Department of Public Health and Exercise Science

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

• Healthy Outdoor Play and Exercise (HOPE)

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.