Medical College of Georgia
Department of Family Medicine
Medical College of Georgia
Department of Medicine
Dr. Samantha Jones is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She is a health disparities researcher with extensive experience in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR).
Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) focused on increasing engagement of underserved populations in both clinical and community-based research in efforts to reduce existing health disparities in the US across multiple diseases including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and maternal mortality.
Dr. Jones’ research identifies opportunities for improving quality health care among disadvantaged communities and addresses barriers to cancer care, education and resources. Her current research interests include understanding the role of mental health in the initiation and persistence of poor health behaviors associated with increased morbidity and mortality in disadvantaged populations. Dr. Jones’ long-term goals include increasing community-engaged research approaches in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) and nationally that will eliminate barriers to proper health care and reduce disease burden in minority and underserved populations, as well as increasing minority representation in health science research, with the ultimate goal of eliminating health disparities.
Dr. Jones has focused on addressing risk-increasing factors for illness including socioeconomic (income level, lack of transportation, lack of access to adequate health care), education about or understanding of disease risks and symptoms, and cultural practices and beliefs related to health care and cancer care which drive the large disparities in disease incidence and mortality experienced by disadvantaged populations. Differences in certain lifestyle behaviors (diet, exercise, and cultural acceptability of smoking and alcohol use) can have a heavier impact on minority and rural populations concerning the top cancers in the US (ie. breast, colorectal, lung, prostate) when coupled with social determinants of health. Further, co-morbidities associated with cancer, such as diabetes and heart disease, are more prevalent in minority and rural populations, indicating the need to address population-specific barriers to achievement of general health.
