Sangita Pudasainee-Kapri

Dr. Pudasainee-Kapri is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Rutgers University–Camden, with interdisciplinary expertise that bridges child development, public health, and nursing. She holds advanced certifications in global health and pediatric nursing, and is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Dr. Pudasainee-Kapri brings a strong foundation in quantitative research methods, with particular expertise in analyzing large nationally representative datasets focused on children and families. 

As an interdisciplinary health scientist, Dr. Pudasaine-Kapri's research focuses on maternal and child health disparities and chronic illness management research among low-income and racially/ethnically minoritized families. She employs both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including advanced statistical modeling to investigate complex health challenges affecting vulnerable populations.

Building on her dissertation, the primary aim of Dr. Pudasainee-Kapri’s research is to examine the influence of social determinants of health and clinical factors on perinatal mental health and developmental outcomes among at-risk children—particularly those born preterm or with low birth weight—across global contexts. These studies seek to deepen understanding of the factors that shape perinatal mental health and infant outcomes, ultimately providing a foundation for targeted, evidence-based, and culturally tailored interventions. Her long-term goal is to reduce disparities in perinatal mental health and promote healthy child development, with implications for public health policy, clinical practice, and community-based programs. 

A second stream of Dr. Pudasainee-Kapri’s research builds on her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project, which focused on implementing evidence-based asthma management guidelines in pediatric primary care. She has since expanded this work to examine asthma health disparities and self-management behaviors among low-income and minority children and adolescents—an area informed by over a decade of pediatric clinical experience and driven by her deep commitment to improving outcomes for underserved pediatric populations. Through her work with diverse children with asthma and their families, Dr. Pudasainee-Kapri has observed persistent unmet social needs and systemic barriers to care, including poor housing conditions, food insecurity, limited access to education, exposure to violence, and environmental factors—all of which significantly impact asthma control and overall health outcomes.

The common thread of her two research streams is improving maternal and child health both locally and globally. She is actively engaged in global health research and policy, aiming to inform equitable and culturally responsive health interventions across diverse populations. Her work has been published in high-impact nursing and interdisciplinary journals such as Nursing Outlook, Journal of School Health, Journal of Pediatric Nursing, Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, BMC Infectious Diseases, PLOS Global Health, and Infant Behavior and Development.

Dr. Pudasainee-Kapri has taught a range of courses across both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs at Rutgers University. In addition to her academic responsibilities and impactful service at Rutgers, she has made significant contributions at the regional, national, and international levels. Nationally, she served as President of the Nepalese American Nurses Association (NANA) from 2022 to 2024 and currently serves as an advisor to the organization. Internationally, she contributes as a volunteer Nurse Educator in Nepal through Health Volunteers Overseas, supporting global capacity building in nursing education, advancing the professional development of clinical nurses, and enhancing patient care and overall health outcomes. 

In recognition of her impactful community-engaged scholarship, exemplary teaching, and international leadership and service, Dr. Pudasainee-Kapri has received numerous prestigious honors, awards, and competitive fellowships at both national and international levels, along with multiple media mentions. Notable recognitions include: Early Career Faculty Fellow, Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice (2024–2025); New Jersey Institute for Nursing CARES Award Nominee (Research Category, 2025); NANA Exemplary Leadership Award (2025); Chancellor’s Award for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (2024); Nurse Faculty Rising Star Award (2023); NIH/NIMHD Health Disparities Research Institute Scholar (2022); Strategic Poster Award for Interdisciplinary Research in Child Development (2022); and National Minority Quality Forum’s 40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health Award (2021), among others.

Pediatric Asthma

Social Determinants of Health

Disparities in Maternal and Child Health

Cognitive and Socioemotional Development of at-risk Children

Global Health Policy

Doctor of Nursing Practice: Rutgers University-Camden, 2020

Ph.D. (Child and Family Studies): Syracuse University, 2017

MS (Child and Family Studies): Syracuse University, 2012

Bachelor's Degree (Nursing): Tribhuvan University, 2007