About Brook Harmon

Dr. Harmon is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Memphis School of Public Health. She holds a BS in human nutrition, MS in exercise science, PhD in health promotion, education, and behavior, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in cancer epidemiology at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. She is also a registered dietitian and holds a certificate in gerontology. Before earning her doctorate, she served as the Director of Dietary Interventions for nearly 6 years at the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Harmon utilizes the application of community-based participatory research practices to examine the role of the faith-based community in the development and implementation of health and disease prevention programs. Much of her work includes partnering with African-American churches to promote health through culinary and physical activity skills training as well as research on leadership and environmental factors that influence healthy behaviors.

Education

• Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Cancer Epidemiology Program, University of Hawai'i Cancer Center
• PhD, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
• Certificate of Study, Gerontology, University of South Carolina
• MS, Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
• BS, Human Nutrition, Winthrop University

Research Interests

• Community-based participatory research (particularly with faith-based partners)
• Nutrition and physical activity behavior change
• Obesity and chronic disease prevention
• Influence of health messaging and social networks on behavior change

Publications

1. Harmon, B.E., Smith, N., Pirkey, P.*, Beets, M.W., Blake, C.E. The impact of culinary skills training on the dietary attitudes and behaviors of children and parents. (in press). American Journal of Health Education.
2. Harmon, B.E., Boushey, C.J., Shvetsov, Y.B., Ettienne, R.,Wilkens, L.R., Le Marchand, L., Henderson, B.E., Kolonel, L.N. (2015). Associations of key diet quality indexes with mortality in the Multiethnic Cohort: The Dietary Patterns Methods Project. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.090688
3. Jacobs, S., Harmon, B.E., Boushey, C.J., Morimoto, Y., Wilkens, L.R., Le Marchand, L., Kröger, J., Schulze, M.B., Kolonel, L.N., Maskarinec, G. (2015). A priori-defined Diet Quality Indexes and Risk of Type 2 diabetes: The Multiethnic Cohort. Diabetologia, 58:98-112
4. Harmon, B.E., Little, M.A., Woekel, E.D., Ettienne, R., Long, C., Wilkens, L.R., Le Marchand, L., Henderson, B.E., Kolonel, L.N., Maskarinec, G. (2014). Ethnic Differences and Predictors of Colonoscopy, Prostate-Specific Antigen, and Mammography Screening Participation in the Multiethnic Cohort. Cancer Epidemiology, 38(2):162-7, doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2014.02.007
5. Harmon, B.E., Nigg, C., Long, C., Amato, K., Anwar, M., Kutchman, E., Anthamatten, P., Browning, R., Brink, L., Hill, J. (2014). What matters when children play: Influence of Social Cognitive Theory and perceived environment on levels of physical activity among elementary-aged youth. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 15: 272-279, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2014.02.001,
6. Harmon, B.E., Kim, S., Blake, C.E., Hebert, J.R. (2014). Health care information in African-American churches. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 25(1):242-56. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2014.0047. PMCID: PMC3998663 (Impact Factor: 1.5).
7. Harmon, B.E., Blake, C.E., Thrasher, J.F., Hebert, J.R. (2013). An evaluation of diet and physical activity messaging in African-American churches. Health Education & Behavior, 41 (2), 216 – 224, doi: 10.1177/1090198113507449, PMCID: PMC3967747 (Impact Factor: 1.8).
8. Harmon, B., Morimoto, Y., Beckford, F., Franke, A.A., Stanczyk, F.Z., Maskarinec, G. (2013). Oestrogen levels in serum and urine of premenopausal women eating low and high amounts of meat. Public Health Nutrition, 19:1-7. PMCID: PMC4231431 (Impact Factor: 2.5).
9. Harmon, B.E., Blake, C.E., Armstead, C.A., Hebert, J.R. (2013). Intersection of identities: Food, role and the African-American pastor. Appetite, 67(1): 44-52. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.03.007. PMCID: PMC3758249 (Impact Factor: 2.5).
10. Harmon, B.E., Adams, S.A., Scott, D., Gladman, Y.S., Ezell, B., Hebert J.R. (2013). Dash of Faith: A faith-based participatory research pilot study. Journal of Religion and Health. DOI: 10.1007/s10943-012-9664-z. PMCID: PMC 3773027 (Impact Factor: 0.95).