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Dr. Melinda Forthofer is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Health and Human Services and a Professor in the Department of Applied Physiology, Health and Clinical Sciences in the College of Health and Human Services at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. From 2016-2020, Dr. Forthofer served as Chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences, leading that department through a period of exponential growth through the addition of new programs and concentrations and recruitment of new faculty. Prior to joining UNC Charlotte, Dr. Forthofer was on the faculty at the University of South Florida (1996-2006) and at the University of South Carolina (2006-2016). For over 20 years, her work has focused on social factors related to health behavior change in diverse community settings, often via community-based research. Much of her current research is focused on the role of social factors in the promotion of health behaviors, particularly the role of social networks in physical activity. Her research has been supported by over $29 million in extramurally funded research grants, via awards from several federal agencies (CDC, HRSA, NIH), state health departments, local and national nonprofit organizations, and several private sector organizations.

Education

Dual Ph.D – University of Michigan, 1996, Health Behavior/Health Education and Sociology

Predoctoral Fellow, NIMH Psychiatric Epidemiology Training Program, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan

Case Western Reserve University, 1992, Sociology and Gender Studies

Teaching

CTCM 2530: Critical Thinking and Communication (Focus on Financial Literacy and Health Decision-Making)

Special Topics: MPH Capstone Pilot Course

Seminar in Health Services Research

HSMT 2101 – Introduction to Health Professions

Research Interests/Areas of Expertise

Social Epidemiology

Social Networks

Community-based prevention research

Diffusion of innovation/translational science

Chronic disease-related health behaviors, especially physical activity

Awards & Honors

Delta Omega Honorary Society, Mu Chapter, University of South Carolina

Outstanding Teacher Award, University of South Florida Public Health Student Association (1999-2000 and 2003-2004)

Recent Publications

* indicates co-author was a student when research was conducted

† indicates co-author was a community partner when research was conducted

  1. Miller, T.*, Paul, R., Forthofer, M., and Wurdeman, S.R. (2020). Impact of time to receipt of prosthesis on total healthcare costs 12 months post-amutation. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000001473 [Epub published ahead of print].
  2. Solomon, C.A.*, Laditka, S., Forthofer, M. & Racine, E.F.(2019). Alcohol consumption among older women in the United States. Journal of Women & Aging. DOI: 1080/08952841.2019.1684176.
  3. Solomon, C. A.*, Laditka, S. B., Forthofer, M. & Racine, E. F.(2019). Black-white disparities in alcohol consumption trends among women in the United States, 1990–2015, Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, DOI: 1080/15332640.2019.1685049.
  4. Everson, T.M.*, Zhang, H., Lockett, G.A. et al.Epigenome-wide association study of asthma and wheeze characterizes loci within HK1. (2019).  Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol, 15,  doi:10.1186/s13223-019-0356-z.
  5. Lozano, P.*, Thrasher, J.T., Forthofer, M., Hardin, J., Reynales Shigematsu, L.M., Santillán, E.A. & Fleischer, N.L.(2019). The role of social norms and socioeconomic status in smoking-related stigma among smokers in Mexico and Uruguay. Critical Public Health, 29(2), 215-227, DOI: 1080/09581596.2018.1440070.
  6. Wilcox, S., Saunders, R.P., Kaczynski, A.T., Forthofer, M., Sharpe, P.A., Goodwin, C., Condrasky, M., Kennedy, Sr., V., Jake-Schoffman, D.E., Kinnard, D., Hutto, B. (2018). Faith, Activity, and Nutrition Randomized Dissemination and Implementation Study: Countywide adoption, reach, and effectiveness,American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 54(6), 776-785. org/10.1016/j.amepre.2018.02.018.
  7. Kaczynski, A.T., Jake-Schoffman, D., Peters, N.A., Dunn, C.G., Wilcox, S., Forthofer, M. (2018). Development and testing of the Church Environment Audit Tool for evaluating physical activity and healthy eating supports in faith-based settings. American Journal of Health Behavior, 42(3), 17-26. doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.42.3.2.
  8. Saunders, R.P., Wilcox, S., Jake-Schoffman, D.E., Kinard, D., Hutto, B., Forthofer, M., & Kaczynksi, A.T. (2018). The Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) Dissemination and Implementation Study, Phase 1: Implementation Monitoring Methods and Results. Health Education & Behavior. org/10.1177/1090198118818235.
  9. Collie-Akers, V.L., Schultz, J.A., Fawcett, S.B., Landry, S., Obermeier, S., Frongillo, E.A., Forthofer, M., Weinstein, N., Weber, S.A., Logan, A., Arteaga, S.S., Nebeling, L., Au, L.E., on behalf of the Healthy Communities Study Team. (2018). Measuring intensity of community programs and policies to prevent childhood obesity in a diverse sample of U.S. communities: The Healthy Communities Study. Pediatric Obesity, 13 (Supp 1), 56-63. Doi: 1111. ijpo.12423.
  10. Forthofer, M., Wilcox, S., Hutto, B., Kinnard, D., and Sharpe, P. (2018). Sumter County on the Move!: Evaluation of a Walking Group Intervention to Promote Physical Activity within Existing Social Networks. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 5, 1-7 [Epub ahead of print].
  11. Lozano, P.*, Thrasher, J.F., Forthofer, M., Hardin, J., Shigematsu, L.M.R., Santillán, E.A., Fleischer, N. (2018). Smoking-related stigma: A public health tool or damaging force?. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1093/ntr/nty151.
  12. Reid, L.*, Dowda, M., Forthofer, M., Barr-Anderson, D., Saunders, R., & Pate, R. (2018). Parental support for physical activity in African-American girls. Grace Jordan Monograph Series. University of South Carolina Press. Columbia, SC.