Raquel G. Hernandez, MD, MPH
Pediatrics
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About Raquel G. Hernandez
Professional Titles
- Director, Healthy Weight Initiative
- Director, Center for Pediatric Health Equity Research
Primary Academic Title
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Background
Dr. Raquel G. Hernandez is an associate professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her clinical interests include general pediatric and adolescent medicine, health disparities, culturally and linguistically appropriate care as well as pediatric obesity.
Dr. Hernandez completed her medical school training, pediatric residency and fellowship in academic general pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. During her fellowship she also earned a master of public health degree with an emphasis on nutrition from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
At Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Dr. Hernandez is the director of the Healthy Weight Initiative, a multi-tiered approach including innovative clinical care, research and educational efforts targeting pediatric obesity. In this role, she has been instrumental in advocating for the care of patients with pediatric obesity using evidence-based and culturally appropriate services.
Her research currently focuses on health disparities among vulnerable populations with a focus on pediatric obesity. She has identified factors that enhance obesity prevention and treatment efforts within the pediatric primary care setting, with a focus on the role of parental perceptions of child weight, parental participation and modifiable factors in obesity prevention.
She additionally leads the JHACH Center for Pediatric Health Equity Research based within the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. The center seeks to develop and implement research efforts focused on promoting health equity for children and families within the organization and community with a focus on community-informed efforts.
Centers and Institutes
CV
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/johns-hopkins-childrens-center/_documents/_cvs/hernandez_r_cv2012.pdf
Recent News Articles and Media Coverage
A Look Back at Healthy Lifestyle Behavioral Patterns among School-Age Children: Are We Neglecting Healthy Weight for Overweight Kids?, Liebert Publishing (April 22, 2019)
How to Reduce Hidden Sugars in Your Family’s Diet, Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine (March 1, 2022)
New study shows childhood obesity requires early and aggressive treatment, like surgery or medication, WFTS -TV (January 10, 2023)
Teens Are Taking Wegovy for Weight Loss. But Doctors Have a Lot to Learn, TIME Magazine (June 6, 2023)
Research Interests
Center-based child care, Childhood nutrition, Childhood obesity, Preschool weight risks
Research Summary
Dr. Hernandez’s research focuses largely on the prevention and management of childhood obesity.
She has identified factors that enhance obesity prevention and treatment efforts within the pediatric primary care setting, with a focus on the role of parental perceptions of child weight, parental participation and modifiable factors in obesity prevention.
At the 2014 annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, Dr. Hernandez presented research demonstrating that few overweight school-age children are able to outgrow their weight problems.
At Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Dr. Hernandez is working on a grant-funded project to delineate socio-ecologic factors that promote return to healthy weight. She has also introduced an obesity prevention and treatment model to the resident clinic.
Her future areas of research include describing the genetic and biochemical markers of early childhood obesity to target prevention strategies in the general pediatric clinic setting.
Selected Publications
Chen A,Demaestri S, Schweiberger K, Sidani J, Wolyn R, Chaves-Gnecco D, Hernandez R.G., Rothengerger S, Mickievicz E, Cowden JC, Ragavan M. Inclusion of Non-English-Speaking Participants In Pediatric Research: A Systematic Review. JAMA Pediatrics. 2023 Jan 1;177(1):81-88 https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.3828. Data acquisition, data analysis, edited manuscript
Vilidnitsky A, Hernandez RG, Silva C, Fields E. Comparing Geographic Accessibility of HIV Testing and HIV Burden Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Tampa Bay, Florida. J Adolesc Health (In press). Project and grant development, data acquisition, data analysis, manuscript development.
Honors
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor-Pediatrics, 6/1/22
- Castle Connolly-Top Doctor Pediatrics, 6/1/21
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor-Pediatrics, 6/1/20
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor-Pediatrics, 6/1/19
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor-Pediatrics, 7/1/18
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor-Pediatrics, Castle Connolly, 6/1/17
- Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics, 1/1/10
- Diplomate, American Board of Pediatrics, 1/1/06
Memberships
- Academic Pediatric Association
- American Academy of Pediatrics
Professional Activities
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Obesity Leadership Workgroup, 1/1/09
- Integrated Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction (Pediatrics guideline),, Reviewer, 1/1/08
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Curriculum Committee, 1/1/11
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Graduate Medical Education Committee, 1/1/11
- National Childhood Obesity Foundation, Healthcare Committee, 1/1/10
Locations
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Outpatient Care, St. Petersburg
- 601 5th Street South, Suite C230, St Petersburg, FL 33701
- phone: 727-767-8917
- fax: 727-767-8482
Expertise
Education
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Fellowship, Pediatrics, 2009Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Residency, Pediatrics, 2006Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Medical Education, MD, 2003Board Certifications
Obesity Medicine
American Board of Obesity Medicine, 2015Pediatrics
American Board of Pediatrics, 2006Insurance
- Aetna (Commercial)
- Aetna Better Health (Medicaid)
- Avmed (Commercial)
- BCBS FL (Commercial)
- Cigna Health Care (Commercial)
- Community Care Plan (Medicaid)
- Evolutions (Commercial)
- Florida Medicaid
- Gulf Coast Provider Network (Commercial)
- Humana Commercial
- Humana Medicaid
- Medicare
- Molina/ Magellan (Medicaid)
- Multiplan (Commercial)
- Simply Healthcare (Medicaid&Healthy Kids)
- Sunshine State/ Wellcare (Medicaid &Healthy Kids)
- TriCare
- United (Commercial)
- United Community Plan (Medicaid&HealthyKids)
- WPS TriCare East (Commercial)