Education
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Georgia, 2012-2014
- Ph.D., University of Georgia, 2012
- Major: Health Promotion & Behavior
- Ph.D. Dissertation: A Mixed-Methods Study Investigating Factors Influencing Rural Youths' Participation and Experiences in Outdoor, Noncompetitive Physical Activity
- M.A., University at Albany, 2005
- Major: Anthropology
- B.S., Binghamton University, 2003
- Major: Anthropology
- Minor: Biology
Teaching Specialties
- Public Health Program Evaluation
- Health Behavior Theory
- Public Health Interventions to promote Physical Activity
Current Courses Being Taught
- Introduction to Public Health (PH 2000)
- Foundations of Health Behavior (PH 3700)
- Public Health Interventions I (PH 3800)
- Physical Activity in Public Health (PH 4000)
Professional Affiliations / Organizations
- American Public Health Association
- American College of Sports Medicine
- U.S. Play Coalition
- Delta Omega Honorary Public Health Society
Laboratory Affiliation
Research Interests
- Promotion of rural children's outdoor play and physical activity
- Lifelong maintenance of physical activity
- Community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches in rural areas
- Healthcare provider prescriptions for physical activity in nature (outdoor and park prescriptions)
Selected Publications
James, J. J., Christiana, R. W., and Battista, R. A. (2019). A historical and critical analysis of park prescriptions. Journal of Leisure Research, 50(4), 311-329.
Holland, B., Needle, A. R., Battista, R. A., West, S. T., and Christiana, R. W. (2019). Physical activity levels among rural adolescents with a history of ankle sprain and chronic ankle instability. PLoS ONE, 14(4), e0216243.
Penglee, N., Christiana R. W., Battista, R. A., and Rosenberg, E. (2019). Smartphone use and physical activity among college students in health science-related majors in the United States and Thailand. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(8), 1315-1324.
Hege, A., Ball, L., Christiana, R. W., Wallace, C., Hubbard, C., Truesdale, D., Hege, J., and Fleming, H. (2018). Social determinants of health and the effects on quality of life and well-being in 2 rural Appalachia communities: The community members’ perspective and implications for health disparities. Family & Community Health, 41(4), 244-254.
James, J. J., Battista, B., and Christiana, R. W. (2018). Developing a park prescription program for your community. Parks & Recreation, 28-29.
Hege, A., Christiana, R. W., Battista, R. A., and Parkhurst, H. (2017). Active living in rural Appalachia: Using the Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) tools to explore environmental barriers. Preventive Medicine Reports, 8(1), 261-266.
Christiana, R. W., James, J. J., Battista, R. A. (2017). Prescribing outdoor physical activity to children: Healthcare providers’ perspectives. Global Pediatric Health, 4(1), 1-7.
Christiana, R. W., West, S., and Davis, M. (2017). The role of competition in leisure-time physical activity among middle school youth: Implications for park & recreation professionals. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 35(3), 65-80.
Christiana, R. W., Battista, R. A., and James, J. J. (2017). Pediatrician prescriptions for outdoor physical activity among children: A pilot study. Preventive Medicine Reports, 5(1), 100-105.
Title: Associate Professor, PhD, Health Promotion and Behavior, Graduate Faculty
Email address: Email me
Phone: (828) 262-6335
Fax: (828) 262-3138