Dr. Quinn’s research broadly explores individual-, family-, and community-level influences on sexual and reproductive health. Her early graduate work aimed to better inform interventions to reduce unwanted teen pregnancy by exploring the role of social support in teen mothers’ maintenance of contraception over time and identifying relational factors that influence teen mothers’ postpartum contraceptive choices. Her dissertation examined how emerging adults’ religiosity, attitudes about sex, and sexual risk and protective behaviors are associated with early-life family modeling of religiosity and family communication about sex.

Since joining the VA, Dr. Quinn has focused her research lens on advancing the quality and equity of reproductive health and healthcare for women Veterans with the goals of (1) identifying modifiable factors that contribute to disparities in care and outcomes and (2) designing policies, programs, and prevention strategies that promote quality and equity in sexual and reproductive health and healthcare and support reproductive autonomy across the life course.  

Currently, Dr. Quinn is a Core Investigator in the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. She is studying links between pre-pregnancy health and social risks and adverse maternal outcomes among Veterans using VA maternity benefits. She is also interested in developing patient-centered interventions to improve pre-pregancy health among Veterans at high risk of adverse maternal outcomes.