Jamie Zoellner
Biographic Data
| ID | 5506633 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jamie Zoellner |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jamie |
| FAMILY NAME | Zoellner |
| SIGNATURE | ZOELLNER J |
| AFFILIATIONS | Virginia Tech |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5445-5594 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 37 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 8 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 37 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2007 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
An exploratory study to understand how rurality status and demographic characteristics are associated with enrollment, engagement, and retention in a digital health intervention targeting the Appalach…
PURPOSE: Digital health studies exploring group disparities across research phases are limited. As a secondary aim of a larger digital health trial, this study explored how rurality and other sociodemographics were associated with enrollment, retention, and engagement in a randomized controlled sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) reduction trial. METHODS: Participants from a primarily Appalachian sample were randomized into iSIPsmarter (experimental) …
Pastors’ perceptions of faith-based cancer prevention/early detection programs in Virginia
Churches are promising partners for the delivery of cancer prevention and early detection interventions; few studies have examined pastors' views of offering these programs. This mixed methods study occurred in two phases: (i) pastors (n = 213) were surveyed to assess whether their church offered nine different cancer prevention/early detection programs and rated their perceived importance and feasibility of offering programs; (ii) a subsample of…
Using implementation strategies to promote the maintenance of Kids SIPsmartER in rural Appalachian middle schools
Clincialtrials.gov: NCT03740113. Registered 14 November 2018 - Retrospectively registered. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03740113
A Qualitative Study To Understand Parental, Health Care Provider and WIC Nutritionist Perspectives on Early Childhood Beverage Choices for WIC-enrolled Families in a Southeastern US Health System
Our findings highlight a need for more regular communication between WIC nutritionists and children's healthcare providers within our system, and more consistent parental education on juice and tap water safety. Future studies could evaluate whether these types of communication gaps and perceptions are regional or more widespread across the US
Exploring biorepository donation patterns, experiences, and recommendations
Background Under-represented subgroups in biomarker research linked to behavioral health trials may impact the promise of precision health. This mixed methods study examines biorepository donations across an Appalachian sample enrolled in a sugary drink reduction intervention trial. Methods Participants enrolled in the behavioral trial were asked to join an optional biomarker study and were tracked for enrollment and biospecimen returns (stool an…
Associations of Body Mass Index with Self‐Rated Health and Weight Perceptions Among Rural Appalachian Adolescent Students
BACKGROUND: Adolescents with overweight or obesity are at greater risk of having physical and psychosocial consequences. With increased disparities and inadequate literature on prevalence of adolescent weight status in rural Appalachia, there is potential for further complications. Unfortunately, adolescent obesity treatment options are often limited, especially in medically underserved regions. METHODS: This cross-sectional study of adolescents …
Contributing Factors of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake in the Latinx Population
Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption in the Latinx population has been a topic of increasing interest due to higher rates of consumption in this population, as well as higher prevalence of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and obesity. SSB behaviors are influenced by multiple factors across the socio-ecological model. Understanding these factors can inform future intervention development and improve SSB consumption and overall hea…
Diet Quality and Dietary Inflammatory Index Score among Women’s Cancer Survivors
The purpose of this study was to investigate Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015) and Energy-Adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DII TM ) scores in women's cancer survivors and to examine socio-economic (SES) characteristics associated with these two diet indices. In this cross-sectional study, survivors of women's cancers completed a demographic questionnaire and up to three 24-h dietary recalls. HEI-2015 and E-DII scores were calculated from…
Beverage behaviors and correlates among Head Start preschooler-parent dyads
Assets and Challenges to Recruiting and Engaging Families in a Childhood Obesity Treatment Research Trial
Background: There is need for the childhood obesity treatment literature to identify effective recruitment and engagement strategies for rural communities that are more likely to lack supportive infrastructure for healthy lifestyles and clinical research relative to their urban counterparts. This community case study examines recruitment and engagement strategies from a comparative effectiveness research (CER) trial of two family-based childhood …
Low Health Literacy Is Associated With Energy‐Balance ‐Related Behaviors, Quality of Life, and BMI Among Rural Appalachian Middle School Students
