Avelardo Valdez, PhD

Title(s)Cleofas and Victor Ramirez Professor of Practice, Policy, Research and Advocacy for the Latino Population, Professor of Social Work and Sociology
SchoolSchool of Social Work
AddressATT T1400
Off Campus
Los Angeles CA 90089-1400
Phone+1 213 821 6482
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    Collapse Biography 
    Collapse Awards and Honors
    National Academy of Sciences2012National Committe Member on the Causes and Consequences of High Rates of Incarceration
    National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse2009National Award of Excellence Senior Research Scientist
    Society for the Study of Social Problems,2009Senior Scholar Award
    National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse 2006National Award of Excellence for Mentoring
    University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee2005Scott Greer Award
    The University of Houston Department of Sociology and Mexican American Studies1992  - 1993Visiting Scholar
    Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico1987  - 1988Fulbright Scholar

    Collapse Overview 
    Collapse Overview
    Avelardo Valdez is currently a professor at the USC School of Social Work. He was previously a professor at the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston and Director of the Center for Drug & Social Policy Research. He obtained his Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

    A primary focus of his research has been on the relationship between substance abuse and violence and health issues among high-risk groups. His research projects have been among “hidden populations” such as youth and prison gang members, injecting and non-injecting heroin users and sex workers on the U.S./Mexico border. He has published over 75 journal articles and chapters and academic publications including two books. His most recent book is entitled Mexican American Girls and Gang Violence: Beyond Risk (2007).

    He is a recipient of federal grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). His current NIH funded grant focuses on examining the long-term consequences of adolescent gang membership among Mexican Americans in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Valdez is also a recipient of a NIDA Minority Institution Drug Abuse Research Development Program grant and a NIDA Interdisciplinary Research Training Institute on Hispanic Drug Abuse.

    Dr. Valdez received the Award for Excellence in Mentorship from the National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse (NHSN) for his role in directing the NHSN Summer Training Institute. He is the recipient of numerous other awards including the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Scott Geer Award for Post Graduate Achievement in Advancing Understanding of Urban Social Institutions. He is a founding member of the NHSN National Steering Committee. He is a recent recipient (2009) of the Senior Scholar Award for the Society for the Study of Social Problems, Drinking and Drugs Division.
    Collapse Websites

    Collapse Research 
    Collapse Research Activities and Funding
    Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research Training Institute
    NIH R25DA050687Apr 1, 2020 - Mar 31, 2025
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Disparities in Health among Floating Immigrant Populations
    NIH R01MD013628Apr 10, 2019 - Dec 31, 2023
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Organizational Capacity to Eliminate Outcome Disparities under Healthcare Reform
    NIH R33DA035634May 1, 2015 - Apr 30, 2019
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Emergence and Diffusion of Crack and Related Health Risk Behaviors in Mexico City
    NIH R21DA031376Apr 15, 2011 - Mar 31, 2014
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Interdisciplinary Research Training Institute on Hispanic Drug Abuse
    NIH R25DA026401Aug 1, 2009 - May 31, 2021
    Role: Principal Investigator
    At Risk Hispanic Gangs: Long-Term Consequences for Hiv, Hepatitis and STI
    NIH R01DA023857Sep 30, 2008 - Aug 31, 2013
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Substance Use and Other Health Consequences Among Katrina Evacuees in Houston
    NIH R01DA021852Jun 1, 2006 - Apr 30, 2010
    Role: Principal Investigator
    University of Houston Drug Abuse Research Development Program II
    NIH R24DA019798Apr 1, 2005 - Mar 31, 2020
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    Hispanic Heroin Users, Transitions to Injecting and HIV
    NIH R01DA013560Sep 30, 2001 - Aug 31, 2007
    Role: Principal Investigator
    DRUG RELATED GANG VIOLENCE
    NIH R01DA008604May 1, 1995 - Sep 30, 2001
    Role: Principal Investigator
    MINORITY RESEARCH PROGRAM
    NIH R24DA007234Jul 9, 1991 - Apr 30, 2001
    Role: Principal Investigator

