Global Health Researcher · Responsible AI · Health Equity
Aradhana Thapa
I work at the intersection of AI, global health, and systems change, combining research, organizational strategy, and cross-sector leadership to shape technologies and systems that are safe, equitable, and designed for real-world impact. My perspective is grounded in years of work with communities and health systems and increasingly focused on the opportunities and risks of AI.
My work spans human-centered AI, community health systems, implementation research, and sexual and reproductive health. I am particularly interested in how emerging technologies can be responsibly integrated into health systems and how research, governance, and organizational leadership can ensure they serve the communities they are intended to benefit.
Research Focus
Key Areas of Research
Across my work, I study how health interventions and technologies are experienced, implemented, and governed in real-world settings, particularly in communities that have historically been underserved.
Responsible AI in Healthcare
Researching how AI and large language models (LLMs) can be evaluated and deployed safely, responsibly, and equitably in healthcare and global health, with a focus on human–centered design, user engagement, trust, high-risk use, safety, and governance.
Community Health Systems & Implementation
Research and implementation focused on strengthening community-based health systems and translating interventions into sustainable practice, including community health workers, integrated care, primary care, digital health, health workforce systems, quality improvement, and health-system financing.
Sexual & Reproductive Health
Research focused on equitable access to trusted health information and care, including adolescent and maternal health, contraception, community-based care, and sexual and reproductive health in underserved settings. More recently, this work has extended to understanding how people use and engage with emerging AI technologies for sensitive health information.
Current Research
Can AI make sexual and reproductive healthcare more accessible without compromising trust, safety, or equity?
My doctoral research examines AI-powered sexual and reproductive health chatbots among women living in underserved urban communities in India. Working with community-based organizations, I study how women engage with AI for sensitive health needs and how social and structural inequities shape those experiences.