Research Focus
- Investigate relationships among musculoskeletal injury history, aging, health behaviors, and quality of life
- Develop programs to enhance health knowledge and personal health awareness for girls and women
- Implement evidence-based physical activity promotion interventions for girls, women, and families
- Understand the impact of physical activity mentoring on youth participants and college-aged mentors
Research
University of Kentucky Land Grant Engagement funding & matching funds from the College of Health Sciences Office of Research
Project Title: Families Moving Together: Building a curriculum to engage preschool-aged children and their families in physical activity together
Funding Amount: $18,137
Project Period: February 20, 2025 - June 15, 2026
AGHW Director Dr. Dee Dlugonski secured funding to support the development of a 6-week Families Moving Together curriculum to encourage Kentucky families to be active together. In partnership with Cooperative Extension and the Community Action Council, the team is testing the effectiveness of this program for increasing physical activity among preschoolers and their parents in community settings.
UK Healthcare Healthy Kentucky Initiative Grant 2025
Project Title: Promoting physical activity and health among youth and families
Funding Amount: $150,000
Project Period: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2028
This grant supports the expansion of the Active Girls Healthy Women (AGHW) program to promote physical activity and health among Kentucky youth and families through evidence-informed, community-based programming. Funding will strengthen staffing and infrastructure to deliver resources, develop age-specific physical activity lessons, and engage trained college student Movement Mentors in schools and community settings. Over three years, the project aims to increase access to enjoyable, sustainable physical activity opportunities and build capacity for long-term impact across communities.
“Implementing a family- and community-intervention to increase physical activity among low-income families with preschool-aged children”
In March, Dr. Dee Dlugonski shared findings from the Families Moving Together project, co-authored with former AGHW project manager Abby Cecil, Dr. Hanna Hoch and collaborators including Dr. Brandi White and Rebecca Mabson, at the Active Living Conference in Manhattan, KS. This presentation highlighted strategies to support physical activity among low-income families with preschool-aged children.
"Interventions to Increase Self-Reported Physical Activity During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review”
In July, a study led by Rehabilitation Sciences doctoral student Kallie Nowell, and co-authored by Dr. Hanna Hoch and Dr. Dee Dlugonski, was published in the Women’s Health Journal. The review explores how mobile and app-based interventions, such as fitness apps and reminder texts, can be used to promote physical activity during pregnancy.
Read more about it here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12254636/
“Physical Activity and Sleep as Predictors of Well-Being in Young Adults”
In December, a study led by Cheryl Vanderford, Dr. Dee Dlugonski, Dr. Hanna Hoch, and Dr. Daniel Potter, was published in the American Journal of Health Promotion. The paper examines how physical activity and sleep patterns predict overall well-being in young adults.
Read more about it here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41441866/
*If need be, we could add journal article logos? Or a headshot of Cheryl. Only if we need something to fill the space*
UK’s 7th Annual Summer Research Symposium
Our Active Girls Healthy Women team was well represented at UK’s 7th annual Summer Research Symposium. Movement Mentors and undergraduate research assistants, Bella Skibba and Maiya Bhandari, supported by Dr. Dee Dlugonski, presented their work on the Families Moving Together research project.
This project encourages families to be active and enjoy movement together. The symposium provided students with the opportunity to share their research through lightning talks, strengthen their communication skills, and connect with the community.
2026 Southeast American College of Sports Medicine (SEACSM) Conference
Movement Mentors and undergraduate research assistants Bella Skibba and Maiya Bhandari had their research abstracts accepted for presentation at the 2026 SEACSM Conference in Greenville, South Carolina.
- Oral presentation - Bella Skibba: “A Pilot Study to Promote a Positive Health Climate Among Families of Preschoolers.”
- Poster presentation - Maiya Bhandari: “The Impact of a Pilot Family Physical Activity Intervention on Parent Self-Efficacy and Physical Activity.”
“The most meaningful part of my experience on the AGHW research team is how mission-driven our work is. I’m inspired that our research is making a real difference in people’s lives. With Dr. Dee Dlugonski’s mentorship and a team that encourages curiosity and critical thinking, I’ve gained hands-on experience across the full research process—an opportunity that has shaped my journey at the University of Kentucky.” – Bella Skibba, Undergraduate Research Assistant