Jennifer Rowland, PhD, MPH, PT
Assistant Professor |  | | Phone | 312-413-1850 | | Fax | 312-413-1630 | | Email | jenrow@uic.edu | | Office | 568 DHSP | Bio
Jennifer Rowland, PhD, PT, MS, MPH, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Rowland earned her PhD in Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Kansas Medical Center in 2004. She is also a licensed physical therapist, having graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia with a Master of Science in Physical Therapy and Community Health Education in 1995 and earning the Class Clinical Excellence Award. Dr. Rowland has worked as a PT specializing in neurological rehabilitation in a variety of settings including long-term care, acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, and home health. Her research and peer-reviewed publications focus on secondary condition prevention for people with mobility disabilities and in 2008 Dr. Rowland presented her research at national and international conferences in Spain and New Zealand. In 2005 she conducted a week-long series of guest lectures to physical therapists at the Christian Medical College in Vellore, India through the volunteer organization Health Volunteers Overseas. Dr. Rowland has served on the Executive Board of the Disability Section within the American Public Health Association for the past six years as Secretary and Awards Chair, and she has an adjunct faculty position in the School of Public Health at UIC.
Funded Research Projects
- National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) Field Initiated Grant:Video Gaming Technology to Promote Health and Fitness Among Adolescents with Disabilities. This 3-year grant involves adapting active video games for adolescents with mobility disabilities and testing the effectiveness of these games in improving health and fitness as compared with traditional exercise for this population. Several community-based partner organizations (Easter Seals, United Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida Association, Access Living) are assisting with recruitment efforts, and the final phase involves a community-based randomized control trial in partnership with YMCAs in the Chicagoland area. 10/1/08-9/30/11
Christopher Reeve Foundation Quality of Life:Grant Video Gaming Technology to Increase Fitness and Reduce Secondary Conditions in Children with Disabilities: A Pilot Study.This pilot grant is a feasibility study to adapt active video games for adolescents with mobility disabilities and to pilot test the games. 07/31/07-12/31/09 - Midwest Roybal Center for Health Promotion, University of Illinois at Chicago
National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging: Assessing the Impact of Secondary Conditions on the Functional Status of Older AdultsThe major goal of this pilot grant is to gather focus group data from older adults within the Chicago Department on Aging to determine aging-related health conditions that affect their independence and quality of life. The data will be used to inform future health promotion programming. 07/31/07-08/1/09
Teaching Responsibilities
- DHD 537 Health Promotion and Disability
- DHD 520/KN 520 Disability and Physical Activity
Potential Opportunities for Doctoral Students
- Conducting community-based research focusing on active video gaming exercise for adolescents and adults with mobility disabilities.
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- Developing a paper based on participant feedback regarding elements of sustainability for exercise programming recommendations.
- Working with community-based disability organizations to plan and implement health promotion programming.
- Analyzing current health assessment tools to determine validity for people with mobility disabilities as a basis for future health promotion recommendations.
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