Aimee L. Ward

I am an experienced public health researcher with expertise in multiple methodologies including quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, systematic reviews, and conducting work in the field. 

My family and I arrived at Kent State University in late 2019, after living overseas for 13 years. I’ve had the opportunity to work with numerous research groups on a wide range of topics in several countries (Taiwan, France, and New Zealand), which has provided me with diverse experiences. These have ranged from leading a team of researchers investigating sleep and diet in children (my post-doctoral fellowship), planning and conducting my own research on well-being and transport in older adolescents (my PhD work), as well as working within the world-renowned Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development study on drug use (as a research assistant), and advising colleagues working with traditional birth attendants about appropriate research design (as an advisor). I also obtained competitive funding to co-author a chapter on reproductive health in women early in my career.

I began my lab at KSU in Fall 2023. My current research content focus is on vulnerable road users, but I have a wide range of content interests and welcome new topics, ideas, and approaches. I relate my public health and research expertise in a geographical context to teach courses such as Urban Transportation, Health Geography, and Nature and Society. I also advise graduate students on study design and methods in the course Research and Presentation of Geographic Data. 

Publications:

Morrison S, Jackson R, Haszard JJ, Galland BC, Meredith-Jones K, Fleming EA, Ward AL, Elder DE, Beebe DW, Taylor RW (2023). The effect of modest changes in sleep on dietary intake and eating behavior in children: secondary outcomes of a randomized crossover trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 117(2) 317-325. Doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2022.10.007

Jackson R , Haszard JJ, Morrison S, Galland BC, McIntosh DR, Ward AL, Meredith-Jones K, Taylor RW (2021). Measuring short-term eating behaviour and desire to eat: Validation of the child eating behaviour questionnaire and a computerized ‘desire to eat’ computerized questionnaire. Appetite. Published online 23 August 2021. doi:  10.1016/j.appet.2021.105661

Morrison S, Galland BC, Haszard JJ, Jackson R, McIntosh DR, Elder DE, Ward AL, Meredith-Jones K, Taylor RW (2021). Eating in the absence of hunger in children with mild sleep loss: a randomized crossover trial with learning effects. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Published online 30 June 2021. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab203

Ward AL, Jospe M, Morrison S, Reynolds AN, Kuroko S, Fangupo LJ, Smith C, Galland BC, Taylor RW (2021). Bidirectional associations between sleep quality or quantity, and dietary intakes or eating behaviors in children 6–12 years old: A systematic review with evidence mapping. Nutrition Reviews. Published online 13 January 2021. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa125

Ward AL, McGee R, Gendall PJ (2021). Strengths and vulnerabilities of teenagers who skateboard for transport in New Zealand. Journal of Transport and Health, 20 (100947). doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2020.100947

Ward A, Lewis SR, Weiss H (2020). Mobility management to prevent, reduce, or delay driving a car in teenagers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020, Issue 8. Art. No.: CD009438. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009438.pub2

Gale J, Ward AL, de Bruin WE, Taylor RW, Jospe MR (2020). Translating hunger training research to primary health: A qualitative study of nurse attitudes towards a novel weight management intervention. The Journal of Primary Health Care, 12 (1). doi: 10.1071/HC19052

de Bruin WE, Ward AL, Taylor RW, Jospe MR (2019). “Am I really hungry?” A qualitative exploration of patients’ experience, adherence, and behaviour change during Hunger Training: A pilot study. BMJ Open, 9:e032248. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032248

Ward AL, Reynolds AN, Kuroko S, Fangupo LJ, Galland BC, Taylor RW (2019). Bidirectional associations between sleep and dietary intake in 0-5 year old children: A systematic review with evidence mapping. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 4(2020). doi 10.1016/j.smrv.2019.101231

Ward AL, Galland BC, Haszard JJ, Meredith-Jones K, Morrison S, McIntosh DR, Jackson R, Beebe DW, Fangupo L, Richards R, Te Morenga L, Smith C, Elder DE, Taylor​ RW (2019). The effect of mild sleep deprivation on diet and eating behaviour in children: protocol for the Daily Rest, Eating, and Activity Monitoring (DREAM) randomized cross-over trial. BMC Public Health, 19(1347). doi 1186/s12889-019-7628-x.

Haxby Abbott J, Ward AL, Crane C, Chapple CM, Stout K, Hutton L, Martin V, Harcombe H, Cury Ribeiro D, Gwynne Jones D (2019). Implementation of a 'Joint Clinic' to resolve unmet need for orthopaedic services in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis: a program evaluation. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 20(1): 324. doi 10.1186/s12891-019-2702-1.

