performance in a Diverse, Population-Based Cohort of Individuals With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) Volume: 76 Page(s): 517 - 525
04/01/2024 Authors: Plantinga LC; Bowling CB; Hoge C; Dunlop-Thomas C; Pearce BD; Lim SS; Drenkard C -
Direct medical charges in a population-based systemic lupus erythematosus cohort.
J Med Econ Volume: 27 Page(s): 982 - 990
01/01/2024 Authors: Bao D; Drenkard C; Dunlop-Thomas C; Bayakly R; Lim SS -
Remote Administration of Physical and Cognitive Performance Assessments in a Predominantly Black Cohort of Persons With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
ACR Open Rheumatol Volume: 5 Page(s): 499 - 507
09/01/2023 Authors: Hoge C; Bowling CB; Dunlop-Thomas C; Pearce BD; Drenkard C; Lim SS; Plantinga LC -
An ecological approach to understanding and addressing health inequities of systemic lupus erythematosus.
Lupus Volume: 32 Page(s): 612 - 624
04/01/2023 Authors: Reid MR; Danguecan AN; Colindres I; Witherspoon D; Rubinstein TB; Drenkard C; Knight AM; Cunningham NR -
The impact of social determinants of health on the presentation, management and outcomes of systemic lupus erythematosus.
Rheumatology (Oxford) Volume: 62 Page(s): i10 - i14
03/29/2023 Authors: Williams JN; Drenkard C; Lim SS