Erika A. Waters, PhD, MPH

Dr. Waters seeks to understand how people think about health risks and how those thoughts influence their health-related decisions and behavior. To accomplish this, she explores the rich variety of cognitive, emotional, and social factors that make it difficult for people to use health risk information effectively. Understanding these inter-relationships will enable the development of health communication and behavior interventions that aim to reduce disparities in cancer morbidity and mortality. Most of Dr. Waters’ research focuses on cancer prevention, but the principles derived from her work have broader applicability to other health conditions. Dr. Waters also has a strong focus on community education and outreach. She has given several radio interviews, has spoken at cancer prevention and control fundraisers, and has assisted in disseminating the 8 Ways to Stay Healthy and Prevent Cancer via health fairs and employer-sponsored health events.