About

Faculty Rank

  • Professor

Research

Research Focus

Dr. Coker is currently engaged in several research projects addressing the health effects of partner violence. She instituted a universal screening protocol in the University’s Obstetrics Clinics in February 2008 and is in the process of evaluating the impact of screening on women and infants. She received a five year cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to evaluate a statewide intervention to reduce dating and sexual violence using a randomized design in 26 high schools across Kentucky. The intervention is a novel active bystander intervention designed to empower students to reduce violence within their social networks. She also serves as principal investigator on a National Institutes of Health grant for a five year cohort study to explore how life stresses including partner and family support or interference may impact cancer care and well-being for women diagnosed with breast, cervical or colorectal cancer in Kentucky. The Kentucky Cancer Registry and the Survey Research Laboratory are co-collaborators on that project.

  • Women's Health
  • Disparities in Cancer 
  • Effects of interpersonal violence on cancer

Contact Information

800 Rose St.
Pav H, C361
Lexington, KY 40536
United States

Publications

  1. Intimate partner violence and women's cancer quality of life.
    Coker AL, Follingstad DR, Garcia LS, Bush HM. Cancer Causes Control. 2017;28(1):23-39
  2. Partner interfering behaviors affecting cancer quality of life.
    Coker AL, Follingstad DR, Garcia LS, Bush HM. Psychooncology. 2017;26(8):1205-1214.
  3. Validity and psychometric properties of the measure of psychologically abusive behaviors among young women and women in distressed relationships.
    Follingstad DR, Coker AL, Lee E, Williams CM, Bush HM, Mendiondo MM. Violence Against Women. 2015;21(7):875-96.
  4. Association of intimate partner violence and childhood sexual abuse with cancer-related well-being in women.
    Coker AL, Follingstad D, Garcia LS, Williams CM, Crawford TN, Bush HM. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2012;21(11):1180-8.
  5. RCT Testing Bystander Effectiveness to Reduce Violence.
    Coker AL, Bush HM, Cook-Craig PG, DeGue SA, Clear ER, Brancato CJ, Fisher BS, Recktenwald EA. Am J Prev Med. 2017;52(5):566-578.