https://medicine.ouhsc.edu/directory Parent Page: Directory id: 22535 Active Page: Detailsid:23325
Directory
Adam C. Alexander, PhD
Family and Preventive Medicine

Adam C. Alexander, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine

Health Promotion Research Center
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
655 Research Parkway, Suite 400
Oklahoma City, OK  73104

(405) 271-6872

adam-alexander@ou.edu

Adam C. Alexander, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. He is also the Co-Leader of the HEROES Research Lab at the TSET Health Promotion Research Center.

His research program focuses on addressing cancer-related health disparities, particularly among Black and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, through innovative strategies that combine mobile health technology with community-engaged research. Currently, Dr. Alexander is leading efforts to design and evaluate community-driven smartphone applications aimed at reducing smoking rates and increasing cancer screening uptake among Black adults.

Academic Section(s):

OUFMC Research Division

Education:

Degree-Granting Institutions:

  • University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, PhD, 2018 Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, MS, 2016 General Psychology
  • University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, BA, 2012 Psychology

Postgraduate Training

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Oklahoma Tobacco Research Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 09/2018 − 07/2020

Clinical/Research Interests:

  • Tobacco-related health disparities among African Americans
  • The impact of trauma and stress on physical and mental health, and health behavior
  • Moderation and mediation analyses
  • Structural equation modeling
  • Mixed-methods research

Funding:

Principal Investigator. “HealthyCells: A Culturally-Tailored Smoking Cessation Smartphone Intervention for African Americans with Adjunctive Treatment for Sedentary Behavior.” National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities. (1 K01 MD015295-01A1). Funding Amount: $670,210 (05/8/2021 – 1/31/2026).

Principal Investigator. “Project Trinity (Health, Hope, and Healing): The Oklahoman African American Health Cohort Study”. TSET Health Promotion Research Center. Funding Amount: $50,000 (11/20/2020 – 6/30/2021).

Co-Investigator. “Automated Mobile Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Adults.” National Cancer Institute. (R01CA237331). Funding Amount: $638,669 per year (04/01/2021 – 03/31/2026).

Co-Investigator. “A pilot randomized controlled trial to determine feasibility and potential efficacy of COLO-CARE.” Stephenson Cancer Center (P30CA225520). Funding Amount: $25,000 (05/01/2021 – 04/30/2022).

Select Publications:

