About Lori Ward

Dr. Lori Ward earned a dual-title PhD in Pharmacy Administration (Health Outcomes Research) and Gerontology from Purdue University, a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Health Outcomes Research) from Florida A&M University, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Tennessee State University.

Prior to serving as Associate Professor of Teaching and Undergraduate Program Coordinator at the University of Memphis School of Public Health, she held faculty appointments at the University of Mississippi Medical Center Department of Population Health Science, University of Mississippi Department of Pharmacy Administration, and Purdue University School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Ward’s research has focused on health disparities and health outcomes with emphases on healthcare access, resource utilization, and medication adherence among vulnerable populations.

Education

• Dual-Title PhD in Pharmacy Administration (Health Outcomes Research) and Gerontology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 
• MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Health Outcomes Research), Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 
• BS in Chemistry, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN

Research Interests

• Health disparities and health outcomes among vulnerable populations
• Aging and caregiving
• Public health education

Selected Publications

1. Wray TB, Chan PA, Klausner JD, Ward LM, Liu AY, Carr DJ, Ocean EMS, Phelan C, Liu T. Using web analytics data to identify platforms and content that best engages high-priority HIV populations in online and social media marketing advertisement. Digital Health. 2023 Nov 23;9:20552076231216547. doi: 10.1177/20552076231216547. eCollection 2023 Jan-Dec. 
2. Arnold T, Giorlando KK, Barnett AP, Gaudiano BA, Rogers BG, Whiteley L, Ward LM, Edet, PP, Elwy AR, & Brown LK (2023). Social, structural, behavioral, and clinical barriers influencing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use among young Black men who have sex with men in the South: A qualitative update to a 2016 study. Archives of sexual behavior, Arch Sex Behav. 2024 Feb;53(2):785-797. doi: 10.1007/s10508-023-02721-4. Epub 2023 Oct 27.
3. Twyner C, Ward, LM; Pennington E; Eriator I. Association between smoking status and opioid dose in prescriptions for breast cancer related pain. Pain Physician. 2023 Sep;26(5):E567-E573. 
4. Riley T, Bender M, Wang X, Mena L, Gipson J, Barnes A, Johnson KL, Backus KV, Ward LM, Khosropour CM. HIV Incidence among Individuals Accessing Pre-exposure Prophylaxis in Jackson, Mississippi. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2023 Jul;37(7):332-336. doi: 10.1089/apc.2023.0026. Epub 2023 May 24. 
5. Guigayoma J, Becker SJ, Ong JJ, Kanamori M, Hickson D, Ward LM, Biello KB, Wray T. Addressing key issues in HIV self-test program implementation for Black and Latino sexual minority men in the Southern United States: a multiphase study protocol. Implement Sci Commun. 2023 Feb 13;4(1):14. doi: 10.1186/s43058-023-00395-6. 
6. Lucar J, Wingler MJB, Cretella DA, Ward LM, Sims Gomillia CE, Chamberlain N, Shimose LA, Brock JB, Harvey J, Wilhelm A, Majors LT, Jeter JB, Bueno MX, Albrecht S, Navalkele B, Mena LA, Parham J. Epidemiology, Clinical Features and Outcomes of Hospitalized Adults with Coronavirus Disease 2019: Early Experience from an Academic Medical Center in the Southern United States. South Med J. 2021 Mar;114(3):144-149. doi: 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001222. 
7. Burns PA, Omondi AA, Monger M, Ward L, Washington R, Sims Gomillia CE, Bamrick-Fernandez DR, Anyimukwu C, Mena LA. Meet Me Where I Am: An Evaluation of an HIV Patient Navigation Intervention to Increase Uptake of PrEP Among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in the Deep South. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. Published 05 January 2021. doi: 10.1007/s40615-020-00933-1. 
8. Ward LM, Pendergrass DB, Chima CC, Thorpe R Jr, Bruce MA, Blackburn HF, Palombo CF, Beech BM. Access to Medications Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Utilizing Pharmacy or Clinic-Based Medication Assistance Programs: A Systematic Review. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2020 Aug 7;S1544-3191(20)30321-6. 
9. Ward LM, Bruce MA, Thorpe R Jr, Mena L, Nunn A, Crosby R. Correlates Associated with Willingness to Start Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Jackson MS. Family and Community Health. July/September 20 l 9; 42(3): 189-196. doi: I0.1097/FCH.0000000000000225. Epub 2019 May 20. 
10. Ward LM, Thomas J III. Patient Perceptions of Physicians and Medication Adherence Among Older Adults with Hypertension. Journal of Aging and Health. J Aging Health. 2020 Jan­ Feb;32(1):95-105. doi: 10.1 l 77/0898264318806390. Epub 2018 Oct 19.