Michelle Martin, PhD

Leader, MHRC Outreach Program
Assistant Professor, Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Dr. Martin is a clinical psychologist, an Assistant Professor of Medicine, and a Scientist in the Center for Outcomes Research. Most relevant for the current proposal is her involvement in the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH 2010) and Community Health in Action Program (CHAAP) projects. REACH 2010 aims to reduce the disparity in breast cancer mortality between African American women and Caucasian women. The REACH project utilizes Community Health Advisors (CHAs) in key areas of the project including identifying barriers to screening in African American women and the CHAs intervening to modify barriers and increase screening. CHAAP aims to increase diagnostic follow-up for breast cancer screening and adherence to breast cancer treatment among low income, primarily African American, women. CHAAP also utilizes the Community Health Advisor Model.

Dr. Martin is PI on LEAP! A Fit-for-Life Approach to Exercise in Black Women. LEAP aims to increase physical activity in sedentary, hypertensive, African-American women.

Dr. Martin also served as PI on a NCI-funded study that aims to enhance physician communication skills with regard to increasing the number of African American women who obtain a mammogram and serves as Co-PI on a NICHD- funded project to enhance parenting skills, reduce stress, and improve quality of life in HIV-positive women. Many of this study population will be African American.

Other projects on which Dr. Martin plays a significant role include: The Comprehensive Cancer Center Tuskegee/UAB partnership and Analyzing the Gap: Breast Cancer Mortality in African American and White Women. Dr. Martin is PI on a study that is examining the relation between physical activity, obesity, and hormones related to cancer risk. Recently, as an investigator, Dr. Martin submitted a grant to reduce cardiovascular disease racial/ethnic disparities in partnership with Tuskegee University, a historically Black university and Cooper Green Hospital, a public hospital serving primarily indigent African Americans.

Dr. Martin also submitted a grant to address overweight and obesity through worksite interventions; the study population which will be about 50% African American, will allow her to develop interventions that are culturally appropriate and possibly more effective for this population. Dr. Martin thus has extensive experience in the development of training programs for Community Health Advisors in the capacity of cancer prevention and working with underserved African American women.