Our research projects span many different health topics and address health disparities across multiple diverse communities. We partner with researchers across the University of Kentucky and beyond to advance health communication scholarship.
Here are the current projects our faculty members are engaged in:
Aphasia Spark: Aphasia Lab Zine Project. Winter Phong (PI), Arts Administration; Erin Hester, Integrated Strategic Communication; Christen Page, Communication Sciences and Disorders; David Wischer, Art and Visual Studies
CHASE: An Innovative County-Level Public Health Response to the Opioid Epidemic in New York State. Don Helme (PI), Communication; Nicky Lewis, Communication
Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility Without Leaving the Community Behind. Erin Hester (PI), Integrated Strategic Communication; Ariel Arthur, Center for Health Equity Transformation; Laura Butler, UK Human Development Institute; Janie Cambron, College of Public Health; Sarah A. Geegan, Integrated Strategic Communication; Jason Jones, UK Human Development Institute; Ketrell McWhorter, College of Public Health; Lindsey C. Mullis, Human Development Institute
Development and Pilot Randomized Control Trial of a Text Message Intervention to Facilitate Secure Storage and Disposal of Prescription Opioids to Prevent Diversion and Misuse. Kate Egan (PI), Wake Forest University; Don Helme, Communication
Engaging Underserved Communities in End-of-Life Conversations: a Cluster, Randomized Controlled Trial. Lauren J. Van Scoy (PI), Pennsylvania State University; Allison Scott Gordon, Communication
Enhancing the Public Health Benefits of Mammography Screening by Informing Women of Both Breast Cancer and Breast Arterial Calcification Results: A Randomized Trial to Promote Cardiovascular Health. Guy H. Montgomery (PI), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Nancy Grant Harrington, Communication.
Evaluation of a Persuasive Health Communication Intervention Designed to Increase HIV/HCV Screening among Emergency Departments Patients Who Currently, Formerly or Never Injected Drugs. Roland C. Merchant (PI), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Nancy Grant Harrington, Communication
Exploring the Motivational Climate and Communication Among Trauma Survivors and their Care Team. Jake Higgins (PI) Nursing; Erin Hester, Integrated Strategic Communication; Sarah Geegan, Integrated Strategic Communication
Kentucky CAN HEAL (Communities and Networks Helping End Addiction Long-term). Sharon Walsh (PI), Medicine and Pharmacy; Amanda Fallin Bennett, Nursing Instruction; Laura Fanucchi, Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases; Patricia Freeman, Pharmacy Practice and Science; Don Helme, Communication; Hannah Knudsen, Behavioral Science; Nicky Lewis, Communication; Michelle Lofwall, Behavioral Science and Psychiatry; Katie Marks, Behavioral Science; Carrie Oser, Sociology; Svetla Slavova, Biostatistics; Michele Staton, Behavioral Science; Hilary Surratt, Behavioral Science; Jeff Talbert, Pharmacy; Phillip Westgate, Biostatistics; April Young, Epidemiology
Modernization and Expansion of Digital Content Analysis and Television Archiving Systems. Nancy Grant Harrington (PI), Communication
Testing Revisions to the Protection Motivation Theory: Can Compassion-based Messages Elicit Other-Protection? Erin Hester (PI), Integrated Strategic Communication; Adriane Grumbein, Integrated Strategic Communication
The Potential for Inoculation Messages to Influence Vaccine Uptake among Underrepresented Populations. Kimberly Parker (PI), Integrated Strategic Communication; Bobi Ivanov, Integrated Strategic Communication
University of Kentucky: Connecting and Networking for Suicide Prevention (UK-CAN). Julie Cerel (PI), Social Work; Mary Bolin, Counseling Center; Aurora Occa, Communication; Lee Walmsley; Corrine Williams, Public Health
Using Strategic Messaging to Improve Adoption of Integrated Pest Management. Kiersten Wise (PI), Plant Pathology; Erin Hester, Integrated Strategic Communication; Carl Bradley, Plant Pathology; Paul Vincelli, Plant Pathology; Nicole Gauthier, Plant Pathology