Bio:

Dr. Burnette has had a decade of practice experience in psychiatric and medical settings, mostly with older adults and their families. After three years of working with people who had serious mental illnesses in a state psychiatric hospital, she pursued a career in medical social work. In these settings, Dr. Burnette specialized in oncology, hospice and geriatric psychiatry. Her practice experience continues to influence her research agenda, which focuses on the health and mental health needs of older adults and their families and communities. Dr. Burnette's experience as a 2006-2007 Fulbright Scholar to Mumbai, India has fostered an extension of these areas of interest to include the role of professional social work in developing countries that are rapidly aging. 


Research Interests:

• Grandparenting in changing American families
• Self health care for chronic conditions in later life
• Global population aging
• Social work education

Current Projects:

• Self-health care: The experience of urban, African American elders
• Gerontological social work education in India: Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
• Institute on Research in Social Work and Aging. National Institute on Aging (2007-2009).

Recent Publications & Presentations:

Books and Chapters
Burnette, D. & Morrow-Howell, N. (2006). Social work research in aging. In B. Berkman (Ed.), Handbook of social work in health and aging (pp. 1019-27). New York: Oxford University Press.

Burnette, D. (2003).  Foreward. B. Hayslip, Jr. & Patrick, J.H. (Eds.), Working with custodial grandparents New York: Springer.

Burnette, D. & Kang, S.Y. (2003). Self-health care by urban, African American elders. In B. Berkman & L. Harootyan (Eds.), Social work and health care in an aging society: Education, policy, practice, and research (pp.123-47). New York: Springer.

Burnette, D., Shibusawa, T., Chen, L., Kang, S., & McCann-Oakley, A. (2003). A case-based teaching video archive for geriatric social workers. Digital case studies with teaching materials. New York: New York Academy of Medicine. (digital publication)

Journal Articles
Morrow-Howell, N., Burnette, D., & Chen, L. (2005). Research priorities for
gerontological social work:  Researcher and practitioner perspectives. Social Work Research, 29 (4), 231-43.

Burnette, D., Mui, A.C. & Zodikoff, B.D. (2004). Gender, self-care and functional status among older persons with coronary heart disease: A national perspective. Women & Health, 39 (1), 65-84.

Kropf, N. & Burnette, D. (2003). Grandparents as family caregivers: Lessons for intergenerational education. Educational Gerontology, 29 (4), 361-72 (Plenary for 2002 Annual meeting of the Association of Gerontology in Higher Education)

Burnette, D., Morrow-Howell, N. & Chen, L.M. (2003). Setting priorities for gerontological social work research: A national Delphi study. The Gerontologist, 43 (6), 828-9.

Presentations
New media for teaching and learning in professional education and practice. 2-day workshop with A. McCann-Oakley, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, March 9-10, 2007.

Patient-professional barriers to communication in palliative care. XIV International Conference of Indian Association of Palliative Care, Mumbai,
February 7, 2007.

A life story approach to understanding the aging process. Cadenza Project on Preparing for an Elder-Friendly Hong Kong. Hong Kong, January 7, 2007.

The promise and challenges of rapid population aging in India. Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. November 30 and Fulbright Scholars conference, West Bengal, December 18, 2006.

Self-care for chronic health conditions: A health diary study. 3rd International Conference on Healthy Ageing & Longevity, Melbourne, Australia. October 14, 2006.

Last updated December 03, 2007.