Research

Since 2008, Out, Proud and Healthy has been conducting LGBT health needs assessments annually at Pride events across Missouri. In that time, we have collected more than 10,000 surveys representing the voices of sexual and gender minorities across the state. Our research uses a multi-modal data collection approach (at pride festivals and online) and was supplemented with focus group data. These surveys have allowed Out, Proud and Healthy to generate historic reports about LGBT demographics, tobacco use, alcohol use, fitness, mental health, and health disparities in general.

To learn more about the research that has come from these surveys, check out our 2023 research posters!

Nicotine and Cannabis

COVID-19

Research Abstracts

Maturino, K., Kelly, Z., McElroy, J. A., Phillips, L. M., Meyer, A., Smith, J., and Everett, K. D. Examining COVID-19 vaccine attitudes and perceptions in Southwestern Missouri. Association for Prevention Teaching and Research. Teaching Prevention 2023: Leadership for Health Equity, March 27-29, 2023, New Orleans, LA.

Wang, Yuhao; Marko, Alexandra; Maturino, Kassandra; Everett, Kevin D.; Phillips, Lynelle; Spence, Kayla; Brandt, Amy R.; Vanderbeck, Robin N.; Smith, Jamie; McElroy, Jane A. Cannabis Use in Sexual and Gender Minorities (SGM) Compared to Heterosexual PRIDE Festival Attendees. Joint Public Health Conference, Sept 20-21, 2023. Columbia MO. Honorable mention award.

Brandt, Amy R.; Vanderbeck, Robin N.;Marko, Alexandra; Wang, Yuhao; Maturino, Kassandra; Spence, Kayla; Smith, Jamie; Phillips, Lynelle; Jane A McElroy; Kevin Everett. Oh, You Don’t Want to Hear My Opinion About COVID! Joint Public Health Conference, Sept 20-21, 2023. Columbia MO. 3rd place award

Kayla Spence, Jane A. McElroy, Amy R. Brandt, Kassandra Maturino, Robin N. Vanderbeck, Alexandra Marko, Yuhao Wang , Jamie Smith, Lynelle Phillips, Kevin Everett. Through the Smoke, Into the Haze: Comparing Sexual and Gender Minority to Cisgender Heterosexual Pride Attendees. Joint Public Health Conference, Sept 20-21, 2023. Columbia MO. 2nd place award

Maturino, Kassandra; Wang, Yuhao; Everett, Kevin D.; Phillips, Lynelle; Spence, Kayla; Brandt, Amy R.; Marko, Alexandra; Vanderbeck, Robin N.; Smith, Jamie; McElroy, Jane A. Evolution in Trusted Sources of COVID Information. Joint Public Health Conference, Sept 20-21, 2023. Columbia MO. 1st place award

Brandt, Amy R.; Vanderbeck, Robin N; Woody, Olivia; Wang, Yuhao; Maturino, Kassandra; Smith, Jamie; McElroy, Jane A.; Everett, Kevin; Phillips, Lynelle. Hit Me With Your Best Shot: Nursing student perceptions of COVID risk and vaccine effectiveness are not all the same. 26th Midwest Regional Nursing Educators Conference. November 9-10, 2023. Columbia, MO.

Alexandra Marko, Yuhao Wang, Kassandra Maturino, Amy R. Brandt, Robin N. Vanderbeck, Kostandin Valle, Kayla Spence, Jamie Smith, , Lynelle Phillips, Jane A. McElroy, Kevin Everett. Analysis of Cannabis Use in Sexual and Gender Minorities Compared to Heterosexual Festival Participants. Health Science Research Day, Nov 10, 2023. Columbia, MO.

Kayla Spence, Jane A. McElroy, Amy R. Brandt, Kassandra Maturino, Robin N. Vanderbeck, Alexandra Marko, Yuhao Wang , Jamie Smith, Lynelle Phillips, Kevin Everett. Got a Light? Not Anymore: A Comparative Analysis of Sexual and Gender Minorities and Cisgender Heterosexual Pride Attendees. Health Science Research Day, Nov 10, 2023. Columbia, MO.

Brandt, Amy R.; Vanderbeck, Robin N.; Marko, Alexandra; Wang, Yuhao; Maturino, Kassandra; Spence, Kayla; Smith, Jamie; Phillips, Lynelle; Kevin Everett; Jane A McElroy. Oh, You Don’t Want to Hear My Opinion About COVID! Health Science Research Day, Nov 10, 2023. Columbia, MO.

Maturino, Kassandra; Wang, Yuhao; Everett, Kevin D.; Phillips, Lynelle; Spence, Kayla; Brandt, Amy R.; Marko, Alexandra; Vanderbeck, Robin N.; Smith, Jamie; McElroy, Jane A. Trends in trusted sources for vaccine information.. Health Science Research Day, Nov 10, 2023. Columbia, MO.

