Ryan M. Combs, Ph.D., M.A., joined the Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences in 2015 after working for four years as a post-doctoral researcher in the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences at the University of Manchester (UK). He was promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure on July 1, 2022. Dr. Combs is interested in reducing health disparities by understanding and addressing the impact of health policies and practices on diverse populations. He has conducted qualitative and community-based participatory research in partnership with a range of stakeholders. His qualitative work employs inductive, interpretive approaches to data analysis, most often using applied thematic analysis or constructivist grounded theory method. He has also developed several health communication campaigns using the boot camp translation method. Notably, for the past decade, Dr. Combs has been working with colleagues in the UofL School of Medicine to improve LGBTQ+ medical education.

Research Interests

Methods - qualitative methods (constructivist grounded theory); community-based participatory research

Topics - health services; health literacy; health communication; health policy; medical education; cancer; mental health; suicide prevention; trauma; toxic stress; stigma; adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

Populations - health disparities populations (e.g., LGBTQ+ people, people with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, and racial and ethinic minority populations)