    Collapse Bibliographic 
    Collapse Publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Researchers can login to make corrections and additions, or contact us for help. to make corrections and additions.
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    Altmetrics Details PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Characterizing prescription opioid, heroin, and fentanyl initiation trajectories: A qualitative study. Soc Sci Med. 2024 Jan; 340:116441. Perdue T, Carlson R, Daniulaityte R, Silverstein SM, Bluthenthal RN, Valdez A, Cepeda A. PMID: 38061222.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    2. Ethnic Discrimination and Self-rated Health among Hispanic Emerging Adults: Examining the Moderating Effects of Self-esteem and Resilience. Int J Intercult Relat. 2023 Sep; 96. Cano MÁ, Castro FG, Benner AD, Molina KM, Schwartz SJ, Higashi RT, Lee M, Vaughan EL, Bursac Z, Cepeda A, Valdez A, Rojas P, De La Rosa M, Alonso B, Zvolensky MJ, de Dios MA. PMID: 37425032; PMCID: PMC10327897.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2  
    3. Syndemic Profiles for HIV, Hepatitis C, and Sextually Transmitted Infections Among Mexican American Women Formerly Affiliated with Youth Street Gangs. AIDS Behav. 2023 Feb; 27(2):388-399. Nowotny KM, Valdez A, Cepeda A. PMID: 35840855; PMCID: PMC9286305.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    4. The opioid epidemic among the Latino population in California. Drug Alcohol Depend Rep. 2022 Mar; 2:100029. Valdez A, Cepeda A, Frankeberger J, Nowotny KM. PMID: 36845892; PMCID: PMC9948808.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4  
    5. Examination of multilevel domains of minority stress: Implications for drug use and mental and physical health among Latina women who have sex with women and men. PLoS One. 2020; 15(3):e0230437. Cepeda A, Nowotny KM, Frankeberger J, Ramirez E, Rodriguez VE, Perdue T, Valdez A. PMID: 32214323; PMCID: PMC7098621.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    6. "They Dumped Me Like Trash": The Social and Psychological Toll of Victimization on Latino Day Laborers' Lives. Am J Community Psychol. 2020 06; 65(3-4):369-380. Negi NJ, Siegel J, Calderon M, Thomas E, Valdez A. PMID: 31821570; PMCID: PMC10044443.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    7. Organizational factors associated with practitioners' support for treatment of opioid use disorder in the emergency department. Addict Behav. 2020 03; 102:106197. Guerrero E, Ober AJ, Howard DL, Khachikian T, Kong Y, van Deen WK, Valdez A, Trotzky-Sirr R, Menchine M. PMID: 31862684; PMCID: PMC7547528.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    8. Trajectories of heroin use: A 15-year retrospective study of Mexican-American men who were affiliated with gangs during adolescence. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2019 11 01; 204:107505. Nowotny KM, Frankeberger J, Cepeda A, Valdez A. PMID: 31550612; PMCID: PMC6989031.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    9. Safer Crack Kits and Smoking Practices: Effectiveness of a Harm Reduction Intervention among Active Crack Users in Mexico City. Subst Use Misuse. 2019; 54(4):592-600. Frankeberger J, Cepeda A, Natera-Rey G, Valdez A. PMID: 30654689.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    10. Interpersonal Partner Relationships, Bonds to Children, and Informal Social Control among Persistent Male Offenders. Soc Probl. 2019 Aug; 66(3):468-483. Valdez A, Nowotny KM, Zhao QW, Cepeda A. PMID: 31354176; PMCID: PMC6636053.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1  
    11. Biological Risk and Infection Profiles of Young Adult Male Mexican American Gang Members. Public Health Rep. 2018 Sep/Oct; 133(5):551-558. Cepeda A, Nowotny KM, Frankeberger J, Onge JMS, Valdez A. PMID: 30067450; PMCID: PMC6134568.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    12. History of child sexual abuse among women consuming illicit substances in Mexico City. J Subst Use. 2018; 23(5):520-527. Mendoza-Meléndez MÁ, Cepeda A, Frankeberger J, López-Macario M, Valdez A. PMID: 30393464; PMCID: PMC6214458.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1  
    13. Behavioral, Psychological, Gender, and Health Service Correlates to Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection among Young Adult Mexican-American Women Living in a Disadvantaged Community. Behav Med. 2019 Jan-Mar; 45(1):52-61. Nowotny KM, Frankeberger J, Rodriguez VE, Valdez A, Cepeda A. PMID: 29558260; PMCID: PMC6148393.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    14. Mental health of heroin users with differing injection drug use histories: A non-treatment sample of Mexican American young adult men. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2017 12 01; 181:124-131. Nowotny KM, Perdue T, Cepeda A, Valdez A. PMID: 29054031; PMCID: PMC5683936.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    15. Risk Environments and Substance Use Among Mexican Female Sex Work on the U.S.-Mexico Border. J Drug Issues. 2017 Oct; 47(4):528-542. Nowotny KM, Cepeda A, Perdue T, Negi N, Valdez A. PMID: 38529041; PMCID: PMC10963065.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5  
