Deb Brucker

Debra Brucker

Research Associate Professor
Research Associate Professor
Phone: (603) 862-4320
Office: Institute on Disability, 10 West Edge Drive, Durham, NH 03824
Websites:
Curriculum Vitae

<p>Dr. Debra Brucker studies the economic, health and social well-being of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. She has over 25 years of applied policy research experience and has held social and health policy research positions at academic institutions, research organizations, and state government agencies. She currently serves as 1) Principal Investigator (PI) on a two-year US Department of Agriculture funded project to develop improved measurement of food security for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and 2) Co-PI on a five-year National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) grant that is exploring how Long COVID has impacted living and working for people with disabilities. Dr. Brucker is an elected member of the National Academy of Social Insurance.</p>

Education

  • Ph.D., Resource Planning/Dev, Rutgers University
  • M.A., Public Administration, University of Delaware
  • B.A., Psychology, University of Delaware
  • B.A., Criminal Justice/Safety, University of Delaware

Research Interests

  • Public policy
  • Economics of Disability
  • Person With a Disability (Health/Safety/Medical)
  • Aging and life course
  • Food Assistance Programs
  • Food Security
  • Affordable Housing
  • Public Access Programs for People With Disabilities
  • Employment/Unemployment Studies

Selected Publications

  • Brucker, D. L., Kim, H. J., & Potvin, B. E. (2025). Is participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program associated with physical food security among people aged 16 to 64 with disabilities in the U.S.?. Disabil Health J, 101831. doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2025.101831

  • Kim, H. J., Jablonski, E., Brucker, D. L., Chen, A., O’Neill, J., Houtenville, A. J., & Katz, E. E. (2024). What structural and cultural organizational characteristics affect flexible work environments? Evidence from the 2017 and 2022 Kessler Foundation National Employment & Disability Survey: Supervisor perspectives. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 61(3), 410-424. doi:10.1177/10522263241283634

  • Paul, S., & Brucker, D. L. (2023). Reasons for Not Working During the Coronavirus Pandemic Among Working-Age Persons With and Without Disabilities in the US.. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 104(12), 2019-2026. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2023.06.013

  • Brucker, D. L., Surfus, C., & Henly, M. (2023). Mental health experiences in 2021 for adults with disabilities who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.. Rehabil Psychol, 68(4), 374-384. doi:10.1037/rep0000511

  • Henly, M., Phillips, K. G., Smith, S. L., Kloza, E. M., & Brucker, D. L. (2023). Referral networks for pediatric patients with genetic conditions: The perspective of occupational therapists.. J Genet Couns, 32(5), 982-992. doi:10.1002/jgc4.1706

  • Brucker, D. L., & Coleman-Jensen, A. (2017). Food Insecurity Across the Adult Life Span for Persons With Disabilities. JOURNAL OF DISABILITY POLICY STUDIES, 28(2), 109-118. doi:10.1177/1044207317710701

  • Sevak, P., Houtenville, A. J., Brucker, D. L., & O'Neill, J. (2015). Individual Characteristics and the Disability Employment Gap. JOURNAL OF DISABILITY POLICY STUDIES, 26(2), 80-88. doi:10.1177/1044207315585823

  • Brucker, D. L., & Houtenville, A. J. (2015). People With Disabilities in the United States. ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION, 96(5), 771-774. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2015.02.024

  • Brucker, D. L., Mitra, S., Chaitoo, N., & Mauro, J. (2015). More Likely to Be Poor Whatever the Measure: Working-Age Persons with Disabilities in the United States. SOCIAL SCIENCE QUARTERLY, 96(1), 273-296. doi:10.1111/ssqu.12098

  • Hagner, D., Kurtz, A., Cloutier, H., Arakelian, C., Brucker, D. L., & May, J. (2012). Outcomes of a Family-Centered Transition Process for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders. FOCUS ON AUTISM AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, 27(1), 42-50. doi:10.1177/1088357611430841

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  • Most Cited Publications