Gretchen N. Holmes
Assistant Professor

Degrees Held

PhD, University of Kentucky, 2003
Certificate in Medical Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, 2000
MA, New York University, 1997
BS, New York University, 1993

Academic Summary

Gretchen Holmes focuses her research on interpersonal health communication, specifically patient-provider communication and the development of interpersonal rapport.  Her current research is exploring physician self-disclosure as it relates to parent satisfaction and rapport. Prior research has focused on cancer communication, decision-making, and cancer prevention in Appalachia. Other interests include palliative care and end-of-life communication. She has publications in Health Communication, Psycho-oncology, Cancer Control, and other top journals. She has presented her research at national and international conventions.  She was James Madison University’s choice for their annual “Spotlight on Female Scholar” program in 2007 where they highlighted her scholarship and her contributions to the field of health communication.

Prior to joining the University of Memphis faculty, Dr. Holmes served as an assistant professor at the University of West Florida, department of Communication Arts. While at UWF, she directed the graduate program in Healthcare Ethics for the School of Allied Health. Prior to working at UWF, she was the Research Director for the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service, where she directed CIS and partner research in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. At the national level, Dr. Holmes is a patient advocate for the National Cancer Institute’s CARRA program, and serves as a Behavioral Change Expert for the national bone health campaign, Best Bones Forever, for Hager Sharp and the National Institutes of Health in Washington, DC.

Major Publications

Norling, G. R., Harrington, N., & Parrish, A. (2010). Exploring Pediatrician Self-Disclosure and Parent Satisfaction. Communication Research Reports, 27(4), 1-5.

Sheppard, V., Figueiredo, M., Cañar,J., Goodman, M., Caciedo, L., Kaufman, A, Norling, G. & Mandelblatt, J. (2008). Navigating Latinas through breast cancer treatment. Psycho-Oncology, Apr. 17(4):383-91

Harrington, N. G., Norling, G. R., Witte, F. M., Taylor, J. A., Andrews, J. E. (2007).  The effects of communication skills training on pediatricians’ and parents’ communication during “sick child” visits. Health Communication, 21(2) 105-114.

Kelly, K., Philips, C., Jenkins, C., Jenkins, Norling, G.R., T., White, C., Armstrong, D., Petrik, J., Steinkuhl, A., Washington, R., Dignan, M. (2007).  Primary care practices in Appalachian Kentucky: Colorectal Cancer Screening. Cancer Control, 14(2), 167-174.

Davis, R., Armstrong, D., Dignan, M., Norling, G., Redmond, J. (2006). Evaluation of colorectal cancer educational screening materials in Appalachian Kentucky. Preventing Chronic Disease, 3(2), 1-8.

Norling, G. R. (2005). Developing a theoretical model of rapport-building during the primary care visit. In Haider, M. (Ed.), Global public health communication: Utility, value and challenges.  Boston: Jones and Bartlett.

Harrington, N. G., Lane, D. R., Donohew, L., Zimmerman, R. S., Norling, G. R., An, J. Cheah, W. H., McClure, L., Buckingham, T., Garofalo, E., & Bevins, C.  (2003). Persuasive strategies for effective anti-drug messages.  Communication Monographs, 70(1), 16-30.