Sandra Iregbu, PhD, RN

I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee School of Nursing. I earned my PhD in Nursing from the University of Alberta, Canada, and completed postdoctoral training at the Center for Advancing Population Science at the Medical College of Wisconsin before joining the faculty at UWM in 2024.

As a nurse researcher, my work focuses on chronic disease self-management, health disparities, and innovative approaches to improving health outcomes among vulnerable populations. Drawing on my clinical experience as a staff nurse, I am particularly interested in understanding and addressing the challenges faced by individuals managing chronic conditions in community and home settings. Specifically, my current research program centers on improving health outcomes and quality of life among homebound older adults living with diabetes—a medically and socially vulnerable population that is often overlooked in traditional models of care.

My research seeks to identify barriers to effective diabetes management and develop innovative, evidence-based, and family-centered strategies that support both physical and mental health. Using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches, I collaborate with interdisciplinary teams in diabetes, gerontology, epidemiology, and health informatics to better understand patient experiences and design practical, person-centered interventions.

Through my research, teaching, and mentorship, I aim to advance knowledge that improves care for individuals living with chronic conditions while preparing the next generation of healthcare researchers and professionals to address complex health challenges through rigorous, innovative, and impactful scholarship.

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

2026 NIH Health Disparities Research Institute (HDRI) Scholar

Outstanding New Investigator Award (2026), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Nursing

Sheryl T. Kelber Faculty Research Award (2025), Eta Nu Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International, UW–Milwaukee School of Nursing

Department of Medicine Health Endowment Travel Award (2024), Medical College of Wisconsin

American Diabetes Association Young Investigator’s Award (2024)

Intellectual Contributions

Iregbu, S., Owolabi, E., Cho, C., Bhandari, S., Nambisan, P., Williams, J., & Ornstein, K. A. (2026). Homebound status and glycemic control among older adults: results from a national survey. GeroScience, 1-18.

Nataliansyah, M. M., Anguzu, R., Iregbu, S. C., Sharda, M., Amjad, T., Jha, P., ... & Bhandari, S. (2026). Community Health Workers’ Roles and Challenges in Wisconsin: A Mixed Methods Study. Journal of Community Health, 1-10.

Nkweteyim, R. N., Shet, V. G., Iregbu, S., & He, L. (2026). From Carb Counting to Diagnosis: Real World Patient Uses and Attitudes Toward Large Language Models in Diabetes Management. medRxiv, 2026-03.

Anguzu, R., Sharda, M., Amjad, T., Pfankuch, A., Iregbu, S., Jha, P., ... & Bhandari, S. (2026). Social Isolation and Loneliness Among US Adults with Self-Reported Hospitalization. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 108371.

Iregbu, S., Walker, R. J., & Egede, L. E. (2026). Family Influences on Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management: Perspectives of African American Adults with Food Insecurity. Patient Education and Counseling, 109501.

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., Cho, Y. I., & Ornstein, K. (2025). Factors Associated With Subjective Wellbeing in Community-Dwelling Homebound Older Adults With Diabetes in the US. Sage Open Aging, 11, 30495334251404290.

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., Anguzu, R., & Bhandari, S. (2026, May). Relationship Between Patient-Centered Communication and Exercise Participation among Older Adults with Diabetes. Video poster presented at the American Geriatrics Society Conference.

Iregbu, S., Anguzu, R., Lee, S., & Bhandari, S. (2026, April). Factors Associated With Self-Reported Health Status Among Informal Caregivers: Analysis From the Health Information National Trends (HINTS) Survey. Presented at the 2026 Midwest Nursing Research Society Conference, St Louis, Missouri.

Lee, S., and Iregbu, S. (2026, May). Factors associated with binge drinking among US adults: Insights from the HINTS 7 survey. Poster Presentation at the Building Bridges Conference, Milwaukee.

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