Kym R Ahrens, MD
Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Adolescent Medicine
On staff since August 2005
Academic Title: Associate Professor
Research Center: Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development
Language (Other than English): Spanish
"I love working with teens. They are some of the most challenging and rewarding patients at Childrens. I am passionately committed in my clinical and research work to helping at-risk adolescents experience a healthier transition to adulthood."
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Kym Ahrens, MD, MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Seattle Childrens Hospital and the University of Washington School of Medicine. She earned her MD from the University of Iowa College of Medicine. She completed residency, Adolescent Medicine training at Seattle Childrens and the University of Washington.
Her clinical and research interests are in promoting positive physical and mental health outcomes in at-risk youth. Some of her past research has focused on the influence of adult mentors on the adult outcomes of youth in foster care and youth with learning disabilities. Dr. Ahrens is currently conducting a series of NIH-sponsored research studies focused on developing an intervention program to reduce risk of sexually transmitted infections including HIV among adolescents in the foster system.
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Award Name Award Description Awarded By Award Date New Investigator Award Society for Adolescent Health & Medicine 2013 UW Center for AIDS Research New Investigator Award UW Center for AIDS Research 2010 NRSA Fellowship Award, NIH 2005 - 2008 Family Centered Care Award University of Washington Pediatrics Residency Program 2005 -
Manuscripts in Refereed Journals
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Dworsky A, Ahrens K, Courtney MHealth insurance coverage and use of family planning services among current and former foster youth: implications of the health care reform law.
23262773 Journal of health politics, policy and law, 2013 April : 38(2)421-39 -
Ahrens KR, Ciechanowski P, Katon WAssociations between adult attachment style and health risk behaviors in an adult female primary care population.
22469278 Journal of psychosomatic research, 2012 May : 72(5)364-70 -
Ahrens KR, Katon W, McCarty C, Richardson LP, Courtney MEAssociation between childhood sexual abuse and transactional sex in youth aging out of foster care.
22265906 Child abuse & neglect, 2012 Jan. : 36(1)75-80 PMCID:PMC3322618 -
Ahrens KR, Dubois DL, Garrison M, Spencer R, Richardson LP, Lozano PQualitative exporation of relationships with important non-parental adults in the lives of youth in foster care.
22661797 Children and youth services review, 2011 June : 33(6)1012-1023 PMCID:PMC3363001 -
Ahrens KR, Richardson LP, Courtney ME, McCarty C, Simoni J, Katon WLaboratory-diagnosed sexually transmitted infections in former foster youth compared with peers.
20547646 Pediatrics, 2010 July : 126(1)e97-e103 -
Ahrens K, Stapleton FB, Batra MThe university of washington pediatric residency program experience in global health and community health and advocacy.
23140865 The virtual mentor : VM, 2010 March : 12(3)184-9 -
1. Suchdev P, Ahrens K, Click E, Macklin L, Evangelista D, Graham E.Sustainable Short-Term International Medical Trips: Lessons Learned from a Resident-Run Program
Ambulatory Pediatrics, 2007 : 7:317-320
Published Abstracts
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Ahrens KR, Coatney A, Bonnar M, McCarty CM, Courtney ME, Simoni J"It just happens": norms, attitudes, and other factors influencing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection risk in foster youth
Accepted for presentation at the International Association for Adolescent Health World Congress, Istanbul, Turkey, 2013 June -
King KM, Ahrens K, McCarty CA, Vander Stoep A, McCauley EChronic Stress exposure enhances the prospective effects of affective dysregulation on problematic alcohol use during adolescence
Accepted for presentation at the 2013 Research Socieety on Alcoholism annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, 2013 June -
Ahrens KR, McCarty CM, Courtney ME, Dworsky A, Simoni Jpsychosocial pathways to sti risk for adolescents in foster care: evidence from a longitudinal study of youth transitioning out of care
Accepted for presentation at the International Association for Adolescent Health World Congress, Istanbul, Turkey, 2013 June -
