LaShawn Wordlaw
LaShawn Wordlaw (she/her), Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Public Health Education (DPHE) at North Carolina Central University. The DPHE prepares undergraduate students to become entry-level health educators. Dr. Wordlaw is a medical sociologist and prior to joining the faculty, she conducted program evaluations for Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International clients as a research health analyst.
Since joining the faculty, Dr. Wordlaw teaches required and elective courses. She is recognized by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and the American Council on Education (ACE) as a trained ACUE educator. In 2021, Dr. Wordlaw was an honored recipient of the NCCU Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Dr. Wordlaw received her B.A. degree in Sociology from Grambling State University (Louisiana) and continued her studies in the Sociology graduate program at Wayne State University (Michigan), earning an M.A. and a Ph.D.
Education
| Ph.D. | Wayne State University | 2004 |
Certification and Licensure
| Community Health Services Research and Evaluation | Wayne State University School of Medicine | 2002 |
Research
Dr. Wordlaw’s research is about using program assessment and evaluation techniques to design and implement behavior change interventions for emerging young adults on college campuses, in particular. This population is likely to engage in a common set of unhealthy behaviors (e.g., low intake of nutrient-rich whole foods, physical inactivity, tobacco or alcohol usage and ineffective stress coping skills), which increases their risk for abnormal cardio-metabolic outcomes now and in the future. Overall, Dr. Wordlaw's work aims to facilitate the adoption of health behaviors that promote healthy life expectancy and well-being.
Courses
Publications
LaShawn Wordlaw & Helene Vilme (2022). Lessons Learned: Implementing and Adapting a Multimedia Campaign to Promote Heart Health to College Students, Journal of American College Health, https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2022.2041644
Vilme, H, Wordlaw L. (2022). The Heart Healthy U Study: Formative Research to Design a Multimedia Campaign for Young Adults. Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science, 10 (1). https://www.foodandnutritionjournal.org/volume10number1/the-heart-healthy-u-study-formative-research-to-design-a-multimedia-campaign-for-young-adults/
Vilme, H., Duke, N.N., Muiruri, C., Wordlaw, L. and Skinner, A.C. (2019). Using Telehealth to
Disseminate Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary CVD Interventions to Rural Populations. Current Hypertension Reports, 21:92. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-019-0998-8