Dr. Stacey Griner
Assistant Professor, Health Behavior and Health Systems
Education & Experience:
I received a PhD in Public Health and a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies from the University of South Florida. At the University of Florida, I received an MPH with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Sciences, and at St. Petersburg College I completed a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene Education. Prior to entering academia, I was in clinical dental hygiene practice for more than 10 years.
Teaching Areas & Public Health Interests:
In my role as Director of the Public Health Leadership and the Maternal and Child Health MPH programs, I mentor and advise students to become public health experts by meeting their academic and career goals. I teach courses in the MPH Maternal and Child Health program, including Introduction to Maternal and Child Health and Human Sexuality and Reproductive Health. I also teach one of the MPH core courses: Theoretical Foundations of Individual and Community Health. Through my past experiences teaching courses in health behavior, sexual and reproductive health, women’s health, and community health, I have developed a strong dedication to teaching in both in-class and through online settings. My teaching draws from the social determinants of health and the ecological perspective to encourage students to examine health inequities and their ultimate causes from multiple levels. In my courses, I facilitate critical thinking by engaging students in group discussions and practical application, particularly related to health policy and advocacy.
I recognize student mentorship and the development of interpersonal relationships as a critical component of teaching. I have mentored students in their training to become clinicians, researchers, and public health experts by focusing on professional development and their academic and research goals. My mentoring and teaching approaches focus on transparency, intentionality, respect, equity, and empathy. In my collaborations, my primary goal is to encourage personal and professional growth, well-being and success, and I actively strive to promote each student’s individual potential in alignment with their values.
Professional Activities & Awards:
I received the 2022 American Sexually Transmitted Disease Association (ASTDA) Young Investigator Award. I’m a member of the American Public Health Association and serve as a Section Councilor for the Sexual and Reproductive Health Section. I’m also a member of ASTDA, the American College Health Association, the National Coalition for STD Directors, the American Academy of Health Behavior, AcademyHealth, and the Association of Teachers of Maternal and Child Health. In the local community, I serve as Treasurer for the Tarrant County Health Equity Alliance. I’m a manuscript reviewer for Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Women’s Health Issues, the American Journal of Sexuality Education, Journal of American College Health, Family and Community Health, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, American Journal of Health Behavior, Journal of Cancer Education, and the Journal of Public Health Dentistry.
Scholarly Interests:
My research has focused on using dissemination and implementation science to translate evidence-based guidelines and policies into clinical care. Using theory-based, mixed methods approaches and implementation science frameworks, I focus on two key topic areas: sexual and reproductive health and oral health.
Most of my sexual and reproductive health research addresses sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening and prevention. Recent projects have included an assessment of the implementation of evidence-based chlamydia screening guidelines and syphilis screening policies into clinical care by prenatal providers. In this line of research, other projects include determining the acceptability and dissemination of chlamydia and gonorrhea vaccines among young adults and parents of adolescents and developing interventions to improve access to STI screening using innovative methods such as consumer-based screening and self-sampling methods. I also work with an interdisciplinary team to integrate the National HIV Curriculum into health professions programs, with a goal of creating a pipeline of future health care providers equipped to provide care to people living with HIV in the South. My work addresses a variety of sexual health behaviors impacting sexual and gender minority communities, adolescents, and young adults, including condom use, contraception use, HPV vaccination, sexual consent, and sexual violence.
I also utilize my clinical experience in dental hygiene to explore access to oral health care among vulnerable populations, oral manifestations of STIs, prenatal oral health, and the relationship between HPV and oral cancers. My primary line of oral health research focuses on the dissemination and implementation of HPV-related cancer prevention guidelines and HPV vaccination into the dental setting. My recent work focuses on increasing HPV vaccination rates through interprofessional partnerships with dental hygienists, and assessing the relationship between dental health professional shortage areas and oropharyngeal cancer diagnoses.
Overall, the long-term goal of my research is to improve evidence-based guideline implementation and translate research findings into innovative interventions to modify the practice behaviors of health care providers and improve the health of communities.
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