    16. HIV and STI knowledge, testing, and risk among adult crack users in Mexico city: baseline findings from a feasibility study. AIDS Care. 2017 03; 29(3):350-354. Cepeda A, Frankeberger J, Bailey JL, Nowotny KM, Natera-Rey G, Valdez A. PMID: 27832703; PMCID: PMC6097624.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    17. Un Jalón, Un Volteón, y Otra Vez: High-Risk Crack Smoking Paraphernalia in México City. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2016 Sep-Oct; 48(4):295-302. Valdez A, Nowotny KM, Negi N, Mora EZ, Cepeda A. PMID: 27356211; PMCID: PMC5441841.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    18. Precocious transitions and long-term heroin use outcomes: A longitudinal study of gang-affiliated Mexican-American males. Addict Behav. 2016 09; 60:48-52. Cepeda A, Nowotny KM, Frankeberger J, Valdez A. PMID: 27092995; PMCID: PMC4884489.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    19. Injecting Drug Use Among Mexican Female Sex Workers on the US-Mexico Border. J Ethn Subst Abuse. 2015 Oct-Dec; 14(4):351-63. Cepeda A, Nowotny KM, Valdez A. PMID: 26211392; PMCID: PMC5441837.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    20. Associations Between Long-Term Gang Membership and Informal Social Control Processes, Drug Use, and Delinquent Behavior Among Mexican American Youth. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2016 Oct; 60(13):1532-48. Cepeda A, Saint Onge JM, Nowotny KM, Valdez A. PMID: 25979430; PMCID: PMC5919194.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    21. Trajectories of Aging Long-Term Mexican American Heroin Injectors: The "Maturing Out" Paradox. J Aging Health. 2016 Feb; 28(1):19-39. Cepeda A, Nowotny KM, Valdez A. PMID: 25953814; PMCID: PMC5926175.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    22. Emerging patterns of crack use in Mexico City. Int J Drug Policy. 2015 Aug; 26(8):739-45. Valdez A, Kaplan C, Nowotny KM, Natera-Rey G, Cepeda A. PMID: 26003928; PMCID: PMC4499486.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    23. The relationship between trajectories of family/cultural stressors and depression and suicidal ideation among substance using Mexican-American adults. Am J Community Psychol. 2013 Dec; 52(3-4):263-72. Saint Onge JM, Cepeda A, Lee King PA, Valdez A. PMID: 23904175.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    24. Crime Victimization Among Immigrant Latino Day Laborers in Post-Katrina New Orleans. Hisp J Behav Sci. 2013 Aug; 35(3):354-369. Negi NJ, Cepeda A, Valdez A. PMID: 39371044; PMCID: PMC11452006.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1  
    25. Injecting transition risk and depression among Mexican American non-injecting heroin users. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2012 Sep; 125 Suppl 1:S12-7. Cepeda A, Kaplan C, Neaigus A, Cano MÁ, Villarreal Y, Valdez A. PMID: 22749681; PMCID: PMC4451197.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    26. Health consequences of long-term injection heroin use among aging Mexican American men. J Aging Health. 2011 Sep; 23(6):912-32. Torres LR, Kaplan C, Valdez A. PMID: 21451118; PMCID: PMC3339484.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 15     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    27. High rates of transitions to injecting drug use among Mexican American non-injecting heroin users in San Antonio, Texas (never and former injectors). Drug Alcohol Depend. 2011 Apr 01; 114(2-3):233-6. Valdez A, Neaigus A, Kaplan C, Cepeda A. PMID: 21075561; PMCID: PMC3060287.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 12     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    28. Fumando la piedra: emerging patterns of crack use among Latino immigrant day laborers in New Orleans. J Immigr Minor Health. 2010 Oct; 12(5):737-42. Valdez A, Cepeda A, Negi NJ, Kaplan C. PMID: 19924538; PMCID: PMC3001040.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 12     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    29. Ethnographic strategies in the tracking and retention of street-recruited community-based samples of substance using hidden populations in longitudinal studies. Subst Use Misuse. 2010 Apr; 45(5):700-16. Cepeda A, Valdez A. PMID: 20222780; PMCID: PMC3003425.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 12     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    30. Qualitative methodological issues in drug user research. Subst Use Misuse. 