Chrissie M. Forke, MSN, CRNP

Christine M. Forke, RN, MSN, CRNP, is a pediatric nurse practitioner and research director for the Craig-Dalsimer Division of Adolescent Medicine. Ms. Forke received undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Nursing and her masters in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. She also has completed coursework in epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She received her national certification from the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB).

Research interests

Adolescent health and risk behaviors

Over the past 19 years, she has been actively involved in the development, execution and analysis of numerous clinical research projects related to adolescent health and risk behaviors. She has been project manager on multiple large-scale studies related to access to care, sexual initiation and reproductive, relationship violence, eating disorders, and others. Ms. Forke's primary interests are related to reproductive health issues and intimate partner violence. In this regard, she has explored:

• Contraceptive choices and efficacy among adolescent mothers
• Indicators of pelvic inflammatory disease
• Effects of peer educators on AIDS awareness and knowledge
• Initiation of risk behaviors
• Older sexual partnerships among female adolescents
• Bacterial vaginosis during adolescence
• Reproductive knowledge among youth with chronic illness.

Intimate partner violence

She has worked on a study of adolescent women presenting to three local emergency departments for injuries resulting from intimate partner violence. In 2003, Ms. Forke was invited to chair the Task Force on Intimate Partner Violence at the Institute for Safe Families, a non-profit agency in Philadelphia. Under Ms. Forke's leadership, this task force has implemented a study on intimate partner violence on three local college campuses to assess available campus resources and student knowledge of these resources, estimate the prevalence of intimate partner violence among college students, and query students and staff about which resources they would find most helpful in dealing with intimate partner violence on campus. Collaborative efforts are underway between the ISF Task Force and local college administrators to develop and evaluate interventions based on the research findings.

Varicella (chickenpox) exposure

In addition to these projects, Ms. Forke worked on a four-year multisite collaborative effort with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the CDC is assessing the accuracy of self-reported varicella exposure in young children and adolescents. Additional studies in which she has participated include:

• Using behavioral modification and medication in treating adolescent obesity
• Understanding provider characteristics that are important to youth
• Transitioning adolescent patients with chronic illness to adult care
• Evaluating coping skills used by adolescent mothers