Sandra Iregbu, PhD, RN

Assistant Professor

Dr. Sandra Iregbu is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, School of Nursing. She earned her PhD from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, and completed postdoctoral training at the Medical College of Wisconsin prior to joining the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Dr. Iregbu’s research centers on diabetes self-management education and support. Her doctoral dissertation explored the perspectives, experiences, and practices of Nigerian healthcare providers in supporting adults with type 2 diabetes. Using qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, her work addressed a critical gap in diabetes care research in Nigeria and similar contexts across Africa.

Her methodological expertise and interests include qualitative research, mixed methods, and systematic reviews. Currently, Dr. Iregbu’s research focuses on improving physical and mental health outcomes among homebound older adults with diabetes in the United States, with an emphasis on family-centered care approaches.

Education

Postdoctoral Fellowship- Medical College of Wisconsin

PhD Nursing-University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

MSN- Walden University, Minneapolis Minnesota

BSc Nursing- University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Nigeria

Awards

American Diabetes Association Young Investigator’s Award-2024

Intellectual Contributions

Iregbu, S., Walker, R. J., & Egede, L. E. (2025). Longitudinal Effect of Diabetes Fatalism on Clinical Outcomes and Health-Related Quality of Life in African Americans with Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 1-6.

Iregbu, S., Cho, C., Bhandari, S., Kako, P., Young, C., & Ornstein, K. (2025). Factors Associated with Subjective Well-being in Community-Dwelling Homebound Older Adults with Diabetes- (in-press)

Iregbu, S., Dawson, A. Z., Walker, R. J., & Egede, L. E. (2025). Effective Interventions for Homebound Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review. Current diabetes reports, 25(1), 1-15.

Hawks, L. C., Iregbu, S., Walker, R. J., & Egede, L. E. (2025). The association between age and functional disability in US adults with lifetime exposure to the criminal legal system, 2015-2019. Journal of Affective Disorders, 369, 1178–1182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.111

Walker, R. J., Magro, C., Amjad, R., Hawks, L. C., Iregbu, S., & Egede, L. E. (2024). Material needs security and cardiovascular risk factors in rural South Africa. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 2170. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19688-z

Iregbu, S. C., Duggleby, W., Spiers, J., & Salami, B. (2022). An Interpretive Description of Sociocultural Influences on Diabetes Self-Management Support in Nigeria. Global qualitative nursing research, 9, 23333936221121337. https://doi.org/10.1177/23333936221121337

Iregbu, S., Spiers, J., Duggleby, W., Salami, B., & Schick-Makaroff, K. (2023). Nigerian Health Care Providers and Diabetes Self-Management Support: Their Perspectives and Practices. Qualitative health research, 33(1-2), 92–105. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323221143889

Olson, K., Zimka, O., Pasiorowski, A., Iregbu, S., & Boulé, N. G. (2018). Tiredness, Fatigue, and Exhaustion as Perceived by Recreational Marathon Runners. Qualitative health research, 28(13), 1997–2010. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732318785360

Anyanwu, A. C., Iregbu, S. C., Victor, A. K., Ekwueme, C., Obi, P., & Oputa, R. N. (2018), Knowledge and practice of foot care among people living with type 2 diabetes in Owerri. African Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism,11 (3),15-50

Iregbu, S. C., & Iregbu, F. U. (2016). A review of self-management of diabetes in Africa. African Journal of Diabetes Medicine, 24(2).

Presentations

Iregbu, S., & Cho, C. (2025). Understanding factors associated with self-rated health among homebound older adults with diabetes. Presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Homecare Medicine, October 16-18, 2025, in New Orleans

IREGBU, S. C., & BHANDARI, S. (2025). 1128-P: Factors Associated with Delay or Nonreceipt of Medical Care among Older Adults with Diabetes. Diabetes, 74(Supplement_1), 1128-P. Poster Presentation at the American Diabetes Association 85^th Scientific Conference, Chicago

Iregbu, S., Owolabi, E, & Cho, Chris (2025). Association between Homebound Status and Glycemic Control Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Diabetes. Oral poster presentation at the International Diabetes Federation World Diabetes Congress 2025 in Thailand. Abstract number: BA2025-1067.

Bhandari, S., Iregbu, S., & Williams, J (2025). Factors Associated with Health App Usage among US Adults with Diabetes. Poster presentation at the International Diabetes Federation World Diabetes Congress 2025 in Thailand. Abstract number: BA2025-1517.

Iregbu, S., & Bhandari, S. (2024). Factors associated with high levels of trust among US adults with diabetes. Poster presented at the Wisconsin League for Nursing’s fall 2024 conference.

Iregbu, S. C., Walker, R. J., & Egede, L. E. (2024). 186-OR: Longitudinal Effect of Diabetes Fatalism on Clinical Outcomes and QOL in AA with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes, 73(Supplement_1), 186-OR. Oral presentation at the American Diabetes Association 84^th Scientific Conference in Orlando, Florida