2010 Apr; 45(5):645-7. Valdez A, Sifaneck SJ. PMID: 20222776.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    31. The association between disaster-related experiences and mental health outcomes among drug using African American Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Community Ment Health J. 2010 Dec; 46(6):612-20. Cepeda A, Saint Onge JM, Kaplan C, Valdez A. PMID: 20091228; PMCID: PMC2919598.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    32. Patterns of substance use among hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston, Texas. Disasters. 2010 Apr; 34(2):426-46. Cepeda A, Valdez A, Kaplan C, Hill LE. PMID: 19863564; PMCID: PMC3008163.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 37     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    33. Homicidal Events Among Mexican American Street Gangs: A Situational Analysis. Homicide Stud. 2009 Sep 01; 13(3):288-306. Valdez A, Cepeda A, Kaplan C. PMID: 21218188; PMCID: PMC3016850.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    34. The Influence of Family and Peer Risk Networks on Drug Use Practices and Other Risks among Mexican American Noninjecting Heroin Users. J Contemp Ethnogr. 2008 Feb 01; 37(1):79-107. Valdez A, Neaigus A, Kaplan CD. PMID: 19337564; PMCID: PMC2662588.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 12  
    35. Heroin transition risk among daily and non-daily cannabis users who are non-injectors of heroin. Int J Drug Policy. 2008 Dec; 19(6):442-9. Valdez A, Cepeda A, Neaigus A, Russell A. PMID: 19038723; PMCID: PMC3008164.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 10     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    36. CONDITIONS THAT INCREASE DRUG MARKET INVOLVEMENT: THE INVITATIONAL EDGE AND THE CASE OF MEXICANS IN SOUTH TEXAS. J Drug Issues. 2007; 37(4):893-918. Valdez A, Kaplan C. PMID: 21218142; PMCID: PMC3017422.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3  
    37. Potential risk factors for injecting among Mexican American non-injecting heroin users. J Ethn Subst Abuse. 2007; 6(2):49-73. Valdez A, Neaigus A, Cepeda A. PMID: 18192204; PMCID: PMC2621113.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    38. Aggressive crime, alcohol and drug use, and concentrated poverty in 24 U.S. urban areas. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2007; 33(4):595-603. Valdez A, Kaplan CD, Curtis RL. PMID: 17668345; PMCID: PMC3015237.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 16     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    39. Hispanic drug abuse in an evolving cultural context: an agenda for research. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2006 Sep; 84 Suppl 1:S8-16. Warner LA, Valdez A, Vega WA, de la Rosa M, Turner RJ, Canino G. PMID: 16750335.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 45     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    40. The drugs-violence nexus among Mexican-American gang members. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2006 Jun; 38(2):109-21. Valdez A, Kaplan CD, Cepeda A. PMID: 16903450; PMCID: PMC3015236.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    41. Measuring violence risk and outcomes among Mexican American adolescent females. J Interpers Violence. 2006 Jan; 21(1):24-41. Cervantes RC, Duenas N, Valdez A, Kaplan C. PMID: 16399922.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    42. MEXICAN AMERICAN YOUTH AND ADULT PRISON GANGS IN A CHANGING HEROIN MARKET. J Drug Issues. 2005 Oct 01; 35(4):843-868. Valdez A. PMID: 21614143; PMCID: PMC3100189.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8  
    43. "GETTING HIGH AND GETTING BY": DIMENSIONS OF DRUG SELLING BEHAVIORS AMONG AMERICAN MEXICAN GANG MEMBERS IN SOUTH TEXAS. J Res Crime Delinq. 2004 Feb 01; 41(1):82-105. Valdez A, Sifaneck SJ. PMID: 21218191; PMCID: PMC3016854.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 13  
    44. Risk Behaviors Among Young Mexican American Gang-Associated Females: Sexual Relations, Partying, Substance Use, and Crime. J Adolesc Res. 2003 Jan 01; 18(1):90-106. Cepeda A, Valdez A. PMID: 21218177; PMCID: PMC3016046.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8  
    45. Psychopathy Among Mexican American Gang Members: A Comparative Study. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2000 Feb; 44(1):46-58. Valdez A, Kaplan CD, Codina E. PMID: 21516257; PMCID: PMC3080033.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    
    46. The process of paradoxical autonomy and survival in the heroin careers of Mexican American women. Contemp Drug Probl. 2000; 27:189. Valdez A, Kaplan CD, Cepeda A. PMID: 21057594; PMCID: PMC2971679.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 12  
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