Deirdre "Dee" Ferguson (PhD 2026) examined the association between sexual dissatisfaction and physical health among older adults
Her examoination used C-reactive protein (CRP) as a subclinical biological marker of inflammation alongside self-rated health, with a focus on how operationalization choices, gender, and item non-response shape conclusions about health outcomes. For her M.A. thesis, she examined sexual behaviors and STI and pregnancy prevention among adults who practice ethical nonmonogamy.
Research Interests
Medical Sociology, Health Disparities, Gender and Sexuality, Aging, Social Determinants of Health, Stigma, Biomarker Analysis, Mixed Methods Research, Opioid Use Disorder, Sexual Health, STI and pregnancy prevention
Education
- A.A., Business Administration, University of North Georgia
- B.A., Sociology, Summa Cum Laude, University of North Georgia
- M.A., Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Ph.D., Medical Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Awards/Honors
- Outstanding Ph.D. Student Award, UAB, 2026
- UAB College of Arts and Sciences Honorable Mention, 2026
- Editor's Choice Award, The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, December 2024
- William Cockerham Paper Award, UAB, 2024
- Blazer Fellowship, UAB, 2022–2023
- 2nd Place Student Paper Award, Georgia Sociological Association, 2019
Publications
- Thomeer, M. B., Wolfe, J. D., Ferguson, D., Reczek, R., & Cao, R. 2024. "Childbearing Histories and Midlife Cognition: A Research Report." The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 79(12):177. Selected as December 2024 Editor's Choice.
- Thomeer, M., Wolfe, J., Reczek, R., Ferguson, D., & Cao, R. 2024. "Childbearing Status, Parity, and Cognitive Health at Midlife: A Longitudinal Approach." Innovation in Aging 8(Supplement_1):817.
- Thomeer, M. B., Reczek, R., Cao, R., & Ferguson, D. 2025. "Dynamics of Adult Child-Mother Relationships in Emerging Adulthood by Gender and Race." Social Psychology Quarterly, 88(3):398–420.
- Thomeer, M. B., Ferguson, D., Crutchfield, C., & Reczek, R. 2025. "Motherhood Biographies and Health over the Life Course." Sociology Compass 19(3):e70036.
- Thomeer, M.B., Ferguson, D., & Williams, S. 2026. "Social Relations and Health." In Elgar Encyclopedia on Health and Medical Sociology.
- Alnashri, Y., Gagnon, K., Wood, T.J., Ferguson, D., et al. 2026. "Exploring Recovery Experiences and Challenges among Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder in Alabama." Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy.
Under Review
- Thomeer, M., Ferguson, D., Wolfe, J., & Reczek, R. "Women's and Men's Childbearing Histories and Cognitive Functioning: Do Birth Cohorts Moderate the Association?" Submitted July 2026, Social Science & Medicine.
- Ward, A. M., Wood, T., Gerke, D., Walters, S., Williams, J., Clement, D., Katundu, M., Ferguson, D., Morrison, K., Alnashri, Y., Grin, B., & Jaiswal, J. 2026. "'In my community, if you're an addict, people don't just look down on you for the drugs, but for being Black, too': Black and Latine Methadone Patients' Experiences Around Addiction, Methadone Treatment, and Intersectional Stigma." Submitted May 2026, International Journal of Addiction Nursing.
Teaching Experience
- Part-Time Instructor, Introduction to Sociology, University of Alabama, Spring 2026–Present
- Instructor, Introduction to Human Sexuality, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Summer 2026
- Instructor, Introduction to Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Spring 2026
- Teaching Assistant, Categorical Data Analysis, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Fall 2024