Abigail Gamble, PhD
Associate Professor
Department:
SPH-Dept Preventive Medicine
Email:
agamble2@umc.edu
Work Phone:
(601) 815-9482
Biography
Abigail Gamble is an associate professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) with faculty appointments in the Department of Preventive Medicine, John D. Bower School of Population Health, and the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine; Director of the Center for Child Health Equity, Myrlie Evers-Williams Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities; and faculty in the Investigator Development Program, Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research.
Dr. Gamble is a New Jersey native and received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in elementary education and liberal studies from Rowan University, where she served as captain of the University's Field Hockey team. In 2004, she relocated to Oxford, Mississippi, where she attended the University of Mississippi (UM) and received her Master’s of Science degree in health promotion and Doctoral degree in health and kinesiology. Her doctoral research received outstanding recognition awards from the UM and the American Academy of Health Behavior. Following graduate school, she served as the Evaluation Lead for the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative, Mississippi State Department of Health. She joined the UMMC faculty in April 2014. In her spare time, she enjoys exercising and spending as much time as possible with her six nieces and nephews.
Education
| University of MS, PhD, Health and Kinesiology | 2011 |
| University of MS, MS, Health Promotion | 2007 |
| Rowan University, BA, Liberal Studies | 2003 |
| Rowan University, BA, Elementary Education | 2003 |
Specialty Certification Licensure
| Certification, Lifestyle Coach | 03/2018 - Present |
| Certification, Certified Health Education Specialist | 03/2010 - 02/2014 |
Current Positions
| Assistant Professor, School of Population Health, Department of Preventive Medicine | 09/2016 - Present |
| Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics | 09/2016 - Present |
| The University of Mississippi Medical Center Jackson, Mississippi 39216 | |
Academic Appointments or Other Previous Appointments
| Assistant Professor, Kent State University | 08/2015 - 08/2016 |
| Assistant Professor, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics | 04/2014 - 06/2015 |
| Instructor, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics | 04/2013 - 04/2014 |
| Evaluation Lead, Mississippi State Department of Health | 07/2011 - 03/2013 |
| MS Network Organizer, Safe Routes to School | 08/2010 - 06/2011 |
| Adjunct Instructor, University of Mississippi | 08/2010 - 06/2011 |
| Weight Management and Lifestyle Counselor, University of Mississippi | 08/2010 - 06/2011 |
| Principal Investigator, University of Mississippi | 2010 - 07/2010 |
| Graduate Instructor/Research Assistant, University of Mississippi | 08/2006 - 12/2009 |
| Exercise Specialist II, North Mississippi Baptist Memorial Hospital | 02/2006 - 05/2008 |
| Fitness Graduate Assistant, University of Mississippi | 08/2004 - 07/2006 |
Sponsored Program Funding
| Extramural, Evaluation and Return on Investment of UMMC’s Diabetes Prevention Program, American Medical Association | 01/2021 - 12/2024 |
| Extramural, Sustainability of UMMC's Diabetes Prevention Program, Mississippi State Department of Health | 11/2020 - 10/2021 |
| Extramural, Mississippi Community-Engaged Research Alliance (MS CEAL), National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute | 09/2020 - 02/2022 |
| Extramural, Telehealth Diabetes Prevention Intervention for the Next Generation of African American Youth (TELE-GEN) pilot study, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute | 07/2020 - 07/2022 |
| Extramural, Advancing, Inspiring, and Motivating Community Health through Extension: AIM for CHangE, Center for Disease Control and Prevention | 09/2018 - 09/2021 |
| Extramural, PM-CALM: Preventive Medicine Curriculum for Access to Lifestyle Medicine, HRSA | 05/2018 - 04/2023 |
| Intramural, The Teen Mom Study, National Institute of General Medical Sciences | 08/2017 - 07/2022 |
