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Alicia Best, PhD, MPH

Research Program: Health Outcomes & Behavior Program

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  • Overview

    Associations

    • Health Outcomes & Behavior Program

    Education & Training

    Graduate:

    • Morehouse School of Medicine, MPH - Community Health and Preventative Medicine
    • University of South Carolina Arnold School of Medicine, PhD - Health Promotion, Education and Behavior

    Continuing Education:

    • University of South Carolina Arnold School of Medicine - Certificate of Graduate Study - Health Communication
  • Research Interest

    Dr. Alicia Best is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Family Health in the College of Public Health at the University of South Florida (USF). She is a socio-behavioral researcher and certified health education specialist (CHES) with academic training and experience in health education and promotion, health communications, and cancer-related health disparities. Dr. Best earned an MPH in Health Education and Health Promotion from Morehouse School of Medicine, as well as a PhD in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior and a Certificate of Graduate Study in Health Communications from the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health. She also received postdoctoral training in behavioral research with a focus on cancer disparities at the American Cancer Society. Dr. Best conducts original research focused on the role of social and cultural factors in health cognitions, health behaviors, and health-related quality of life. She is also interested in the use of communication strategies to better reach marginalized groups. To this end, her work has focused on mechanisms through which spiritualty impacts the effectiveness of breast cancer screening messages among African American women, as well as how spirituality influences self-rated health among cancer survivors. Her research extends beyond measuring health disparities to the actual implementation and evaluation of interventions designed to improve the health of underserved communities. Prior to joining USF, Dr. Best served as Director of Research and Community Health at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in one of Metropolitan Atlanta’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods. She has extensive experience in community health education, community-engaged research, and health promotion program implementation and evaluation within underserved communities.

