Research and Scholarship

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Jennifer C. Robinson, PhD, RN, CNE, FAHA

Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship

PhD, Nursing, 2006, University of Mississippi Medical Center
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2006-08, Health Promotion & Risk Reduction, University of Michigan

Research interests

  • Environmental and social determinants of health and health outcomes including cancer
  • Physical activity and the role of the insufficient physical activity on the incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease
  • Spatial relationships associated with health and health outcomes

Research synopsis

Dr. Jennifer Robinson's program of research is in physical activity and neighborhood context. She has also concentrated on health disparities associated with geographic location and socioeconomic position and uses a social epidemiological approach. She is involved as an investigator, research mentor and co-director of the Community-Engaged Research Core of the Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research (MCCTR); J. Wilson, PI). The Community Engaged Research (CEnR) Core includes a week-long annual Summer Institute, CEnR Working Group and a Community Advisory Board. Other recent research has been with the Deep South Network for Cancer Control using transdisciplinary approach to determine the effects of energy balance through diet and exercise interventions on outcomes associated with cancer incidence and progression. She has expertise in the use of geographic information systems (GIS), multilevel statistical modeling, physical activity, working with minority populations and experience with a large, prospective epidemiological study that is investigating known and novel causes of cardiovascular disease health disparities. Robinson's dissertation research focused on social and contextual determinants of individual and neighborhoods and their effect on individual physical activity using socio-ecological theoretical approach. Much of her research utilizes a GIS to spatially locate individuals within neighborhoods.

She spends a large amount of time teaching and mentoring doctoral students. Her primary teaching is in the PhD program, where she teaches theory construction and testing, directed research and special topics, as well as serve as the advisor for PhD students' dissertations.

Recent accomplishments and honors

  • 2018-2020 - Member, Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing. American Heart Association Awards Committee.
  • 2016 - Daisy Faculty Nominee. A national recognition program to acknowledge nursing faculty for their commitment and inspirational influence on their students.. The Daisy Foundation.
  • 2015-2020 - Certified Nurse Educator (CNE). National League for Nursing.
  • 2014-present - Associate Affiliate Member, Myrlie Evers-Williams Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities. University of Mississippi.
  • 2010-2014 - Member, American Heart Association Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing Council Prevention Committee.
  • 2007 - Fellow, Physical Activity and Public Health Eight-Day Postgraduate Course on Research Directions and Strategies. Sponsored by the CDC and University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center. Competitive selection.
  • 2007 - Fellow, American Heart Association 10-Day Seminar on the Epidemiology and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease. Competitive selection.

Selected publications

  • Keogh, T., Robinson, J. C., Parnell, J.M. (2019, Feb). Assessing behavioral styles among nurse managers: Implications for leading effective teams. Hospital Topicsdoi: 10.1080/00185868.2018.1563460PMID: 30714873. Epub ahead of print].
  • Risley, C.Geisinger, K. R., Robinson, J. C., Stewart, M.W.Zhang, L., Alexander, R., Raab, S. S. (2019)Precancerous cervical lesions anHPV genotypes revealed in previously unsatisfactory pap tests after inexpensive glacial acetic acid processing. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 144(1): 85–89doi: 10.1002/ijgo.12699PMID: 30362108. Epub ahead of print].
  • Parnell, J. M., & Robinson, J. C. (2018). Social network analysis: Presenting a underutilized method for nursing research. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 74, 1310-1318DOIOI: 10.1111/jan.13541PMID: 29444887NIHMS9721000.
  • Hall, K. C., & Robinson, J. C. (2017).  The association between maternal exposure to pollutant particulate matter 2.5 and neonatal congenital heart defects: A systematic review protocolJBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, 15(9), 2257-2264NIHMSID920070; PROSPERCRD42017079174.
  • Ard, J. D., Carson, T. L.Shikany, J. M., Li, Y., Hardy, C. M., Robinson, J. C., Williams, A. G., Baskin, M. L. (2017). Weight loss and improved metabolic outcomes for African American women in the rural Deep South: Six-month outcomes of a community randomized trial. Journal of Internal Medicine, 282(1), 102-113DOI: 10.1111/joim.12622PMID: 28514081.
  • Hand, W. B., Robinson, J. C., Stewart, M. W., Hand, S. C., Zhang, L. (2017). The identity threat of weight stigma in adolescents. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 39(8), 991-1007doi: 10.1177/0193945917704201PMID: 28436266NIHMSID 874479PMC5511543.
  • Allen-Duck, A., Robinson, J. C., & Stewart, M. W. (2017). Health care quality: A concept analysis. Nursing Forum. 52(4), 377-386DOI: 10.1111/nuf.12207NIHMSIDI 874480 PMC5640472.
  • Robinson, J. C., Wyatt, S. B.Dubbert, P. M., May, W., & Sims, M. (2016). The impact of neighborhood on physical activity in the Jackson Heart Study. Preventive Medicine, 90, 216-222DOI 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.07.025PMCID PMC5074390
  • Vining, D., & Robinson, J.C. (2016). Concept analysis of illness engulfment in schizophrenia. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 30, 370-374DOI10.1016/j.apnu.2016.01.001PMID: 27256943.
  • Robinson, J. C., Carson, T. L.,  Johnson, E. R., Hardy, C. M.Shikany, J. M., Green, E., Willis, L. M.Marron, Jr., J. V., Li, Y., Lee, C. H., Baskin, M. L. (2014). Assessing environmental support for better health: Active living opportunity audits in rural communities in the southern United States. Preventive Medicine, 66, 28-33DOI 10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.05.021NIHMSID: 605944PMCID PMC4138048.
  • Temple, M., & Robinson, J. C. (2014). A systematic review of interventions to promote physical activity in the preschool setting. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing, 19, 274-284doi: 10.1111/jspn.12081.
  • Moore, M. M., Robinson, J. C., Rachel, M. M., & Boss, B. J. (2014). Barriers to physical activity and healthy diet among children ages 6 through 13 in a Mississippi elementary school. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 29, 74-82.
  • Hand, W., Robinson, J. C., & Creel, E. (2012). Ethical issues surrounding weight bias and stigma in healthcare. Online Journal of Health Ethics, 8(2).
  • Sims, M.Diez Roux, A.V., Dudley, A.Gebreab, S., Wyatt, S., Bruce, M. A., James, S. A.,  Robinson, J. C., Williams, D. R., & Taylor, H. A. (2012). Perceived discrimination and hypertension among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study. American Journal of Public Health, 102 (S2)S2585S265DOI 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300523PMCIDIDPMC3477918.
  • Dubbert, P. M., Robinson, J. C., Sung, J. H.Ainsworth, B. E., Wyatt, S. B.Carithers, T., Newton Jr., R.Rhudy, J. L.Barbour, K.Sternfeld, B., & Taylor Jr., H. (2010). Physical activity and obesity in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study. Ethnicity & Disease, 20, 383-389PMCID PMC5074338.
  • Gallagher, N. A.Gretebeck, K. A., Robinson, J. C., Torres, E. R., Murphy, S. L., Martyn, K. (2010). Neighborhood factors relevant for walking in older, urban, African American adults. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 18(1), 99-115NIHMSID # 182012PMCID PMC2843394.