  1. Alexander AC, Neil J, Moise V, Trejo Y, Pharr S, Doescher M, et al. Using a community-embedded screening and navigation framework to engage high-risk men in prostate cancer early detection: Five years of the Men's Health Awareness Summit in Oklahoma. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 2026. DOI: 10.1007/s40615-026-03130-8
  2. Alexander A, Businelle M, Cheney M, Cohn A, McNeill L, Short K, et al. An mHealth Intervention With Financial Incentives to Promote Smoking Cessation and Physical Activity Among Black Adults: Protocol for a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 2025; 14, e69771. DOI: 10.2196/69771
  3. Kendzor DE, Businelle MS, Frank-Pearce SG, Waring JJC, Chen S, Hebert ET, Swartz MD, Alexander AC, Sifat MS, Boozary LK, Wetter DW. Financial Incentives for Smoking Cessation Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open, 2024; 7(7), e2418821. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.18821
  4. Santiago-Torres M, Kwon DM, Mull KE, Sullivan BM, Ahluwalia JS, Alexander AC, et al.  Efficacy of Web-Delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Helping Black Adults Quit Smoking. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 2023; 10(6), 2816-2825. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36414931
  5. Alexander AC, Waring JJC, Noble B, Bradley D, Olurotimi O, Fronheiser J, et al. Perceptions of Mental Health and Exploring the Role of Social Activism Among African Americans Exposed to Media Coverage of Police Brutality and Protests.  Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 2023; 10(3), 1403-1413. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35595915
  6. MacCuaig WM, Thomas A, Claros-Sorto JC, Gomez-Gutierrez JG, Alexander AC, Wellberg EA, et al. Differential expression of microRNA between triple negative breast cancer patients of African American and European American descent. Biotechnic & Histochemistry, 2022; 97(1), 1-10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34979848
  7. Rangu N, Frank-Pearce SG, Alexander AC, Hebert ET, Ra C, Kendzor DE, et al. Non-adherence to psychiatric medication in adults experiencing homelessness is associated with incurred concussions. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2022; 16, 958169. 
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35966999
  8. Boozary LK, Frank-Pearce SG, Alexander AC, Waring JJC, Ehlke SJ, Businelle MS, Cohn AM, Kendzor DE. Correlates of E-Cigarette Use among Adults Initiating Smoking Cessation Treatment. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2021; 224, 108724. 
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108724
  9. Carter AL, Alexander AC. 'It’s a Whole Different Atmosphere': A Qualitative Examination of Social Support as a Facilitator of Exercise During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Health Promotion Practice, 2021; 22(5), 622-630. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248399211013005
  10. Alexander AC, Waring JJC, Hébert ET, Ra CK, Rangu N, Kendzor DE,  Businelle MS. Identifying mechanisms that link pain to smoking relapse during a quit attempt. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2021; 35(1), 52-61.     https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000595
  11. Hernandez DC, Daundasekara SS, Zvolensky MJ, Reitzel LR, Santa Maria D, Alexander AC, Kendzor DE, Businelle MS. Urban stress indirectly influences psychological symptoms through its association with distress tolerance and perceived social support among adults experiencing homelessness. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020; 17, 5301.   https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155301
  12. Ahuja N, Schmidt M, Dillon PJ, Alexander AC, Kedia S. Online Narratives of Methamphetamine Use and Risky Sexual Behavior: Can Shame-Free Guilt Aid in Recovery? Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2020;  50(1), 323-332.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508020-01777-w
  13. Kendzor DE, Businelle MS, Waring JJC, Mathews A, Geller DW, Barton JM, Alexander AC, et al.  Automated Mobile Delivery of Financial Incentives for Smoking Cessation among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Adults: A Feasibility Study. JMIR MHealth and UHealth, 2020; 8(4), e15960. 
    https://doi.org/10.2196/15960
  14. Alexander AC, Olurotimi O*, Hébert ET, Ra CK, Businelle MS, Kendzor DE. Subjective social status is indirectly associated with short-term smoking cessation through nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Journal of Health Psychology, 2020; 26(12), 2320-2329.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105320911432
  15. Hébert ET, Ra CK, Alexander AC, Helt A, Moisiuc R, Kendzor DE, et al. A Mobile Just-in-Time Adaptive Intervention for Smoking Cessation: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2020; 22(3), e16907.   https://doi.org/10.2196/16907
  16. Carter AL, Alexander AC. Soul Food : [Re] framing the African-American Farming Crisis Using the Culture-Centered Approach. Frontiers in Communication, 2020; 5, 5.  
    https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2020.00005
  17. Allen AM, Jung, AM, Alexander AC, Allen SS, Ward KD, Al’Absi M. Cannabis Use and Stressful Life Events during the Perinatal Period: Cross‐sectional Results from Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Data, 2016. Addiction, 2020; 115(9), 1707-1716. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15003
  18. Carter AL, Alexander AC (2019). A Qualitative Exploration of Women’s Experiences Who Belong to a “Fitness Community.” American Journal of Health Education, 2019; 51(1), 22-30. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2019.1687365
  19. Alexander AC, Nollen NL, Ahluwalia JS, Hébert ET, Businelle MS, Kendzor DE. Darker skin color is associated with a lower likelihood of smoking cessation among males but not females. Social Science & Medicine, 2019; 240, 112562. 
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112562
  20. Waring JJC*, Hébert ET, Alexander AC, Kendzor DE, Businelle MS. Evaluating the influences of social support and smoking cues on daily smoking abstinence among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults. Addictive Behaviors, 2020; 100, 106107.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106107
  21. Alexander AC, Hébert ET, Businelle MS, Kendzor DE. Greater perceived importance of earning abstinence-contingent incentives is associated with smoking cessation among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults. Addictive Behaviors, 2019; 95, 202-205.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.04.001
  22. Alexander AC, Hébert ET, Businelle MS, Kendzor DE. Everyday discrimination indirectly influences smoking cessation through post-quit self-efficacy. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2019; 198, 63-69.http://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.01.033

 

Links to Published Work:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/adam.alexander.1/bibliography/57873734/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Adam_Alexander