Brenna Kirk, PhD, MPH

Bio

Dr. Brenna Kirk is an Extension Postdoctoral Research Scholar who currently serves as the Lead Program Coordinator for the High Obesity Program (HOP). Brenna is passionate about chronic disease prevention and health promotion in rural communities, especially in her home state of North Carolina. With expertise in community engagement, program management, and mixed-methods research and evaluation, Brenna has served as a Project Coordinator and Research Associate for several projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In her spare time, Brenna enjoys being outdoors, daily walks with her husband, Matt, crocheting, playing board games, and attending ECU sporting events (especially baseball).

Programs and Initiatives

• High Obesity Program (HOP)

Professional Honors/Offices/Recognitions

• 2024: West Virginia University School of Public Health Outstanding Doctoral Student Award
• 2023 – Present: Governing Councilor, American Public Health Association (APHA)
• 2023: West Virginia University Office of Research & Graduate Education Outstanding Leadership Award
• 2023: Present Governing Councilor, American Public Health Association (APHA)
• 2022-2024: NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (F31)
• 2022: Society of Behavioral Medicine Distinguished Student Award for Excellence in Research
• 2021-2022: Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) Fellowship in Patient Engagement
• 2020-2022: NIH T32 Predoctoral Training Fellowship in the Behavioral and Biomedical Sciences
• 2020: West Virginia Rural Health Association Poster of the Year Award
• 2017: ECU Health Sciences Treasured Pirate Award for Outstanding Delivery of Service

Selected Publications

• Misra R, Kirk BO, Shawley-Brzoska S, Totzkay D, Morton C, Kuhn S, Harris M, McMillion M, Darling E. Educational Intervention to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Rural Patients with Chronic Diseases: Lessons Learned from An Innovative Academic–Community Partnership. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2024; 21(1), 71.
• Tang Y, Kirk BO, Olanrewaju F, Abildso CG, Winstanley EL, Lilly CL, Rudisill TM. Cannabis Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review. Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports. 2024; 11:100232.
• Kirk BO, Khan R, Davidov D, Sambamoorthi U, Misra R. Exploring Patient-Perceived Facilitators and Barriers to Patient-Provider Communication Regarding Diabetes Self-Management. PEC Innovation. 2023; 3:100188.
• Misra R, Kirk BO, Lewis W. Perceptions of Diabetes Distress and Counseling During the Pandemic – Rural Provider Perspectives. Marshall Journal of Medicine. 2023; 9(4).
• Misra R, Adelman M, Kirk BO, Sambamoorthi U. Relationship Among Diabetes Distress, Health Literacy, Diabetes Education, Patient-Provider Communication and Diabetes Self-Care. American Journal of Health Behavior. 2022; 46(5).
• Ponzini GT, Kirk BO, Segear SE, Claydon EA, Engler-Chiurazzi EB, Steinman SA. Addressing Uncertainty in Informal Familial Caregivers of Stroke Survivors: A Systematic Meta-Ethnography. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(17):11116.
• Stansbury RC, Rudisill T, Salyer R, Kirk BO, DeFazio C, Baus A, Shubekchha A, Strollo P, Sharma S, Feinberg J. Provider Perspectives on Sleep Apnea from Appalachia: A Mixed Methods Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2022;11(15):4449.
• Misra R, Shawley-Brzoska S, Khan R, Kirk BO, Wen S, Sambamoorthi U. Addressing Diabetes Distress in Self-Management Programs: Results of a Randomized Feasibility Study. Journal of Appalachian Health. 2021;3(3):68–85.

Area(s) of Expertise

• Community Engagement
• Chronic Disease Prevention
• Community Health Education
• Mixed Methods Research
• Patient Self-Advocacy
• Community-Clinic Linkages
• Program Management