| Extramural, Challenges and Requirements for Building Public Health Department Capacity to Advance Health Equity, Kellogg Foundation | 01/2017 - 08/2017 |
| Intramural, Helping Hands for Health Hearts (4H4U): Pilot Study, UMMC Office of Research | 05/2014 - 04/2015 |
| Extramural, Mississippi In-school Physical Activity Policy Translation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | 03/2013 - 11/2013 |
| Extramural, The Burden of Chronic Disease and Health Risk Factors in Mississippi Adults and Youth, My Brother's Keeper, Inc. | 03/2012 - 09/2012 |
| Extramural, The Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative, Center for Disease Control and Prevention | 10/2010 - 09/2015 |
| Extramural, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | 01/2010 - 12/2010 |
| Extramural, Physician practices among obese women of childbearing age: Obstetrician/Gynecologists questionnaire, University of Mississippi | 06/2008 - 06/2010 |
| Extramural, Safe Routes to School, Oxford, MS, Mississippi State Department of Transportation | 02/2008 - 02/2011 |
| Extramural, Perception of the rural environment for physical activity: Instrument Development, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | 11/2007 - 03/2009 |
| Extramural, Defining activity friendly environments in the rural south, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | 01/2007 - 06/2008 |
| Extramural, Student Recreation In-Door Cycling Program, Ole Miss Parents Association | 08/2004 - 12/2004 |
Publications
Report | |
| Beech BM, Bruce MA, Gamble A, Crump ME, Hamilton GE Challenges and Requirements for Building Public Health Department Capacity to Advance Health Equity: The Mississippi Case | 2017 |
| Gamble A, Hallam JS, Cormack ML Mississippi In-School Physical Activity Policy | 2014 |
| Gamble A, Mendy V, Short V Mississippi Chronic Disease Indicators Report, 2012 | 2012 |
Journal Article | |
| Buys D, Gamble A, Tomlinson S Volunteers create backpack meals program to reach students at risk of weekend hunger J Hunger Envir Nutrit. 2018;13(1):55-57. | |
| Gamble A, Beech BM, Wade BC, Sutton VD, Lim C, Sandridge S, Welsch MA, Telehealth Diabetes Prevention Intervention for the Next Generation of African American Youth: Protocol for a Pilot Trial. JMIR research protocols, 2021 Mar 31;10(3):e25699 | 2021 |
| Gamble A, Beech BM, Blackshear C, Cranston KL, Herring SJ, Moore JB, Welsch MA, Recruitment planning for clinical trials with a vulnerable perinatal adolescent population using the Clinical Trials Transformative Initiative framework and principles of partner and community engagement. Contemporary clinical trials, 2021 May;104:106363 | 2021 |
| Gamble A, Beech BM, Blackshear C, Herring SJ, Welsch MA, Moore JB, Changes in Physical Activity and Television Viewing From Pre-pregnancy Through Postpartum Among a Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Perinatal Adolescent Population. Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology, 2021 Dec;34(6):832-838 | 2021 |
| Gamble A, Baskin ML, Cranston KL, Herring SJ, Hinton E, Saulters MM, Moore JB, Welsch MA, Beech BM, Effects of eHealth interventions on physical activity and weight among pregnant and postpartum women and the sociodemographic characteristics of study populations: a systematic review protocol. JBI evidence synthesis, 2020 Nov;18(11):2396-2403 | 2020 |
| Robinson JC, Lim CS, Hinton E, Pintado I, Gamble A, Compretta C, Ravola M, School-based obesity prevention programs in rural communities: a scoping review protocol. JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports, 2019 Jul;17(7):1326-1333 | 2019 |
| Chatfield SL, Gamble A, Hallam JS, Men's Preferences for Physical Activity Interventions: An Exploratory Study Using a Factorial Survey Design Created With R Software. American journal of men's health, 2018 Mar;12(2):347-358 | 2018 |
| Gamble A, Chatfield SL, Cormack ML Jr, Hallam JS, Not Enough Time in the Day: A Qualitative Assessment of In-School Physical Activity Policy as Viewed by Administrators, Teachers, and Students. The Journal of school health, 2017 Jan;87(1):21-28 | 2017 |
