Ann L. Coker, Ph.D., MPH
Link to CV: Coker
Biography
In May 2007, Ann L. Coker, Ph.D., MPH became the inaugural Verizon Wireless Endowed Chair in the Center for Research on Violence Against Women at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. She serves as Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She holds a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina.
Since 1994, Dr. Coker has engaged in several research projects addressing the health effects of partner violence and sexual violence. She instituted a universal screening protocol in the University’s Obstetrics Clinics in February 2008 and is in the process of evaluating the impact of screening on women and infants. She received a five year cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to evaluate a statewide intervention to reduce dating and sexual violence using a randomized design in 26 high schools across Kentucky. This research has been extended through NIH funding to determine the longer term efficacy of the Green Dot bystander program. Two additional CDC funded research endeavors address the efficacy of bystander programming across 24 college campuses and the efficacy of combining alcohol abuse prevention and sexual violence prevention using a bystander approach. Dr Coker also served as principal investigator on a National Institutes of Health grant for a five year cohort study to explore how life stresses including partner and family support or interference may impact cancer care and well-being for women diagnosed with cancer in Kentucky and North Carolina. Ann is currently on sabbatical at the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization in Geneva.
Current Projects
"Life's Snapshot" seeks to evaluate the longer term efficacy of the Green Dot Across the Bluegrass for high school seniors into young adult life. This project also investigates risk and resilience factors for interpersonal violence initiation among college and career high school seniors. (1R01HD075783 Coker (PI) Follingstad (PI))
With Dr. Heather Bush (College of Public Health, Biostatistics), I direct the Kentucky Women's Health Registry. Participation in this registry include completion of an online survey and willingness to be contacted for research focusing on women's health issues. We have recruited over 17,000 women across Kentucky. These data are available for researchers to use in furthering their research and developing grants and manuscripts. Sexual, physical and psychological abuse experience during child and adulthood is addressed in the annual surveys.
“Life stresses, family and partner support and cancer care for women” (National Institutes of Health – A Coker PI). The goal of this cohort study is to determine whether and if so how violence against women influences the cancer care continuum and whether violence may explain the racial or ethnic disparities in cancer survival. We are exploring partner and family behaviors that may support or interfere with women’s ability to get recommended cancer care. (R01MD004598 Coker (PI))
“Green Dot across the Bluegrass: Evaluation of a primary prevention intervention” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – A Coker PI). The goal of this research is to evaluate a promising new intervention to prevent dating and sexual violence. (U01CE001675 (CDC) Coker (PI))
“Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health” (National Institutes of Health – A Coker Program Leader). The goal of this project is to train young investigators to develop a successful career in women’s health research. (K12DA035150 Curry (PI))
Areas of Research Interest
Evaluation of clinic and population based intervention to prevent or reduce the impact of dating violence, sexual violence or intimate partner violence.
Determining the mental and physical health effect and cost of intimate partner violence.
Determine the impact of partner support as well as interfering, controlling or violent behaviors on cancer care and recovery.
Teaching Interests
My teaching interests focus on introductory and advanced epidemiology, cancer epidemiology, women’s health, epidemiology of violence against women, and the prevention of violence against women.
Publications
Click here for access to selected published works for Dr. Ann Coker