College of Social Work
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- Shaun Owens Ph.D., MPH
Faculty and Staff
Shaun Owens, Ph.D., MPH
Title: | Associate Professor |
College of Social Work | |
Email: | owenso@mailbox.sc.edu |
Phone: | 803-777-0384 |
Office: | Hamilton 106 |
Resources: | Curriculum Vitae |
Research Expertise
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Health and Cancer Communications with diverse populations
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Technology for health promotion and informed decision making in aging adults
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Smart and connected health
Background
Professor Shaun Owens joined the faculty of the College of Social Work in 2014, where
he is also director for the Healthy Aging Research and Technology (HART) Lab. The
lab focuses on community-led development and evaluation of translational, technology-based
solutions to help older adults make informed health decisions that will enable them
to age in place. He also serves as the associate director for strategy and innovation
for the SmartHOME Center for Economic Excellence whose mission is to help seniors
maintain independent mobility inside the home. Prior to joining the College of Social
Work, he was a research coordinator for the Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control
Program.
Owens’ research interests are investigating creative strategies for promoting health
and cancer equity through strategic communications with diverse populations, developing
and/ or evaluating technology for health promotion and informed decision making in
aging adults, and leveraging smart and connected health for supporting affordable/accessible
housing for supporting aging-in-place. Owens is currently a co-principal investigator
on three grants (one external) to support the development and feasibility testing
of an app that employs culturally-appropriate and mindful strategies to help alleviate
lung cancer symptoms. In addition, Owens is co-investigator (along with private investigator
Professor Sue Levkoff) on a National Institute for Aging-funded grant to establish
the South Carolina Advancing Diversity in Aging Research undergraduate program.
Owens recent publications focus on the investigation of technology for cancer decision
making. He has co-authored scientific journal articles on topics including, the recruitment
of African-American men for a prostate cancer education program, the iterative development
of a computer-based decision aid for prostate cancer and building an evidence base
for promoting informed prostate cancer screening. His publications have been featured
in scholarly journals, including Qualitative Social Work, Ethnicity & Disease, the American
Journal of Health Education, and the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Owens received his Master of Public, Health Management and Policy from the Emory Rollins
School of Public Health in Atlanta. He earned his Ph.D. in health promotion, education
and behavior from the University of South Carolina.