Traci Toomey, PhD, MPH

Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health

Traci Toomey

Contact Info

toome001@umn.edu

Office Phone 612-626-9070

Office Address:
300 West Bank Office Building

Mailing Address:
1300 S 2nd St
300 West Bank Office Building
Minneapolis, MN 55454

Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health


PhD, Epidemiology, University of Minnesota

MPH, Epidemiology, University of Minnesota

BA, Psychology and Physiology, University of Minnesota

Summary

Expertise

Policy, alcohol, tobacco

Awards & Recognition

  • Outstanding Advising and Mentoring Award, University of Minnesota, 2017

Research

Research Summary/Interests

I am an expert in public health policy, with particular expertise in alcohol control policies. I have served as the principal investigator or co-investigator of more than 30 research studies addressing policy issues. I serve as the director of the Alcohol Epidemiology Program, which has conducted studies on policy and prevention for underage alcohol use and heavy drinking, underage access to alcohol, alcohol sales to intoxicated persons, and alcohol use among different populations. I believe in conducting research that informs public health policy and practice.

Research Funding Grants

  • 2012–2017, NIH Nat'l Inst. on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoh, "Intersection of Local and State Alcohol Policy: The Case of Malt Liquor," Co-Investigator

Publications

See a full list of publications on PubMed

Select Recent Publications

  • McKee P, Erickson DJ, Toomey T, Nelson T, Less EL, Joshi S, Jones-Webb R. "The Impact of Single-Container Malt Liquor Sales Restrictions on Urban Crime," Journal of Urban Health, March 2017
  • Lenk KM, Nelson TF, Toomey TL, Jones-Webb R, Erickson DJ. "Sobriety checkpoint and open container laws in the United States: Associations with reported drinking-driving," Traffic Injury Prevention, Nov 2016
  • Toomey TL, Lenk KM, Nederhoff DM, Nelson TF, Ecklund AM, Horvath KJ, Erickson DJ. "Can Obviously Intoxicated Patrons Still Easily Buy Alcohol at On-Premise Establishments?" Alcohol Clinical & Experimental Research, Feb 2016
  • Erickson DJ, Lenk KM, Toomey TL, Nelson TF, Jones-Webb R. "The alcohol policy environment, enforcement and consumption in the United States," Drug and Alcohol Review, Sept 2015

Teaching

Teaching Areas

I currently serve as the director of the Community Health Program. I have a passion for teaching and enjoy advising MPH and PhD students. The goal with my courses is to provide students with skills that will help them succeed in a wide range of public health settings. I am honored that my teaching has been recognized at the School and University levels. I was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Professors at the University of Minnesota in 2012.

Courses

  • PubH 6034, Evaluation
  • PubH 6045, Skills for Policy Development
  • PubH 6049, Legislative Advocacy Skills for Public Health
  • PubH 6051, Community Health Theory and Practice II 
  • PubH 6078, Public Health Policy as a Prevention Strategy

Community Engagement

Through my work, I have partnered with many local and national organizations working to reduce alcohol-related problems.

Media

In The News

SPH News

In The Media

  • Heavy drinking, lack of vaccinations hurt Minnesota's health ranking (StarTribune)
  • Stricter state alcohol access rules can save 800 DUI deaths a year, study says (CNN)
  • Is The Current Legal Blood Alcohol Limit Too High? (CBS Minnesota)