BACKGROUND: Many studies document associations between low health literacy (HL) and poor health behaviors and outcomes. Yet, HL is understudied among adolescents, particularly from underserved, rural communities. We targeted rural adolescents in this cross-sectional study and explored relationships between HL and (1) energy-balance-related health behaviors and (2) body mass index (BMI) and quality of life (QOL). METHODS: Surveys were administered…
A Multilevel Approach to Understand the Context and Potential Solutions for Low Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Rates in Rural Appalachia Clinics
PURPOSE: To explore system/staff- and patient-level opportunities to improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening within an 11-clinic Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in rural Appalachia with CRC screening rates around 22%-30%. METHODS: Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, staff (n = 26) and patients (n = 60, age 50-75, 67% female, 83% <college, 47% Medicare, 23% Medicaid) were interviewed about CRC-related screening practices. …
Spatial analysis of colorectal cancer outcomes and socioeconomic factors in Virginia
Rurality, low SES, and racial distribution were important predictors of CRC incidence, mortality, and MIR. Regions with concentrations of one or more factors of disparities face additional hurdles to improving CRC outcomes. A large cluster of high MIR in southwest Virginia region requires further investigation to improve early cancer detection and support survivorship. Spatial analysis can identify high-disparity populations and be used to inform…
Applying the socio-ecological model to understand factors associated with sugar-sweetened beverage behaviours among rural Appalachian adolescents
Objective: The objective of the current study was to identify factors across the socio-ecological model (SEM) associated with adolescents’ sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake. Design: This cross-sectional study surveyed adolescents using previously validated instruments. Analyses included descriptive statistics, ANOVA tests and stepwise nonlinear regression models (i.e., two-part models) adjusted to be cluster robust. Guided by SEM, a four-step…
Predictors of engagement and outcome achievement in a behavioural intervention targeting sugar-sweetened beverage intake among rural adults
Objective: To describe relationships among baseline characteristics, engagement indicators and outcomes for rural participants enrolled in SIP smart ER, a behavioural intervention targeting sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake. Design: A secondary data analysis. Bivariate analyses determined relationships among baseline characteristics (e.g. age, gender, race, education, income), engagement indicators (completion of 6-month health screening, cla…
SIPsmartER delivered through rural, local health districts
In-person classes and the consultee-centered implementation strategies were viewed as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible and were executed with high fidelity. However, implementation outcomes for teach-back and missed class calls and recruitment were not as strong. Findings will inform the future full-scale dissemination and implementation of SIPsmartER, as well as other evidence-based interventions, into rural health districts as a means to i…
Participatory development and pilot testing of iChoose
The process to help organizations identify and select evidence-based programs appropriate for their community led to consensus on a single EBP. While iChoose was successful in initiating changes in BMI z-scores, could be implemented in a low resource community with fidelity, it was insufficient to lead to sustained child BMI z-scores. In response to these data, maintenance of program effects and delivery are the current focus of the CBPR team
From Bright Bodies to iChoose
This community-based participatory research (CBPR) project used a collaborative process to develop a culturally relevant workbook for parents of overweight children. We followed a mixed methods iterative process to assess clear communication using a CBPR approach. Materials were evaluated using readability tests, the Clear Communication Index (CCI), and the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM). In addition, we used surveys and focus groups t…
Building and Sustaining Community Capacity to Address Childhood Obesity
Guided by a community-based participatory research and systems-based approach, this 3-year mixed-methods case study describes the experiences and capacity development of a Community-Academic Advisory Board (CAB) formed to adapt, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based childhood obesity treatment program in a medically underserved region. The CAB included community, public health, and clinical (n = 9) and academic partners (n = 9). CAB members c…
Influence of an intervention targeting a reduction in sugary beverage intake on the δ 13 C sugar intake biomarker in a predominantly obese, health-disparate sample
Objective Controversy exists surrounding the health effects of added sugar (AS) and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intakes, primarily due to a reliance on self-reported dietary intake. The purpose of the current investigation was to determine if a 6-month intervention targeting reduced SSB intake would impact δ 13 C AS intake biomarker values. Design A randomized controlled intervention trial. At baseline and at 6 months, participants underwent a…
