Dr. Cheryl Der Ananian
Assistant Professor

Office: EAW 144
Phone: (480) 727-1958
E-mail: cheryld@asu.edu

Dr. Cheryl Der Ananian’s research interests pertain to physical activity and public health with an emphasis on physical activity and aging. Dr. Der Ananian has a strong interest in the acquisition and maintenance of physical activity among older adults with chronic illnesses, as well as the health benefits of physical activity for older adults with chronic illnesses. She is particularly interested in the role of lifestyle changes (e.g., physical activity, nutrition and disease self-management strategies) in the secondary and tertiary prevention of chronic illnesses within older adults. Additionally, Dr. Der Ananian has a strong research interest in the translation of research to practice. Specifically, Dr. Der Ananian studies the reasons why community-based organizations adopt evidence-based physical activity programs, how they adapt the programs to meet the needs of their organization and how these changes effect outcomes of the programs. Dr. Der Ananian’s recent research endeavors have focused on understanding the correlates of physical activity among people with arthritis, with an emphasis on African-Americans with arthritis. She is currently participating in the evaluation of Fit & Strong!, a multi-component intervention program for older adults with osteoarthritis of the lower extremity. Additionally she is a co-investigator on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant examining the translation and dissemination of Fit & Strong! throughout Illinois and North Carolina. Dr. Der Ananian is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, the Society for Behavioral Medicine, the Gerontological Society of America and the American Public Health Association.

Selected Publications:

• Der Ananian CA, Wilcox S, Watkins K, Saunders R, Evans A. Factors associated with exercise participation in adults with arthritis. Journal of Physical Activity and Aging. In press; Accepted for publication 05/22/07.

• Matthews CE, Wilcox S, Hanby CL, Der Ananian C, Heiney SP, Gebretsadik T, Shintani A. Evaluation of a 12-week home-based walking intervention for breast cancer survivors. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2007; 15(2), 203-211.

• Wilcox S, Der Ananian CA, Abbott J, Vrazel J, Ramsey C, Sharpe P. Perceived barriers, enablers and benefits of exercise among people with arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;55(4):616-27.

• Der Ananian CA, Wilcox S, Abbott J, Vrazel J, Ramsey C, Sharpe, P.A., Brady, T (2006). The exercise experience in adults with arthritis: A qualitative approach. American Journal of Health Behavior. 2006;30(6): 731-744.

• Der Ananian CA, Wilcox S, Saunders R, Watkins K, Evans A. A comparison of factors that influence exercise among adults with arthritis in three activity levels. Prev Chronic Dis. [Serial Online] July 2006; 3(3). Available: URL: http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2006/jul/05_0220.htm

• Wilcox S, Der Ananian CA, Sharpe P, Robbins J, Brady T. Correlates of physical activity in people with arthritis: review and recommendations. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. April 2005; 2(2): 230-252.

• Adams SA, Der Ananian CA, Dubose KD, Kirtland KD, Ainsworth BE. Physical activity levels among overweight and obese adults in South Carolina. Southern Medical Journal. 2003; 96(6): 539-543.

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