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R. Scott Olds, PhD

Professor and Interim Chair - Social & Behavioral Sciences

PhD, Health and Safety, Indiana University, 1987; MLIS, Library and Information Science, Kent State University, 2003; MS, School Health Education, Pennsylvania State University, 1981; BA Health Education, Baldwin-Wallace College, 1978.

R. Scott Olds is a Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the College of Public Health at Kent State University.  He has been involved in a variety of public health research and evaluation programs including working at the Office on Smoking and Health at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention where he provided assistance with data analysis of a global tobacco surveillance program initiated by the World Health Organization; providing assessment assistance for county health departments and social service agencies; researching college student alcohol use through innovative web and breath alcohol use technologies supported by state and federal grants; evaluating local tobacco prevention and control programs; serving as a teammember in the development of the Ohio Tobacco Research and Evaluation Center; participating in a multi-disciplinary research team to deliver a county child obesity assessment and prevention program; and directing a substance abuse monitoring system which has provided data collection, analysis and report writing to school districts with over 10,000 students participating.  He is currently serving as the president of the AAHB (2012-2013).

Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities

Ding, K., Olds, RS, and Thombs, D.L. (2009). Influence of Skip Patterns on Item Non-Response in a Substance Use Survey of 7th to 12th Grade Students. Journal of Drug Education, 39(2):167-180.  

Thombs DL, Olds RS, Bondy SJ, Winchell J, Balunas D, Rehm J (2009). Undergraduate Drinking and Academic Performance: A Propsective Investigation with Objective Measures. Journal of Studies on Alcohol andDrugs. September. 70, 5:776-785. 

Gore TD, Caine-Bish N, Olds RS, DeJulius A, Mitchell S, Juvancic-Hetzel J, Pierce K, EgbertN. (2009). The 4:3:2:1 Healthy Kids Project:A Pilot Intervention to Reduce Childhood Obesity inElementary School Students. Cases in Public Health Communication and Marketing. 2:87-104. Available from: www.casesjournal.org/volume2.

Lewis T, Thombs DL, Olds RS, Ding K (2009). Driving Privileges Facilitate Impaired Driving in Those Youth Who Use Alcohol or Marijuana. Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse. 18, 1:106-116.

Clemens H, Thombs DL, Olds RS (May/June, 2008).  Normative Beliefs as Risk Factors for  Involvement in Unhealthy Weight Control Behavior.  Journal of American College Health. Vol. 56 Issue 6:635-642.

Research to Reduce Alcohol-Related Harm on College Campuses.  Evaluation and the Health Professions. Vol. 30, Number 2, June: 118-137.  

Osborn CJ, Thombs DL, Olds RS (2007).  Prospects for Community-Based Participatory

Thombs DL, Olds RS, Osborn CJ, Casseday S, Glavin K, Berkowitz AD (2007).Outcomes of a Technology-Based, Social Norms Intervention to Deter Alcohol Use in Freshman Residence Halls.  Journal of American College Health Vol. 55 Issue 6:325-332.    

 

Research Areas
R. Scott Olds, PhD
OFFICE
College of Public Health
CONTACT INFO
Phone: 330-672-0679
rolds@kent.edu
EXPERTISE
  • substance abuse prevention
  • substance abuse surveillance
  • childhood obesity prevention