Psychosocial constructs were not mediators of intervention effects for dietary and physical activity outcomes in a church-based lifestyle intervention
Objective Evaluating an intervention’s theoretical basis can inform design modifications to produce more effective interventions. Hence the present study’s purpose was to determine if effects from a multicomponent lifestyle intervention were mediated by changes in the psychosocial constructs decisional balance, self-efficacy and social support. Design Delta Body and Soul III, conducted from August 2011 to May 2012, was a 6-month, church-based, li…
Evaluation of a novel biomarker of added sugar intake ( δ 13 C) compared with self-reported added sugar intake and the Healthy Eating Index-2010 in a community-based, rural US sample
Objective The δ 13 C value of human blood is an emerging novel biomarker of added sugar (AS) intake for adults. However, no free-living, community-based assessments of comparative validity of this biomarker have been conducted. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine if Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) score, SoFAAS score (HEI-2010 sub-component for solid fat, alcohol and AS), AS and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intakes we…
Do the Features, Amenities, and Quality of Physical Activity Resources Differ Between City and County Areas of a Large Rural Region
The goal of this work was to provide a community-academic partnership with actionable information for physical activity (PA) for a rural health-disparate region. Identified PA outlets were audited and combined with survey data for 813 residents in the region. Less than a third of sampled residents (28%) met PA recommendations, with low perceptions of safety for PA. PA resource outlets in rural areas had higher numbers of incivilities. On the basi…
Engagement Indicators Predict Health Changes in a Lifestyle Intervention
Use of single engagement indicators specific to each intervention component is advocated for predicting relevant health outcome
Feasibility of an experiential community garden and nutrition programme for youth living in public housing
Objective Few published community garden studies have focused on low socio-economic youth living in public housing or used a community-based participatory research approach in conjunction with youth-focused community garden programmes. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility (i.e. demand, acceptability, implementation and limited-effectiveness testing) of a 10-week experiential theory-based gardening and nutrition educa…
Fit for Life Steps
The process of developing and implementing this CBPR walking intervention was considered successful as evidenced by the community's active contribution and participation in each phase of this research, the undertaking and application of basic research components, significant improvements in several anthropometric and biological values, and sustainability of the collaborative partnership
Exploring Community Gardens in a Health Disparate Population
This research illustrates the successful partnering a community-academic team and has provided the partnership with a clearer lens to conceptualize and launch future regional community garden efforts
From Bright Bodies to iChoose
This community-based participatory research (CBPR) project used a collaborative process to develop a culturally relevant workbook for parents of overweight children. We followed a mixed methods iterative process to assess clear communication using a CBPR approach. Materials were evaluated using readability tests, the Clear Communication Index (CCI), and the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM). In addition, we used surveys and focus groups t…
Exploring Community Gardens in a Health Disparate Population
t is increasingly clear that, when addressing complex health behaviors and social issues such as low fruit and vegetable intake among low-income communities, it is insufficient to rely solely on approaches directed at individuals. 1,2 Nonetheless, there is a continued lack of interventions based on social-ecological models that elucidate how health-related intervention and policy development could effectively address individual-level behaviors, s…
Fit for Life Steps
Fit for Life Steps:Results of a Community Walking Intervention in the Rural Mississippi Delta Jamie Zoellner, PhD, Carol Connell, PhD, and Ross Santell, PhD Purpose 1 The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a walking intervention in Hollandale, a rural town in Mississippi, through the use of community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods. Located in the Mississippi Delta, Hollandale has a population that is 83% African-Ameri…
Fit for Life Steps
Fit for Life Steps:Results of a Community Walking Intervention in the Rural Mississippi Delta Jamie Zoellner, PhD, Carol Connell, PhD, and Ross Santell, PhD Purpose 1 The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a walking intervention in Hollandale, a rural town in Mississippi, through the use of community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods. Located in the Mississippi Delta, Hollandale has a population that is 83% African-Ameri…
Podcast Interview Transcript
Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action - Volume 1, Issue 1, Spring 2007
Fit for Life Steps
The process of developing and implementing this CBPR walking intervention was considered successful as evidenced by the community's active contribution and participation in each phase of this research, the undertaking and application of basic research components, significant improvements in several anthropometric and biological values, and sustainability of the collaborative partnership