| Walsh SM, Meyer MR, Gamble A, Patterson MS, Moore JB, A Systematic Review of Rural, Theory-based Physical Activity Interventions. American journal of health behavior, 2017 May 1;41(3):248-258 | 2017 |
| Beech BM, Bruce MA, Gamble A, Brunson C, Jones ML, Academic Health Center-Rural Community Collaborations: 'Healthy Linkages' to Improve the Health of Rural Populations. Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association, 2016 Apr;57(4):118-22 | 2016 |
| Kegler MC, Honeycutt S, Davis M, Dauria E, Berg C, Dove C, Gamble A, Hawkins J, Policy, systems, and environmental change in the Mississippi Delta: considerations for evaluation design. Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education, 2015 Apr;42(1 Suppl):57S-66S | 2015 |
| Short VL, Gamble A, Mendy V, Racial differences in ideal cardiovascular health metrics among Mississippi adults, 2009 Mississippi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Preventing chronic disease, 2013 Nov 21;10:E194 | 2013 |
| Gamble A, Waddell D, Ford MA, Bentley JP, Woodyard CD, Hallam JS, Obesity and health risk of children in the Mississippi Delta. The Journal of school health, 2012 Oct;82(10):478-83 | 2012 |
| Umstattd Meyer MR, Moore JB, Abildso C, Edwards MB, Gamble A, Baskin ML, Rural Active Living: A Call to Action. Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP, 2016 Sep-Oct;22(5):E11-20 | |
| Gamble A, Foreword. Family & community health, 2016 Oct-Dec;39(4):223-4 | |
| Gamble A, Saulters MM, Cranston KL, Jones DW, Herring SJ, Beech BM, Recruitment, Retention, and Engagement Strategies for Exercise Interventions With Rural Antenatal Adolescents: Qualitative Interviews With WIC Providers. Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP, 2020 Sep Oct;26(5):497-502 | |
Abstracts | |
| Behrman P, Houdeshell-Putt LV, Ford S, Gamble A Planning and recruitment of underrepresented perinatal populations for inclusion in health services research Ann Behav Med. 2021; 55:S586-S586 | |
| Gamble A Recruitment planning for clinical trials with a vulnerable perinatal adolescent population: Experiences from the Teen Mom Study. Ann Behav Med. 2021; 55:S588-S588. | |
| Gamble A Recruitment and retention strategies for research with rural pregnant adolescents Ann Behav Med. 2020;54(suppl 1):S745 | |
| Gamble A, Waddell D, Bentley J, Hallam J Policy and environmental predictors of in-school physical activity for elementary school-aged children Obesity. 2011;19(suppl 1):S127 | |
| Mendy V, Short V, Smith L, Gamble A Disparities in multiple risk factors for heart disease and stroke in the Mississippi Delta Amer J Epidemiol. 2012;175(suppl 11):S105 | |
| Gamble A, Hallam JS, Bentley JP Physical education class characteristics and physical activity of elementary school-aged children in the Mississippi Delta Med Sci Sports Exercise. 2011;43(5) | |
Thesis | |
| Gamble A Differences between Older and Younger Adults on Composite Balance and Selected Health Correlates | |
Dissertation | |
| Gamble A The Role of Policy and the Built Environment on Children’s In-School Physical Activity in the Mississippi Delta | |
Book Chapter | |
| Moore JB, Gamble A, Gardner D, Peluso A, Perry D Emerging Policy Landscape Surrounding CSPAPs Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: Putting Research into Evidence-based Practice. Ed. Carson RL. Human Kinetics; Webster, CA. 2020. 19 – 30. | |
Historical Article | |
| Erfle SE, Gamble A, Effects of daily physical education on physical fitness and weight status in middle school adolescents. The Journal of school health, 2015 Jan;85(1):27-35 | 2015 |
Presentations
| Platform Presentations, Recruitment planning for clinical trials with a vulnerable perinatal adolescent population: experiences from the Teen Mom Study., Society of Behavioral Medicine, Virtual | 04/2021 |
| Poster Presentation, Recruitment of vulnerable populations underrepresented in health research: Experiences with pregnant and postpartum adolescents and their parents in the Mississippi Delta., Society for Public Health Education, Virtual | 04/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Giving Childhood Back to our Youth: The Importance of Diabetes Prevention and Treatment among Adolescents., University of Mississippi Medical Center | 12/2020 |
