Theora Evans, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Memphis Campus
and Associate Professor

Research Interests:

Dr. Evans’s research agenda is the healthy transition of adolescents to adulthood, with a specific focus on the psychosocial development of adolescents diagnosed with chronic physical illnesses and disabling conditions (CID). These youth appear to be at-risk for poor emotional, behavior, and social functioning. Dr. Evans’s work not only seeks to enhance the psychosocial functioning of youth but to identify barriers that may contribute to disparities in the delivery of health, mental health, and social services to this population.

In the latter half of the 20th century the psychosocial well being of adolescents with CID received unprecedented attention as a health services issue. Advances in medical technology, home health, and social services increased the survival rate of youth with CID. With the survival of these youth has come the realization that psychosocial distress or poor social functioning is a leading co-morbidity for adolescents with CID. Social isolation has been identified as a primary etiology for psychosocial distress among adolescents with CID. Whether social isolation is real or perceived by youth it contributes to internal and external manifestations of distress. Seemingly, two sub-populations are increasingly at-risk for social isolation, adolescents with invisible CID and youth of color.

Selected Publications:

Scal, P., Evans, T. A., Blozis, S., Okinow, N., & Blum, R. (1999). Trends in Transition from Pediatric to Adult Health Care Services for Young Adults with Chronic Conditions. Journal of Adolescent Health, 24(4), 259-264.

Nerdahl, P., Berglund, M. S., Bearinger, L. H., Saewyc, E. M., Ireland, M. & Evans, T. A. (1999). New challenges, new answers: Pediatric nurse practitioners and the care of adolescents. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 13(4), 183-190.

Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., Evans, T., Ireland, M. (1999). Weight-Related issues among overweight adolescents: What are health care providers doing? Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 14(3), 62-68.

Story, M., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Ireland, M. & Evans, T. A. (2000). Adolescent health and nutrition: A survey of perceived knowledge and skill competencies and training interests among dietitians working with youth. Journal of The American Dietetic Association, 100(3), 362-364.

Evans, T. A., Bullerdick, S., & Ireland, M. (2002). Social workers in adolescent health practice: Self-perceptions of knowledge. Journal of Human Behavior and the Social Environment, 6(3), 35-52.

Evans, T. A. & Garwick, A. (2002). Children with special health care needs: A health care model for families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Social Work in Disability and Rehabilitation, 1(2), 7-24.

Evans, T. A. (2004). A multi-dimensional assessment of children with chronic physical conditions. Health & Social Work, 29(3), 245-248.

Sullivan, M., Evans, T., & Johnson, T. (2005). Rural versus urban African-American adolescents: Competence scores and environment. Journal of Social Service Research, 32 (1).

Research Projects, Funded Research, Grants and Awards:

1997 – 1998 Co-Investigator with Robert Wm. Blum. Leadership Institute in Adolescent Health. Federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Continuing Education Training Grant, fully funded.

1997 - 1999 Principal Investigator. Children with Special Health Care Needs and Their Families: Building on Cultural Strengths. Federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Continuing Education Training Grant, fully funded.

1998 – 1999 Principal Investigator. Children with Special Health Care Needs and Their Families: Building on Cultural Strengths, A Consensus Conference. Federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Continuing Education Training Grant and Kellogg Foundation Award. fully funded.

1998 - 1999 Co-Investigator with Robert Wm. Blum. Distance Institute in Adolescent Health. Federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Continuing Education Training Grant, fully funded.

2000 -2001 Principal Investigator. Minority youth with chronic physical conditions: Protective Factors. University of Tennessee Professional Development Award.

2003 – 2004 Investigating Self-Perceptions of At-Risk Adolescents: Memphis Public Housing Residents. University of Tennessee Professional Development Award.

2003 - 2004 Tennessee State Public Health Diabetes Performance Assessment, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Division of Diabetes Translation Grant, fully funded.

2004 - 2006 Tennessee State Public Health Diabetes Performance Assessment, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Division of Diabetes Translation, fully funded.

Personal Statement—Significance of Dr. Evans' Research:

Adolescent growth and maturation occurs within a socio-cultural context, person-in-environment, where a greater ratio of protective factors to risk factors facilitates the development of problem-solving skills, positive social functioning, and the preparation for a healthy transition to adulthood. In addition to an eco-systemic perspective, a strengths-based approach to framing health services research is productive and philosophically consistent with the tenets of adolescent health. I, therefore, subscribe to the belief that “trouble free youth” is not the goal of youth bio-psycho-social development; but the acquisition of critical thinking skills, self-regulation, and effective coping mechanisms or adaptive competencies are necessary requisites for healthy social functioning in adulthood. Therefore, programs and services designed for all youth may be most effective when they include health promotion elements that contribute to the healthy bio-psycho-social development of adolescents.

 

711 Jefferson, RM W607
Memphis, TN 38163
Phone: (901) 448 - 4463
Fax: (901) 448 - 4850
tevans4@utk.edu

B.S., Loyola University of Chicago
M.S.W., Loyola University of Chicago
MPH, University of Illinois at Chicago
Ph.D., University of Minnesota