Kruthika Doreswamy

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Student Research Program
Project Title:	Examining Barriers in Medical and Community Resource Access among Stroke Survivors
Field of Study:	Public Health
Home Institution:	University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Host Institution:	Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka
Grant Start Month:	August 2024
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Kruthika Doreswamy completed her BS in neuroscience and BA in French from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to complete her MPH in epidemiology at the university’s School of Public Health. During her MPH internship, she examined the relationship between paternal characteristics and spontaneous abortion, and went on to present the findings at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo. Between 2022 and 2024, Kruthika worked at the National Institutes of Health as a post-baccalaureate fellow in the Rehabilitation Medicine Department. She has served as an associate investigator on various protocols examining motor function in individuals with rare neuromuscular disorders, such as spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). She has made presentations at various conferences, such as those of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and World Muscle Society. She is interested in pursuing medical school and working toward increasing access to rehabilitation resources.

In India, stroke is the fifth leading cause of disability and because of the sheer numbers involved due to the country being home to the largest population on the planet, patient-focused rehabilitation is a challenge. In her Fulbright-Nehru project, Kruthika is examining the perspectives of individuals who have experienced a stroke, as well as the perceptions of their caregivers and healthcare providers. She hopes to explore avenues for translating the study’s findings into broader public policy and to create culturally informed tools for post-stroke recovery.