Who participates in internet-based worksite weight loss programs
Worksite weight loss programs should include targeted marketing strategies to engage employees with lower income, education, and health literacy
Food and beverage choices contributing to dietary guidelines adherence in the Lower Mississippi Delta
Objectives The objectives of the present study were to evaluate diet quality among Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) residents using the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005) and to identify the top five dietary sources contributing to HEI-2005 components. Demographic differences in HEI-2005 scores were also explored. Design Diet quality was evaluated using HEI-2005. Demographic differences in HEI-2005 scores were investigated using multivariable regr…
Several steps/day indicators predict changes in anthropometric outcomes
Several descriptive indicators of steps/day may be useful for predicting anthropometric outcome changes. Further, manipulating steps/day data to address implausible values has little overall effect on the ability to predict these anthropometric changes
Evaluating Community Capacity to Address Obesity in the Dan River Region
Findings have provided critical direction for the continued development and sustainability of DRPHC efforts. Others could apply a similar evaluation to better understand factors that promote the development and maintenance of their coalitions
Engaging the Dan River Region to Reduce Obesity
Despite ongoing recommendations to engage health-disparate populations in the initiation and execution of community-based research, few studies report on the process of community engagement. The action-oriented Comprehensive Participatory Planning and Evaluation (CPPE) process is designed to guide community health planning and evaluation. This article describes how the CPPE process was utilized within a community-based participatory research init…
Exploring Community Gardens in a Health Disparate Population
t is increasingly clear that, when addressing complex health behaviors and social issues such as low fruit and vegetable intake among low-income communities, it is insufficient to rely solely on approaches directed at individuals. 1,2 Nonetheless, there is a continued lack of interventions based on social-ecological models that elucidate how health-related intervention and policy development could effectively address individual-level behaviors, s…
Exploring Community Gardens in a Health Disparate Population
This research illustrates the successful partnering a community-academic team and has provided the partnership with a clearer lens to conceptualize and launch future regional community garden efforts
US Children's Acquisition of Tobacco Media Literacy Skills
Pro-tobacco messages in media play an important role in initiating smoking behavior among children, but can be addressed in health promotion media literacy interventions. Children from Southwest Virginia, US (age range: 8–14, N = 19) who participated in a tobacco media literacy intervention were invited to discuss their learning and understanding of tobacco media literacy in three focus groups. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and sensi…
Disparities in obesity among rural and urban residents in a health disparate region
These results will be used by the community-academic partnership to guide the development of culturally relevant and sustainable interventions to increase PA, increase FV intake and reduce obesity within this health disparate region. In particular, local stakeholders may wish to address disparities in BMI by allocating resources to the vulnerable groups identified
Engagement Indicators Predict Health Changes in a Lifestyle Intervention
Use of single engagement indicators specific to each intervention component is advocated for predicting relevant health outcome
Feasibility of an experiential community garden and nutrition programme for youth living in public housing
Objective Few published community garden studies have focused on low socio-economic youth living in public housing or used a community-based participatory research approach in conjunction with youth-focused community garden programmes. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility (i.e. demand, acceptability, implementation and limited-effectiveness testing) of a 10-week experiential theory-based gardening and nutrition educa…
Psychosocial constructs were not mediators of intervention effects for dietary and physical activity outcomes in a church-based lifestyle intervention
Objective Evaluating an intervention’s theoretical basis can inform design modifications to produce more effective interventions. Hence the present study’s purpose was to determine if effects from a multicomponent lifestyle intervention were mediated by changes in the psychosocial constructs decisional balance, self-efficacy and social support. Design Delta Body and Soul III, conducted from August 2011 to May 2012, was a 6-month, church-based, li…
Evaluation of a novel biomarker of added sugar intake ( δ 13 C) compared with self-reported added sugar intake and the Healthy Eating Index-2010 in a community-based, rural US sample
