Jonna L. Morris

The objective of Dr. Morris’ program of research is to generate knowledge to improve the care and clinical outcomes of women with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Dr. Morris has particular interest in how the influence of social roles and gender affect the subjective perceptions of the symptomology of OSA. She is a leading contributor to the emerging body of science in the influence of sex and gender in OSA symptomology, clinical presentation and treatment.

She is funded by the American Association of Sleep Medicine to test the efficacy of a woman-to-woman peer support intervention for women initiating continuous positive airway pressure treatment.

She is also funded through the NIH/NHLBI and the Office of Research on Women’s Health to study and address sex disparities in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity that contribute to women being underdiagnosed with OSA compared to men. She expects to identify sleep and respiratory traits that have biologically plausible effects on daytime function, to determine the role of sex on these associations, and to potentially challenge the current paradigm that the AHI defines OSA.

She enjoys teaching Community Health Nursing to undergraduate nursing students, and Health Promotion for Diverse Populations to graduate nursing students.

Dr. Morris received a BA in English and Philosophy before earning her BSN from Penn State University. She gained extensive clinical and management experience in telemetry and medical/surgical nursing before continuing her education and earning her PhD at the University of Pittsburgh, where she focused on chronic disease, sleep, and women’s health. She also earned a PhD certificate in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Translational Research Training in Sleep Medicine (T32) at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry (PI: D. Buysse MD).