Woody, Olivia; Brandt, Amy R.; Valle, Kostandin; Wang, Yuhao; Vanderbeck, Robin; Marko, Alexandra; Maturino, Kassandra; Spence, Kayla; Smith, Jamie; Phillips, Lynelle; Jane A McElroy; Kevin Everett. Covid-19 Vaccination Status Associated With Discrimination And Victimization Among Non-binary/Genderqueer And Transgender. Undergraduate Research Day, Dec 7, 2023. Columbia, MO.

Brandt, Amy R.; Vanderbeck, Robin N.; Marko, Alexandra; Wang, Yuhao; Maturino, Kassandra; Spence, Kayla; Smith, Jamie; Phillips, Lynelle; Kevin Everett; Jane A McElroy. Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Nursing Student Perceptions on Covid Risk and Vaccine Effectiveness Could Surprise You. Undergraduate Research Day, Dec 7, 2023. Columbia, MO.

Brandt, Amy R.; Vanderbeck, Robin N.; Woody, Olivia, Wang, Yuhao; Maturino, Kassandra; Smith, Jamie; Jane A McElroy; Kevin Everett; Phillips, Lynelle. Are Nursing Students Immune to COVID Vaccine Hesitancy? Society for Public Health Education Conference, Mar 19-21, 2024. St. Louis, MO.

Maturino, K., Wang, Y., Everett, K. D., Phillips, L., Spence, K., Brandt, A., Marko, A., Vanderbeck, R., Smith, J., McElroy, J. Trajectory of trusted sources for COVID-19 vaccine information. Midwest Nursing Research Society, February 28th-March 2nd, 2024; Minneapolis, MN.

McElroy, Jane A; Koob, Carol. Who plans on getting COVID-19 vaccinated and who trusts medical providers more: Clinical/public health professionals in training, sexual and gender minority population, general population, or others? Missouri Immunization Coalition Conference. Apr 25-26, 2024. Columbia, MO.

McElroy, Jane A; Spence, Kayla; Marko, Alex; Koob, Carol; Smith, Jamie; Phillips, Lynelle; Everett, Kevin D. Toking, smoking, and vapin’: Patterns of nicotine use among the cannabis user with attention to a sexual and gender minority population. Society of Nicotine Research in Tobacco. Mar 20-23, 2024. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Brandt, AR, Vanderbeck, RN, Marko, A, Wang, Y, Maturino, K, Spence, K, Smith, J, Phillips, L, McElroy, JA, Everett, KD. Are Nursing Students Immune to Covid Vaccine Hesitancy? A poster presentation UM System Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol. April 4, 2024. Jefferson City MO.

Brandt, Amy R.; Vanderbeck, Robin N.; Woody, Olivia, Wang, Yuhao; Maturino, Kassandra; Smith, Jamie; Jane A McElroy; Kevin Everett; Phillips, Lynelle. Hit Me with Your Best Shot: Nursing Student Perceptions of COVID Risk and Vaccine Effectiveness Are Not All the Same. A paper presentation at the 37th National Conference on Undergraduate Research, April 8-10, 2024. Long Beach, CA

Woody, Olivia; Brandt, Amy R.; Valle, Kostandin; Wang, Yuhao; Vanderbeck, Robin; Marko, Alexandra; Maturino, Kassandra; Spence, Kayla; Smith, Jamie; Phillips, Lynelle; Jane A McElroy; Kevin Everett. COVID-19 Vaccination Status Associated with Discrimination and Victimization Among Non-Binary/Genderqueer and Transgender Participants. National Conference on Undergraduate Research. April 8-10, 2024. Long Beach, CA

Lam, Chrison; Zins, Amber;Wang, Yuhao; Maturino, Kassandra; Smith, Jamie; Kevin Everett; Jane A McElroy. Unmasking health risk behaviors as predictors of face mask usage. Kansas State University symposium. April 2-4, 20244, Kansas City, MO

Wang, Yuhao; Maturino, Kassandra; Zins, Amber; Lam, Chrison; Smith, Jamie; Everett, Kevin ; McElroy, Jane. What’s your source? Trajectory of trusted sources for COVID-19 vaccine information. Kansas State University symposium. April 2-4, 20244, Kansas City, MO.

Kayla Spence, Karry Weston, Gwendolyn Wilson, Jane A. McElroy. Distress Trajectory Patterns over the Cancer Continuum in the United States among People Living with Cancer: A systematic review. Ellis Fischel Cancer Center Research Day. April 30, 2024. Columbia, MO

Kostandin Valle, Alexandra Marko, Carol Koob, Jamie Smith, Lynelle Phillips, Kevin D. Everett, Jane A. McElroy. Co-use of Cannabis and Nicotine Among Sexual and Gender Minority Compared to Cisgender Heterosexual Counterparts. GLMA Annual conference on LGBTQ+ Health. Sep 30-Oct 2, 2024. Charlotte, NC