| Platform Presentations, Beyond the walls of clinical practice: Implications of multigenerational living in the context of poverty and obesity prevention among vulnerable African American families in the Mississippi Delta, National Abstracts Competition for Medical Students Abstract Day, Virtual | 11/2020 |
| Poster Presentation, A theoretical and multigenerational conceptual model and research framework for obesity prevention among vulnerable populations, American Public Health Association, Virtual | 11/2020 |
| Poster Presentation, Implications of multigenerational households in the context of poverty on obesity among vulnerable African American families: A theoretical conceptual model and research framework, Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science, Virtual | 09/2020 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Engaging Community-Public Health-Academic Partnerships to Create Messaging and Risk Communication for Vulnerable Mississippi Populations in the COVID-19 Pandemic, John D. Bower School of Population Health, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Virtual | 05/2020 |
| Poster Presentation, Recruitment and retention strategies for research with rural pregnant adolescents, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Virtual | 03/2020 |
| Platform Presentations, Recruitment, retention and engagement strategies for exercise interventions with rural antenatal adolescents, Active Living Research, Orlando, FL | 02/2020 |
| Platform Presentations, Recruiting pregnant adolescents in an intervention study: perspectives of WIC providers using qualitative interviews, Southeast Regional IDeA Conference, Louisville, KY | 11/2019 |
| Platform Presentations, Qualitative interviews with WIC providers to probe recruitment, retention, and engagement strategies for exercise interventions with rural antenatal adolescents, 14th Annual UAB Health Disparities Research Symposium, Birmingham, AL | 04/2019 |
| Poster Presentation, Exploring exercise behavior in pregnant and postpartum adolescents in Mississippi, Mississippi Public Health Association, Jackson, MS | 10/2018 |
| Poster Presentation, Lessons learned from the “done in a day research mob”: Process evaluation of a brief and rapid community-based participatory research project, American Academy of Health Behavior, Tucson, AZ | 03/2017 |
| Poster Presentation, Evidence-based physical education programs: a comparison using physical fitness and weight status outcomes among middle school adolescents, American Academy of Health Behavior, Sawgrass, FL | 02/2016 |
| Roundtable, Lessons from my front porch: social determinants and rural America, Active Living Research, Clearwater Beach, FL | 02/2016 |
| Poster Presentation, A process evaluation of the Mississippi State Employee Wellness program., Society for Public Health Education, Portland, OR | 04/2015 |
| Platform Presentations, Rural active living: a call to action, Active Living Research, San Diego, CA | 02/2015 |
| Poster Presentation, Facilitators and barriers to successful implementation of in-school physical activity policy in the Mississippi Delta, American Public Health Association, New Orleans, LA | 11/2014 |
| Invited Symposia, Moving Kids Towards Success! School Policies that Support Active, Attentive Students; Dialogue4Health webinar, Diaolgue4Health, Virtual | 05/2014 |
| Poster Presentation, Barriers and facilitators of implementing in-school physical activity policy in rural communities, American Academy of Health Behavior, Charleston, SC | 03/2014 |
| Oral Presentation, Informing Mississippi legislators of factors associated with in-school physical activity policy and practices in rural, low-income, predominantly African American school settings, Active Living Research, San Diego, CA | 03/2014 |
| Poster Presentation, Multiple risk factors and disparities associated with heart disease and stroke among Mississippi Delta women, American Public Health Association, San Francisco, CA | 10/2012 |
