A. Scott LaJoie, Ph.D.

Education: A. Scott LaJoie, Ph.D.

B.A., Psychology and Photojournalism, Western Kentucky University; 1994 
M.A., Experimental Psychology, Western Kentucky University; 1998
M.S.P.H., Biostatistics/Decision Sciences, University of Louisville; 2003
Ph.D., Experimental Psychology (Cognitive), University of Louisville; 2003
C.H.P.E., Certificate in Health Professions Education, University of Louisville; 2009 

Curriculum Vitae 

Current Positions: 

Associate Professor, Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health & Information Sciences, University of Louisville
Associate Appointment, Family & Geriatric Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Louisville
Member, James Graham Brown Cancer Center 

Contact Information: 

Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
School of Public Health
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone:  502/852-1879
Email: 

Research Description: 

My research and scholarship centers on facilitating better health-related decision making.  I am motivated to understand why individuals engage or fail to engage in prevention activities (e.g., vaccination and screening) and how they use information sources to inform their behaviors and choices.  I enjoy working with stakeholders to develop patient decision aids to facilitate effective communication and shared decision making.
My main line of inquiry is the prevention of HPV-associated cancers and cervical cancer screening.  Disparities in cancer incidence and mortality are evident among rural and non-rural dwellers, and among people with differing racial and ethnic backgrounds.  We can reduce these disparities by developing evidence-based interventions that improve health behaviors and decisions. 

Literature Cited: 

  1. Tangelloju S, Little BB, Esterhay RJ, Brock G, LaJoie AS.  Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) "remission" in non-bariatric patients 65 years and older.  Frontiers in Public Health 2019 Apr 12;7:82.  doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00082.  PMID: 31032243.  PMCID: PMC6473045.
  2. Walsh SE, LaJoie AS.  Influence of built environment quality and social capital on mental health of residents of assisted living communities in Louisville, Kentucky.  Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine 2018 Aug 24;4:2333721418795900.  doi: 10.1177/2333721418795900.  PMID: 30159360.  PMCID: PMC6109847.
  3. LaJoie AS, Kerr JC, Clover RD, Harper DM.  Influencers and preference predictors of HPV vaccine uptake among US male and female young adult college students.  Papillomavirus Research 2018 Jun;5:114-121.  doi: 10.1016/j.pvr.2018.03.007.  Epub 2018 Mar 23.  PMID: 29578098.  PMCID: PMC5886909.
  4. Hood S, Irby-Shasanmi A, de Groot M, Martin E, LaJoie AS.  Understanding diabetes-related distress characteristics and psychosocial support preferences of urban African American adults living with Type 2 diabetes: A mixed-methods study.  Diabetes Education 2018 Apr;44(2):144-157.  doi: 10.1177/0145721718754325.  Epub 2018 Jan 27.  PMID: 29375023.
  5. Keskey RC, LaJoie AS, Sutton BS, Kim IK, Cheadle WG, McMasters KM, Ajkay N.  Cost-effectiveness analysis of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy compared to unilateral mastectomy with routine surveillance for unilateral, sporadic breast cancer.  Annals ofSurgicalOncology 2017 Dec;24(13):3903-3910.  doi: 10.1245/s10434-017-6094-x.  PMID: 29039025.
  6. Stahl JE, Dossett ML, LaJoie AS, Denninger JW, Mehta DH, Goldman R, Fricchione GL, Benson H.  Relaxation response and resiliency training and Its effect on healthcare resource utilization.  PLoSOne 2015 Oct 13;10(10):e0140212.  doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140212. Erratum in: PLoSOne 2017 Feb 21;12 (2):e0172874.  PMID: 26461184.  PMCID: PMC4603901.
  7. Hertweck SP, LaJoie AS, Pinto MD, Flamini L, Lynch T, Logsdon MC.  Health care decision making by mothers for their adolescent daughters regarding the quadrivalent HPV vaccine.  Journal of Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology 2013 Apr;26(2):96-101.  doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2012.10.009.  PMID: 23518189.  PMCID: PMC4474606.
  8. Chlebowy DO, Hood S, LaJoie AS.  Gender differences in diabetes self- management among African American adults.  Western Journal of Nursing Research 2013 Jul;35(6):703-21.  doi: 10.1177/0193945912473370.  Epub 2013 Jan 23.  PMID: 23345461.
  9. Chlebowy DO, Hood S, LaJoie AS.  Facilitators and barriers to self-management of type 2 diabetes among urban African American adults: focus group findings.  Diabetes Education 2010 Nov-Dec;36(6):897-905.  doi: 10.1177/0145721710385579.  Epub 2010 Oct 25.  PMID: 20974906.
  10. LaJoie AS, Sprang G, McKinney WP.  Long-term effects of Hurricane Katrina on the psychological well-being of evacuees.  Disasters 2010 Oct;34(4):1031-44.  doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7717.2010.01181.x.  PMID: 20572850.
  11. Walker KL, Hart JL, Gregg JL, LaJoie AS.  Undressing "health fashion": an examination of health-cause clothing and accessories.  Health Promotion Practice 2010 Sep;11(5):665-74.  doi: 10.1177/1524839908330805.  Epub 2009 Mar 25.  PMID: 19321886.
  12. LaJoie AS, Ridner SL.  Health information and health risk behaviors in a sample of college students.  Journal of the Kentucky Medical Association 2009 Feb;107(2):58-63.  PMID: 19263945.
  13. Arnold FW, Summersgill JT, Lajoie AS, Peyrani P, Marrie TJ, Rossi P, Blasi F, Fernandez P, File TM Jr, Rello J, Menendez R, Marzoratti L, Luna CM, Ramirez JA; Community-Acquired Pneumonia Organization (CAPO) Investigators.  A worldwide perspective of atypical pathogens in community-acquired pneumonia.  American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine 2007 May 15;175(10):1086-93.  doi: 10.1164/rccm.200603-350OC.  Epub 2007 Mar 1.  PMID: 17332485.
  14. Carrico RM, Coty MB, Goss LK, Lajoie AS.  Changing health care worker behavior in relation to respiratory disease transmission with a novel training approach that uses biosimulation.  American Journal of Infection Control 2007 Feb;35(1):14-9.  doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2005.12.013.  PMID: 17276786.  PMCID: PMC7115298.
  15. Studts JL, Ghate SR, Gill JL, Studts CR, Barnes CN, LaJoie AS, Andrykowski MA, LaRocca RV.  Validity of self-reported smoking status among participants in a lung cancer screening trial.  Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 2006 Oct;15(10):1825-8.  doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-06-0393.  PMID: 17035388.  

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