  • Publications

    • Brown JA, Alalwan MA, Absie S, Korley ND, Parvanta CF, Meade CM, Best AL, Gwede CK, Ewing AP. Racial, Lifestyle, and Healthcare Contributors to Perceived Cancer Risk among Physically Active Adolescent and Young Adult Women Aged 18-39 Years. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 May.20(9). Pubmedid: 37174256. Pmcid: PMC10177863.
    • Fletcher FE, Lapite FC, Best A. Rethinking the Moral Authority of Experience: Critical Insights and Reflections from Black Women Scholars. Am J Bioethics. 2023 Jan.23(1):27-30. Pubmedid: 36595006.
    • Ewing AP, Alalwan MA, Best AL, Parvanta CF, Coughlin EC, Dorn JM, Levin BL, Meade CD, Gwede CK. Understanding Cancer Screening Intention Among Physically Active Adults Ages 18-49. J Cancer Educ. 2023 Apr.38(2):467-475. Pubmedid: 35112296.
    • Best AL. Anti-Black Racism and Power: Centering Black Scholars to Achieve Health Equity. Hastings Cent Rep. 2022 Mar.52 Suppl 1:S39-S41. Pubmedid: 35470882.
    • Best AL, Roberson ML, Plascak JJ, Peterson CE, Rogers CR, Hastert TA, Molina Y. Structural Racism and Cancer: Calls to Action for Cancer Researchers to Address Racial/Ethnic Cancer Inequity in the United States. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2022 Jun.31(6):1243-1246. Pubmedid: 35642391. Pmcid: PMC9306268.
    • Ewing AP, Alalwan MA, Brown JA, Adekunle TE, Korley ND, Nafiu TC, Coughlin EC, Parvanta CP, Meade CD, Gwede CK, Best AL. Physically fit with a higher cancer risk? Influences of cervical cancer screening among a sample of physically active women ages 21-49 living in the United States. Prev Med Rep. 2022 Dec.30:101978. Pubmedid: 36157713. Pmcid: PMC9494240.
    • Best AL, Wynn A, Ogbu CE, Nixon S. Improve the Quality of Life Related to HIV and the Black Community: HIV and AIDS Inequity in the Black Community: Proximal Solutions to Distal Determinants. J Healthc Sci Humanit. 2021 Nov.11(1):25-33. Pubmedid: 36818206. Pmcid: PMC9930518.
    • Fletcher FE, Jiang W, Best AL. Antiracist Praxis in Public Health: A Call for Ethical Reflections. Hastings Cent Rep. 2021 Mar.51(2):6-9. Pubmedid: 33840102. Pmcid: PMC9009418.
    • Best AL, Fletcher FE, Kadono M, Warren RC. Institutional Distrust among African Americans and Building Trustworthiness in the COVID-19 Response: Implications for Ethical Public Health Practice. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2021 Feb.32(1):90-98. Pubmedid: 33678683. Pmcid: PMC7988507.
    • Best AL, Shukla R, Adamu AM, Martinez Tyson D, Stein KD, Alcaraz KI. Impact of caregivers' negative response to cancer on long-term survivors' quality of life. Support Care Cancer. 2021 Feb.29(2):679-686. Pubmedid: 32430602. Pmcid: PMC7677161.
    • Alvarado-Wing TE, Marshall J, Best A, Gomez J, Cragun D. Exploring racial and ethnic minority individuals' journey to becoming genetic counselors: Mapping paths to diversifying the genetic counseling profession. J Genet Couns. 2021 Dec.30(6):1522-1534. Pubmedid: 33754442.
    • Leeman J, Askelson N, Ko LK, Rohweder CL, Avelis J, Best A, Friedman D, Glanz K, Seegmiller L, Stradtman L, Vanderpool RC. Understanding the processes that Federally Qualified Health Centers use to select and implement colorectal cancer screening interventions: a qualitative study. Transl Behav Med. 2020 May.10(2):394-403. Pubmedid: 30794725. Pmcid: PMC7237542.
    • Young BR, Gwede CK, Thomas B, Vázquez-Otero C, Ewing A, Best AL, Aguado Loi CX, Martinez-Tyson D, Schneider T, Meade CD, Baldwin JA, Bryant C. A Systematic Review of U.S.-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Uptake Intervention Systematic Reviews: Available Evidence and Lessons Learned for Research and Practice. Front Public Health. 2019 Jun.7:145. Pubmedid: 31245345. Pmcid: PMC6579825.
    • Best AL, Thompson EL, Adamu AM, Logan R, Delva J, Thomas M, Cunningham E, Vamos C, Daley E. Examining the Influence of Religious and Spiritual Beliefs on HPV Vaccine Uptake Among College Women. J Relig Health. 2019 Jul.58(6):2196-2207. Pubmedid: 31352665. Pmcid: PMC7003292.
    • Adams SA, Rohweder CL, Leeman J, Friedman DB, Gizlice Z, Vanderpool RC, Askelson N, Best A, Flocke SA, Glanz K, Ko LK, Kegler M. Use of Evidence-Based Interventions and Implementation Strategies to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in Federally Qualified Health Centers. J Community Health. 2018 Dec.43(6):1044-1052. Pubmedid: 29770945. Pmcid: PMC6239992.
    • Best AL, Logan RG, Vázquez-Otero C, Fung W, Chee V, Thompson EL, Villalona S, Thompson LMA, Gwede CK, Daley EM. Application of a Health Literacy Framework to Explore Patients' Knowledge of the Link between HPV and Cancer. J Health Commun. 2018 Aug.23(8):695-702. Pubmedid: 30153087. Pmcid: PMC6413510.
    • Daley EM, Thompson EL, Vamos CA, Griner SB, Vazquez-Otero C, Best AL, Kline NS, Merrell LK. HPV-Related Knowledge Among Dentists and Dental Hygienists. J Cancer Educ. 2018 Aug.33(4):901-906. Pubmedid: 28039675.
    • Best AL, Vamos C, Choi SK, Thompson EL, Daley E, Friedman DB. Erratum to: Increasing Routine Cancer Screening Among Underserved Populations Through Effective Communication Strategies: Application of a Health Literacy Framework. J Cancer Educ. 2017 Jun.32(2):218. Pubmedid: 28401512.
    • Best AL, Vamos C, Choi SK, Thompson EL, Daley E, Friedman DB. Increasing Routine Cancer Screening Among Underserved Populations Through Effective Communication Strategies: Application of a Health Literacy Framework. J Cancer Educ. 2017 Jun.32(2):213-217. Pubmedid: 28275965. Pmcid: PMC6235169.
    • Thompson EL, Best AL, Vamos CA, Daley EM. "My mom said it wasn't important": A case for catch-up human papillomavirus vaccination among young adult women in the United States. Prev Med. 2017 Dec.105:1-4. Pubmedid: 28823755.
    • Best AL, Strane A, Christie O, Bynum S, Wiltshire J. Examining the Influence of Cost Concern and Awareness of Low-cost Health Care on Cancer Screening among the Medically Underserved. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2017.28(1):79-87. Pubmedid: 28238989.
    • Best AL, Spencer M, Hall IJ, Friedman DB, Billings D. Developing spiritually framed breast cancer screening messages in consultation with African American women. Health Commun. 2016 Oct.30(3):290-300. Pubmedid: 24837069.
    • Best AL, Spencer SM, Friedman DB, Hall IJ, Billings D. The Influence of Spiritual Framing on African American Women's Mammography Intentions: A Randomized Trial. J Health Commun. 2016 Jun.21(6):620-628. Pubmedid: 27142231. Pmcid: PMC4946341.
    • Best AL, Alcaraz KI, McQueen A, Cooper DL, Warren RC, Stein K. Examining the mediating role of cancer-related problems on spirituality and self-rated health among African American cancer survivors: a report from the American Cancer Society's Studies of Cancer Survivors-II. Psychooncology. 2015 Sep.24(9):1051-1059. Pubmedid: 25378081.

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