Sarah Gollust, PhD

Public health research identifies numerous potential opportunities to improve population health. Yet when it comes to translating this research into policies and programs to improve public health, roadblocks emerge. My work looks to examine processes through which health information gets translated into the media, shapes public attitudes and opinions, and influences the health policy process. By describing the political, social, ethical, and psychological factors that moderate this process – and often pose as barriers – my research yields insight into how communication to the public and policymakers can be more effective. I have applied this research approach to several important public health challenges, including policies to address obesity, health disparities, the Affordable Care Act, and cancer screening and prevention. 

• McKnight Land-Grant Professor, University of Minnesota, 2014-2016
• Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health, 2014

• 1/15–12/18, American Cancer Society, Research Scholar Grant, "Effects of Media Controversies on Public Attitudes about Cancer Prevention," Principal Investigator
• 4/16–8/17, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, "Interdisciplinary Research Leaders," Associate Director
• 6/13–5/18, Veterans Affairs, "Enhancing Motivation of Providers on Work to Eliminate Racial Disparity (EMPOWER)," Co-Investigator

• Publications on Google Scholar
• Publications on PubMed

Selected Publications

• Gollust SE, Tang X, White JM, French SA, Runge CF, Rothman AJ. "Young Adults' Responses to Alternative Messages Describing a Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Price Increase," Public Health Nutrition, Jan 2017
• Fowler EF, Baum LM, Barry CL, Niederdeppe J, Gollust SE. "Media Messages and Perceptions of the Affordable Care Act During Early Phase of Implementation," Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, Oct. 2016
• Meisel ZF, Gollust SE, Grande D. "Translating Research for Health Policy Decisions: Is It Time for Researchers to Join Social Media?" Academic Medicine, Oct 2016
• Barry CL, Kennedy Hendricks A, Gollust SE, Niederdeppe J, Bachhuber MA, Webster D, McGinty EE. "Understanding Americans’ Views on Opioid Analgesic Abuse." Addiction. 2016;111(1):85-93.
• Gollust SE, Qin X, Wilcock AD, Baum LM, Barry CL, Niederdeppe J, Fowler EF, Karaca-Mandic P. "Search and You Shall Find: Geographic Characteristics Associated With Google Searches During the Affordable Care Act's First Enrollment Period," Medical Care Research and Review, July 2016