Ahrens KR, Coatney A, Bonnar M, McCarty CM, courtney ME, Simoni J"it just happens": norms, attitudes, and other factors influencing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection risk in foster youth
Presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, 2013 May -
Rosenthal J, Ahrens K, Keller Kart and reflections on health by youth transitioning from foster care
Presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, 2013 May -
Ahrens KR, McCarty CM, Courtney ME, Dworsky A, Simoni Jpathways to sti risk for adolescents in foster care: evidence from a longitudinal study of youth transitioning out of care
Presented at the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, 2013 March -
Ahrens KR, Simoni J, McCarty CM, Courtney ME"I am celibate and so are my sexual partners": the importance of mixed methods to understand STI/HIV risk among adolescents in foster care
Presented at the University of Washington Center for AIDS Research Annual HIV/AIDS Symposium, Seattle, WA, 2011 Nov. -
Ahrens KR, Dworsky A, Courtney MEImplications of health care reform legislation for access to reproductive health care services among current and former foster youth
Presented at the Reproductive Justice and Health Care Reform Conference, Chicago, IL, 2011 May -
Ahrens KR, Richardson LP, Courtney ME, McCarty CM, Simoni J, Katon Wthe risk of laboratory-diagnosed sexually transmitted infections among female and male youth who have been in foster care
Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, 2010 May -
Ahrens KR, DuBois DLrelationships with non-parental adult mentors in adolescence and health outcomes in adulthood: evidence from a national study
Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Conference, 2010 April -
Ahrens KR, Courtney ME, Richardson LP, McCarty C, Katon WA history of childhood rape is associated with an increased likelihood of prostitution among adolescents aging out of foster care
Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, 2009 May -
Ahrens KR, DuBois DL, Richardson LP, Garrison MM, Lozano PA qualitative exploration of the adult mentoring relatinships in the lives of former youth in foster care
Society for Research on Adolescence Biennial Meeting, 2008 March -
Ahrens KR, Richardson LP, Lozano P, Fan M, DuBois DLFoster Care Youth with Adult Mentors During Adolescence Have Improved Adult Outcomes
Presented at the Society for Adolescent Medicine Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, 2007 March -
Ahrens KR, Richardson LP, Lozano P, Fan M, DuBois DLDo Disabled Youth with naturally-acquired mentoring relationships have improved outcomes during adulthood?
Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, 2007
Other Publications
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Britner PA, Randall KG, Ahrens KRChapter 26: Youth in Foster Care
The Handbook of Youth Mentoring, 2nd Edition. David DuBois and Michael Karcher, Eds., 2013 -
Ahrens KR, DuBois DL, Lozano P, Fan M, Richardson LPNaturally-acquired menotring relationships and young adult outcomes among adolescents with learning disabilities
Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 2010 : (24)207-216 -
Ahrens KR, DuBois DL, Richardson LP, Fan MY, Lozano PYouth in foster care with adult mentors during adolescence have improved adult outcomes.
18182469 Pediatrics, 2008 Feb. : 121(2)e246-52 -
Ahrens KR, DuBois DL, Richardson LP, Fan MY, Lozano PYouth in foster care with adult mentors during adolescence have improved adult outcomes.
18182469 Pediatrics, 2008 Feb. : 121(2)e246-52 -
Suchdev P, Ahrens K, Click E, Macklin L, Evangelista D, Graham EA model for sustainable short-term international medical trips.
17660105 Ambulatory pediatrics : the official journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association, 2007 July : 7(4)317-20
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Grant Title Grantor Amount Award Date Pediatric Loan Repayment Program NIH Jan 1, 2009
Overview
- Board Certification(s)
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Pediatrics
Adolescent Medicine
- Medical/Professional School
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University Of Iowa Roy J & Lucille A Carver College Of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
- Residency
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University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
- Fellowship
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University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
- Clinical Interests
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High-risk adolescents