Objective The δ 13 C value of human blood is an emerging novel biomarker of added sugar (AS) intake for adults. However, no free-living, community-based assessments of comparative validity of this biomarker have been conducted. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine if Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) score, SoFAAS score (HEI-2010 sub-component for solid fat, alcohol and AS), AS and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intakes we…
Do the Features, Amenities, and Quality of Physical Activity Resources Differ Between City and County Areas of a Large Rural Region
The goal of this work was to provide a community-academic partnership with actionable information for physical activity (PA) for a rural health-disparate region. Identified PA outlets were audited and combined with survey data for 813 residents in the region. Less than a third of sampled residents (28%) met PA recommendations, with low perceptions of safety for PA. PA resource outlets in rural areas had higher numbers of incivilities. On the basi…
Influence of an intervention targeting a reduction in sugary beverage intake on the δ 13 C sugar intake biomarker in a predominantly obese, health-disparate sample
Objective Controversy exists surrounding the health effects of added sugar (AS) and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intakes, primarily due to a reliance on self-reported dietary intake. The purpose of the current investigation was to determine if a 6-month intervention targeting reduced SSB intake would impact δ 13 C AS intake biomarker values. Design A randomized controlled intervention trial. At baseline and at 6 months, participants underwent a…
Building and Sustaining Community Capacity to Address Childhood Obesity
Guided by a community-based participatory research and systems-based approach, this 3-year mixed-methods case study describes the experiences and capacity development of a Community-Academic Advisory Board (CAB) formed to adapt, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based childhood obesity treatment program in a medically underserved region. The CAB included community, public health, and clinical (n = 9) and academic partners (n = 9). CAB members c…
SIPsmartER delivered through rural, local health districts
In-person classes and the consultee-centered implementation strategies were viewed as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible and were executed with high fidelity. However, implementation outcomes for teach-back and missed class calls and recruitment were not as strong. Findings will inform the future full-scale dissemination and implementation of SIPsmartER, as well as other evidence-based interventions, into rural health districts as a means to i…
Participatory development and pilot testing of iChoose
The process to help organizations identify and select evidence-based programs appropriate for their community led to consensus on a single EBP. While iChoose was successful in initiating changes in BMI z-scores, could be implemented in a low resource community with fidelity, it was insufficient to lead to sustained child BMI z-scores. In response to these data, maintenance of program effects and delivery are the current focus of the CBPR team
From Bright Bodies to iChoose
This community-based participatory research (CBPR) project used a collaborative process to develop a culturally relevant workbook for parents of overweight children. We followed a mixed methods iterative process to assess clear communication using a CBPR approach. Materials were evaluated using readability tests, the Clear Communication Index (CCI), and the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM). In addition, we used surveys and focus groups t…
Predictors of engagement and outcome achievement in a behavioural intervention targeting sugar-sweetened beverage intake among rural adults
Objective: To describe relationships among baseline characteristics, engagement indicators and outcomes for rural participants enrolled in SIP smart ER, a behavioural intervention targeting sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake. Design: A secondary data analysis. Bivariate analyses determined relationships among baseline characteristics (e.g. age, gender, race, education, income), engagement indicators (completion of 6-month health screening, cla…
Assets and Challenges to Recruiting and Engaging Families in a Childhood Obesity Treatment Research Trial
Background: There is need for the childhood obesity treatment literature to identify effective recruitment and engagement strategies for rural communities that are more likely to lack supportive infrastructure for healthy lifestyles and clinical research relative to their urban counterparts. This community case study examines recruitment and engagement strategies from a comparative effectiveness research (CER) trial of two family-based childhood …
Low Health Literacy Is Associated With Energy‐Balance ‐Related Behaviors, Quality of Life, and BMI Among Rural Appalachian Middle School Students
BACKGROUND: Many studies document associations between low health literacy (HL) and poor health behaviors and outcomes. Yet, HL is understudied among adolescents, particularly from underserved, rural communities. We targeted rural adolescents in this cross-sectional study and explored relationships between HL and (1) energy-balance-related health behaviors and (2) body mass index (BMI) and quality of life (QOL). METHODS: Surveys were administered…
Medicine (34 works) · Environmental health (21 works) · Gerontology (18 works) · Nursing (17 works) · Public health (16 works) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (13 works) · Psychology (13 works) · Sociology (11 works) · Demography (10 works) · Political science (10 works)