Pearl A. McElfish
Director
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
faculty
College of Northwest Arkansas UAMS Campus
Research Areas
Is this your profile? Verify and claim your profile
Biography and Research Information
OverviewAI-generated summary
Pearl A. McElfish directs the College of Northwest Arkansas UAMS Campus at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Her research agenda focuses on public health, with significant work examining health disparities and behavioral factors influencing health outcomes. McElfish has served as PI on four federal grants totaling over $5.3 million, including projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) such as the National Institute of Nursing Research, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. These grants support work on diabetes management in rural populations, addressing barriers for Marshallese immigrants in diabetes self-management, establishing a Community of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) focused on maternal and reproductive health, and assessing community health worker roles in postpartum health.
Her recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on understanding and addressing vaccine hesitancy related to COVID-19, exploring factors such as race/ethnicity, trust, fear, and experiences of discrimination. Additionally, her work has investigated facilitators and barriers to health interventions, including falls prevention among older adults and COVID-19 testing. McElfish has a substantial publication record, with over 350 publications and a citation count of 4,628, earning her recognition as a highly cited researcher. She leads a research group and maintains an active lab website, collaborating extensively with colleagues at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, including Don E. Willis, Rachel S. Purvis, Ramey Moore, and Jennifer A. Andersen.
Metrics
- h-index: 33
- Publications: 350
- Citations: 4,628
Selected Publications
- Income variability and incident cardiovascular disease in diabetes: a population-based cohort study (2024) DOI
- Job Flexibility, Job Security, and Mental Health Among US Working Adults (2024) DOI
- Barriers, facilitators, and priority needs related to cancer prevention, control, and research in rural, persistent poverty areas (2023) DOI
- Understanding Vaccination Among Hesitant Adopters of the COVID-19 Vaccine Using the Increasing Vaccination Model (2023) DOI
- Factors associated with breast cancer screening services use among women in the United States: An application of the Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use (2023) DOI
- Reaching late adopters: factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination of Marshallese and Hispanic adults (2023) DOI
- Hesitant adopters: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among diverse vaccinated adults in the United States (2023) DOI
- Healthcare Access and Experiences of Racial Discrimination as Predictors of General Vaccine Hesitancy (2023) DOI
- Overcoming barriers and enhancing facilitators to COVID-19 vaccination in the Hispanic community (2022) DOI
- Higher walkability associated with increased physical activity and reduced obesity among United States adults (2022) DOI
- COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and racial discrimination among US adults (2022) DOI
- Associations between COVID-19 vaccine uptake, race/ethnicity, and political party affiliation (2022) DOI
- The vaccine hesitancy continuum among hesitant adopters of the COVID‐19 vaccine (2022) DOI
- Associations Between General Vaccine Hesitancy and Healthcare Access Among Arkansans (2022) DOI
- Factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine decision-making among hesitant adopters in the United States (2022) DOI
Federal Grants 4 $5,316,598 total
CARE PATH Community Health Worker (CHW) Assessment for Postpartum Health
Home Food Delivery for Diabetes Management in Patients of Rural Clinics
Addressing Marshallese Immigrant Barriers to Diabetes Self-Management through Family DSMES
Grants & Funding
- Evaluation of the cognitive function and socioeconomic, biomedical, and genetic risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) in older Marshallese residents of Northwest Arkansas NIH/National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities Principal Investigator
- Healthy Start for Northwest Arkansas - Continuation US Department of Health & Human Services Principal Investigator
- North Arkansas Rural Pathways Program Health Resources & Services Administration Principal Investigator
- Center for Maternal and Reproductive Community Health Equity (MaRCH) NIH/Nat. Inst. of General Medical Sciences Principal Investigator
- Effects of COVID-19 Related Medicaid Policy Changes in the Marshallese COFA Migrant Population NIH Co-Investigator
- Northwest Arkansas Teen Outreach Program (NWA-TOP) DHHS - Administration for Children & Families Principal Investigator
- Healthy Bodies, Healthy Souls - Continuation NIH/National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities Principal Investigator
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of Ajjmuurur Baam?e DSMES in the RMI NIH/Nat. Inst. of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases Principal Investigator
Collaborators
Researchers in the database who share publications
Similar Researchers
Based on overlapping research topics