Elizabeth Ablah, Ph.D., MPH, CPH

Professional Background

Dr. Elizabeth Ablah is a professor and vice chair in the Department of Population Health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita. Dr. Ablah received her Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita and her PhD in Community Psychology from Wichita State University.

She leads an elective course for medical students, Clinical and Population-Based Research, she teaches for the MPH and Master of Science in Clinical Research programs, and she conducts workshops in the community, nationally, and internationally.

• BA, Women's Studies, St. Olaf Col.
• MA, Community Psychology, Wichita State Univ.
• MPH, Public Health, Univ. of Kansas
• PhD, Community Psychology, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS

• Physical Activity Policy Research and Evaluation Network, Steering Committee, Member, 2020 - Present
• Physical Activity Policy Research and Evaluation Network, Worksite Work Group, Co-Chair, 2020 - Present
• University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Clinical and Population-Based Research elective - 1st year medical students, Clerkship Director, 2018 - Present
• City of Wichita Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Member, 2017 - 2022
• University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, University of Kansas School of Medicine Honors and Enrichment Committee, Member, 2017 - Present
• Physical Activity Policy Research Network Plus, Worksite Workgroup, Co-Chair, 2016 - 2019
• University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Clinical and Population-Based Research elective -3rd & 4th year medical students, Clerkship Director, 2016 - 2016

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Research

Overview

Dr. Ablah is an established community-based researcher with a focus on improving the health of populations. She has extensive experience in using community-based methods to engage hard-to-reach and marginalized populations, with the intent of improving equity. Her research interest is designing evidence-based interventions that emphasize policy, systems, and environmental strategies that improve health behaviors and outcomes in communities.

She has been awarded numerous grants and contracts related to improving health through prevention strategies and policy, systems, and environmental changes. These grants and contracts address worksite health (i.e. physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, food and beverage, tobacco, well-being/stress, worksite wellness foundation), environmental health, and dozens of other projects through the Kansas Health Foundation, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institutes of Health, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, the Kansas Health Institute, among others.

• Ablah, Elizabeth, Wilcox, Elizabeth., A., Honn, Allison. 2019. The Cons of Traditional Worksite Wellness Interventions and a Proposed Model. Public Health Reports®, 134 (4), 319-323. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354919845683
• Ablah, Elizabeth, Lemon, Stephenie., C., Pronk, Nicolaas., P., Wojcik, Janet., R., Mukhtar, Qaiser, Grossmeier, Jessica, Pollack, Keshia., M., Whitsel, Laurie., P.. 2019. Opportunities for Employers to Support Physical Activity Through Policy. PREVENTING CHRONIC DISEASE, 16 (E84)
• Ablah, Elizabeth, Marrow, Mary., Winston, Brown, Jack, Green, Sarah, Konda, Kurt, Gallagher, Lisa, Lee, Carla., A., Neuberger, John, Aschengrau, Ann. 2019. Private Well Water Practices Among Environmental Health Professionals in Kansas. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, 82 (3), 34-38
• Ablah, Elizabeth, Umansky, Emily, Wilcox, Elizabeth., A., Usher, Jeff, Church, Jennifer, Barnes, Virginia. 2019. Innovative recruitment strategies for a comprehensive worksite wellness initiative. HEALTH EDUCATION RESEARCH, 34 (6), 569-577
• Ablah, Elizabeth, Umansky, Emily, Wilcox, Elizabeth., A., Usher, Jeff, Church, Jennifer, Barnes, Virginia. 2019. Innovative recruitment strategies for a comprehensive worksite wellness initiative. HEALTH EDUCATION RESEARCH, 34 (6), 569-577
• Whitsel, Laurie., P., Pate, Russell., R., Ablah, Elizabeth, Lemon, Stephenie., C., Pronk, Nicolaas., P., Wojcik, Janet., R., Walker, Amanda, Grossmeier, Jessica, Pollack, Keshia., M., Whitsel, Laurie., P., Bryant, Cedric., X., Whitsel, Laurie., P., Arena, Ross, Kaminsky, Leonard., A., Berrigan, David, Katzmarzyk, Peter., T., Calitz, Chris, Grossmeier, Jessica, Pshock, Jim, Lobelo, Felipe, Pronk, Nicolaas., P.. 2019. Editor’s Desk: Promoting Physical Activity in the Workplace. American Journal of Health Promotion, 33 (2), 312-326. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890117118816750
• Ablah, Elizabeth, Marrow, Mary., Winston, Brown, Jack, Honn, Allison. 2020. Analysis of Kansas Water Well Policies and Proposal of Nonpublic Household Water Well Recommendations. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES, 128 (2), 025001-1-8
• Honn, Allison, Okut, Hayrettin, Lu, KL, Bowen, C, Chenault, Melinda, Ablah, Elizabeth. 2023. Building the Worksite Wellness Foundation Infrastructure: A Critical Component of the WorkWell KS Strategic Framework. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine