Faculty Research Spotlight
Going in a new direction with fertility health, Dr. Mary Lee Barron, associate professor of family health and community health nursing, is researching the level of health literacy and fertility health knowledge among college students to help develop an effective educational teaching model. Existing research has largely focused on evaluating knowledge of biologic processes, excluding the study of fertility health risk factors that affect both genders. Knowledge of these fertility risk factors, however, may prevent infertility and decrease the risk of chronic cardio-metabolic disease later in life in men and women. Barron began this study in fall 2015 and is now analyzing data and developing the manuscript.
“The habits people have for healthy fertility are the same habits that decrease the risk of diabetes, heart disease or stroke later in life, in both men and women,” Barron said.