| Platform Presentations, Physical education class characteristics and in-school physical activity opportunity for elementary school-aged children in the Mississippi Delta, Southern Obesity Summit, Charlotte, NC | 10/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, Delta Alliance for Congregational Health: Identifying at-risk and undiagnosed individuals, Southern Obesity Summit, Charlotte, NC | 10/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, Engaging community leaders to advocate for health in rural settings: Lessons from the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative, Southern Obesity Summit, Charlotte, NC | 10/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, Disparities in multiple risk factors for heart disease and stroke in the Mississippi Delta, Society for Epidemiological Research, Minneapolis, MN | 06/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, Walkability and perceived environmental barriers to walking to school in a rural environment, American Academy of Health Behavior, Austin, TX | 03/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, Active Living Research, San Diego, CA | 03/2012 |
| National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Breakout Session: Innovative dissemination methods, Active Living Research Annual Conference Grantee Meeting, San Diego, CA | 03/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, Built environment and active commuting to school in a rural community., American Public Health Association, Washington, DC | 11/2011 |
| Poster Presentation, In-school physical activity opportunity and physical activity levels of elementary-school age children in the Mississippi Delta, American Public Health Association, Washington, DC | 11/2011 |
| Poster Presentation, Best practices to evaluate the impact of school health policy on childhood obesity, American Public Health Association, Washington, DC | 11/2011 |
| Poster Presentation, Policy and environmental predictors of in-school physical activity among elementary school-aged children, Obesity Society, Orlando, FL | 10/2011 |
| National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Complete Streets in predominantly rural states, Safe Routes to School 3rd Annual National Conference, Minneapolis, MN | 08/2011 |
| Platform Presentations, Physical education class characteristics and physical activity of elementary school-aged children in the Mississippi Delta, American College of Sports Medicine, Denver, CO | 06/2011 |
| Poster Presentation, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, The University of Mississippi Graduate Student Poster Symposium, University, MS | 04/2011 |
| Poster Presentation, Differences in behavioral variables among CrossFit and traditional fitness training participants, American Academy of Health Behavior, Hilton Head, SC | 03/2011 |
| Poster Presentation, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, American Academy of Health Behavior, Hilton Head, SC | 03/2011 |
| Poster Presentation, Examining barriers and facilitators of physical activity for older adults in rural settings: Qualitative findings, The Gerontological Society of America, New Orleans, LA | 11/2010 |
| Poster Presentation, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, The Global Obesity Summit, Jackson, MS | 11/2010 |
| Poster Presentation, The role of policy and the built environment on children’s in-school physical activity in the Mississippi Delta, Active Living Research, San Diego, CA | 02/2010 |
| Poster Presentation, Physical activity research in rural environments, American Academy of Health Behavior, Hilton Head, SC | 03/2009 |
| Poster Presentation, Differences between older and younger adults on composite balance and selected health correlates, South East American College of Sports Medicine, Birmingham, AL | 02/2008 |
Honors, Awards, and Recognition
| Exemplar Recruitment Case Study, Clinical Trials Transformative Initiative | 2021 |
| Excellence in Community Engaged Research, University of Mississippi | 2019 |
| Young Investigator Award, Society for Pediatric Research | 2015 |
| Health Disparities Research Training Program Scholar, University of Alabama Birmingham | 2014 |
| 2012 Top 20 Most Influential Research, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | 2013 |
| Nominated Young Leader Award, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | 2012 |
