I am a registered nurse and a PhD candidate studying Health Policy at the University of Georgia. My research interests are centered on health policy and health services, and my work focuses on policies affecting patients with substance use disorder and the intersection of the healthcare workforce and patient outcomes. My research primarily uses econometric methods to analyze administrative claims datasets, and I have worked with Medicare and Medicaid claims throughout my doctoral education. I am the inaugural Nurse Leadership Legacy Fellow in the Department of Public Administration & Policy at the School of Public & International Affairs. 

I am on the job market this academic year (2026-2027). 

Research 

Bethel, V.. The Impact of Legalizing Fentanyl Test Strips on Opioid Overdose Mortality. (Under review)

Bethel, V., Shelby, S.R., Bradford, W.D., & Abraham, A.J.. The Effects of Cannabis Laws on Cannabis Related Disorders and Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome in the Medicare Population. (Under review)

Bethel, V., Steuart, S.R., & Abraham, A.J.. State Variation in Substance Use Disorder among Medicaid-Insured Birthing Parents. (Under review)

Abraham, A.J., Bethel, V., & Steuart, S.R.. Changes in Rates of Substance Use Disorder in Medicaid Insured Births, 2017 to 2021. (Under review)

Abraham, A.J., Bethel, V., Lozano-Rojas, F., & Bradford, W.D.. The Impact of Recreational Cannabis Laws on Cannabis-Related Disorders in the US Medicare Population.  American Journal of Public Health. 2026. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2026.308522

Abraham, A.J., Steuart, S.R., Harris, S.J.,  Bethel, V.. Increased Opioid Exposure in Older Adults following COVID-19. Health Science Reports. 2025. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.71607

Lozano-Rojas, F., Bethel, V., Gupta, S., Steuart, S.R., Bradford, W.D., & Abraham, A.J. The Impact of Cannabis Laws on Opioid Prescribing among Commercially Insured Populations with Cancer. JAMA Health Forum. 2025. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2025.3512

Steuart, S.R., Bradford, W.D., Bethel, V.. Associations between Cannabis Legalization and Pediatric Cannabis Exposure. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2025. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.70058

Steuart, S.R., Abraham, A.J., Bethel, V.. Teen opioid exposures reported to NPDS during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2025. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.02.014

Steuart, S.R., Lozano-Rojas, F., Bethel, V., Shone, H. B., Abraham, A.J.. Recreational cannabis laws and fills of pain prescriptions in the privately insured. Cannabis. 2024. doi: 10.26828/cannabis/2024/000268

Working Papers

Bethel, V.. The Effects of a State-Level Policy Requiring Hospitals to Provide Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. -Dissertation

Bethel, V.. The Impact of Patient and Provider Racial Concordance on Hospital Discharges Against Medical Advice Among Patients with Opioid Use Disorder -Dissertation

Bethel, V.. The Effect of Mandated Hospital Provision of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder on Discharges Against Medical Advice In the Medicare Population -Dissertation