Ward AL, Cameron C, McGee R, Freeman C, Gendall P (2018). Is the ‘happy wanderer’ really happy? Transport and life satisfaction among older teenagers in rural New Zealand. Journal of Transport & Health, 10; 391-400. doi 10.1016/j.jth.2018.06.005.

Ward AL, McGee R, Freeman C, Gendall P, Cameron C (2018). Transport behaviours among older teenagers from semi-rural New Zealand. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 42(4); 340-346. doi 10.1111/1753-6405.12803.

Bryant KP, Hale LA, Tikao K, Wright-Tawha T, Ward AL, Milosavljevic S Montgomery A, Drussell A (2018). Organisational views on health care access for hauā (disabled) Māori in Murihiku/Southland, Aotearoa New Zealand: a mixed methods approach. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, 42(2); 51-66. doi 10.15619/NZJP/46.2.03. 

Ward AL, Wyeth E, McGee R, Freeman C, Cameron C (2018). Found in (survey) translation: Lessons learned while engaging with a wharekura in Southland, New Zealand. Kotuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online, 13(1). doi 10.1080/1177083X.2017.1421978.

Ward AL, Gendall P, McGee R, Freeman C, Cameron C (2016). Testing the waters on the South Island: Insights from a pilot study [online]. New Zealand Sociology, 31(7): 240-245. Availability: <http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=561447134177679;res=IELHSS> ISSN: 0112-921X

Bryant KP, Hale LA, Tikao K, Milosavljevic S, Wright-Tawha T, Ward AL, Mirfin-Veitch B (2016) Art as a tool for disseminating research outcomes: The Haua Mana Maori Project and Participatory Research in New Zealand. Journal of the Humanities in Rehabilitation, Summer Issue 2016, published online at: https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/journalofhumanitiesinrehabilitation/2016/06/20/art-as-a-tool-for-disseminating-research-outcomes-the-haua-mana-maori-project-and-participatory-action-research-in-new-zealand/

Diab AS, Hale, LA, Skinner MA, Hammond-Tooke G, Ward AL, Waters DL (2015) Body composition and postural instability in people with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. Journal of Aging Research & Clinical Practice, 5(1): 14-19. doi 10.14283/jarcp.2016.86.

Ward AL, Freeman C, McGee R (2015). The influence of transport on well-being among teenagers: A photovoice project in New Zealand. Journal of Transport & Health,2(3): 414-422. doi 10.1016/j.jth.2015.06.004.

Ward A, Sasco A. (2015). “Plastics Recycling and Women’s Reproductive Health”, Chapter 8 (pages 253-290). In Dayna Nadine Scott (ed.) Our Chemical Selves: Gender, Toxics, and Environmental Health, UBC Press. https://www.ubcpress.ca/asset/9556/1/9780774828338.pdf

Ward AL, Baggett T, Orsini A, Angelo J, and Weiss H (2014). Participatory photography gives voice to young non-drivers in New Zealand. Health Promotion International, 31(2). doi 10.1093/heapro/dau109: dau109.

Weiss HB and Ward A (2013). Is it time to advocate for a vulnerable road user protection law in New Zealand? New Zealand Medical Journal, 126(1374); 67-77. https://nzmj.org.nz/journal/vol-126-no-1374/is-it-time-to-advocate-for-a-vulnerable-road-user-protection-law-in-new-zealand 

Waters DL, Ward A, Villareal DT (2013). Weight loss in obese adults 65 years and older: A review of the controversy. Experimental Gerontology, 48(10):1054-61. doi 10.1016/j.exger.2013.02.005.

Meier MH, Caspia A, Ambler A, Harrington H, Houts R, Keefe RS, McDonald K, Ward A, Poulton R, and Moffitt TE (2012). Persistent cannabis users show neuropsychological decline from childhood to midlife. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(40); E2657-E2664. doi 10.1073/pnas.1206820109

Ward A, Weiss H. Mobility management for prevented, reduced, or delayed driving in teenagers (Protocol) (2011). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 11. Art. No.: CD009438. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009438.

Chen S.C.C., Wang J.D., Ward A, et al. (2010). The effectiveness of continuing training for traditional birth attendants on their reproductive health care knowledge and performance. Midwifery, 27(5); 648-653. doi 10.1016/j.midw.2009.12.008.