| Best Poster Award, University of Mississippi | 2011 |
| Outstanding Student Poster, American Academy of Health Behavior | 2011 |
| Graduate Research Fellow, University of Mississippi Graduate School | 2010 |
| Active Living Research Dissertation Award, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | 2010 |
Professional Membership and Service
| Southeastern Chapter, American College of Sports Medicine, Member | 2021 - Present |
| American College of Sports Medicine, Member | 2021 - Present |
| Obesity Society, Member | 2020 - Present |
| Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science, Member | 2020 - Present |
| Mississippi Public Health Association, Member | 2018 - Present |
| Society for Implementation Research Collaboration, Member | 2018 - Present |
| Society of Behavioral Medicine, Member | 2018 - Present |
| American Academy of Health Behavior, Member | 2014 - 2015 |
| Public Health Education & Health Promotion, American Public Health Association, Officer, Other Officer, Scientific Program Planner | 2012 - 2016 |
| Mississippi Safe Routes to School State Network Program, Officer, Other Officer | 2010 - 2013 |
| American Red Cross, Member | 2007 - 2011 |
| American College of Sports Medicine, Member | 2007 - 2010 |
| Action for Healthy Kids, Member | 2007 |
| American Public Health Association, Member | 2005 - 2017 |
Committee Service
| SCHOOL OF MEDICINE-CURRICULUM, Member | 2021 - Present |
| SOPH Community Health Needs Assessment - Adult Hospital, Co-Chair | 2020 - Present |
| Institutional Accreditation and Quality Enhancement Plan, Representative | 2020 - Present |
| American Public Health Association, Secretary | 2017 - 2018 |
| Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Community Engaged Research Working Group, Member | 2017 - Present |
| MEDICAL CENTER-FACULTY SENATE, Member | 2017 - 2020 |
| American Academy of Health Behavior, Research Review Chair | 2016 - 2017 |
| Rural Interdisciplinary Case Exchange (RICE) Bowl, Member | 2014 - 2014 |
| Interdisciplinary Mississippi Child Health Council, Member | 2013 - 2015 |
| Pediatric Discovery Council, Member | 2013 - 2015 |
| Program Planner, Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section, American Public Health Association, Chair | 2012 - 2016 |
| Student Program Planner, American Academy of Health Behavior, Steering Comittee Member | 2011 - 2011 |
Community Service
| Word of Life Church, Childcare Volunteer | 06/2020 - Present |
| Oxford Safe Routes to School, Volunteer | 08/2010 - 05/2011 |
| Boys and Girls Club, Oxford, Volunteer | 03/2010 - 06/2010 |
Other Service
| Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine | 04/2020 - Present |
| International Journal for Public Health | 2019 - Present |
| American Journal of Public Health | 2019 - Present |
| Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program, Team Lead | 2018 - Present |
| Journal of Physical Activity and Health | 2017 - Present |
| Maternal and Child Health | 2016 - Present |
| Family & Community Health, Guest Editor, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention | 02/2015 - 06/2016 |
| Preventive Medicine | 05/2014 - Present |
| Health Education and Behavior | 04/2014 - Present |
| Family and Community Health | 11/2013 - Present |
| Annals of Behavioral Medicine | 09/2012 - Present |
| Journal of Rural Health | 02/2012 - Present |
| American Public Health Association, MCHES Credentials Reviewer | 08/2011 - 08/2011 |
| American Public Health Association, Confernece Session Moderator | 11/2008 - 11/2011 |
Teaching Experience
| MS733, Graduate, Course, Course Director, Social and Behavioral Science Theory | Spring 2020 |
| Medicine, Lecture, Lecturer, Resident Lectureship, Department of Family Medicine and Department of Preventive Medicine | Summer 2019 |
| MS733, Graduate, Course, Course Director, Social and Behaivoral Science Theory | Spring 2018 |
Directed Student Learning
| Dissertation Committee Member, TBD Advised: Breanna Wade | 2021 - Present |
| Supervised Research, Advised: Lauren Pitts | 2021 - Present |
| Supervised Research, Advised: Melanie McDonald | 2019 - 2019 |
| Supervised Research, Advised: Katherine Cranston | 2018 - Present |