Sinclair School of Nursing

Vicki S. Conn, PhD, RN, FAAN

Associate Dean for Research
Potter-Brinton Professor

E-mail: conn@missouri.edu
Phone: 573-882-0231
Fax: 573-884-4544
Web site: Meta-analysis Research Center

S317 Sinclair School of Nursing
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211

Nursing specialty

Gerontological nursing, Health behavior change

Interest area(s)

Health behavior research including exercise and medication adherence behavior among healthy and chronically ill adults.

Education

• BSN, Avila College, Kansas City, Mo.
• MS(N), University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.
• MA, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.
• PhD, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.
• Post-doctorate, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.

Area of doctoral study

Social psychology of health and aging

Area of post-doctoral study

Intervention research with aging adults

Program of research

Dr. Conn conducts primary research and meta-analysis research on interventions to increase exercise behavior and to improve medication adherence. Dr. Conn’s current NIH R01 funded project is a quantitative synthesis of interventions designed to increase medication adherence among adults. Her research is routinely published in premier interdisciplinary journals.

Selected Grants and Awards

• Meta-analysis of Interventions to Improve Medication Adherence — (R01) National Institutes of Health, $1,787,381, 2010-2014
• Meta-analysis of Interventions to Increase Exercise/Physical Activity — (R01) National Institutes of Health, $1,687,439, 2006-2010

Selected publications

• Conn, V., Hafdahl, A., & Mehr, D. (2011). Interventions to increase physical activity among healthy adults: meta-analysis of outcomes. American Journal of Public Health, 101, 751-758.
• Conn, V., & Groves, P. (2011). Protecting the power of interventions through proper reporting. Nursing Outlook, 59, 318-325.
• Conn, V. (2010). Depressive symptom outcomes of physical activity interventions: meta-analysis findings. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 39, 128-138.
• Conn, V. (2010). Anxiety outcomes of physical activity: meta-analysis of intervention trials. Nursing Research, 59, 224-231.
• Conn, V., Hafdahl, A., Cooper, P., Brown, L., & Lusk, S. (2009). Meta-analysis of workplace physical activity interventions. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 37, 330-339.
• Conn, V., Hafdahl, A., Cooper, P., Ruppar, T., Mehr, D., & Russell, C. (2009). Interventions to improve medication adherence among older adults: meta-analysis of adherence outcomes among randomized controlled trials. The Gerontologist, 49, 447-462. 
• Conn, V., Hafdahl, A., Moore, S., Nielsen, P., & Brown, L. (2009). Meta-analysis of interventions to increase physical activity among adults with cardiovascular disease. International Journal of Cardiology, 133, 307-320.
• Conn, V., Hafdahl, A., & Brown, L. (2009). Meta-analysis of quality-of-life outcomes from physical activity interventions. Nursing Research, 58, 175-183.   
• Conn, V., Hafdahl, A., Brown, S., & Brown, L. (2008). Meta-analysis of patient education interventions to increase physical activity among chronically ill adults. Patient Education and Counseling, 70, 157-172.

• Conn, V., Hafdahl, A., Mehr, D., LeMaster, J., Brown, S. and Nielsen, P. (2007). Meta-analysis of metabolic effects of interventions to increase exercise among adults with type 2 diabetes. Diabetologia, 50(5):913-21.

More Publications

Bio/professional experience

Dr. Conn has directed research activities at Sinclair School of Nursing for over a decade. She is also editor-in-chief of Western Journal of Nursing Research. Dr. Conn has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for her exercise research for many years.

Student mentoring projects

• Chase, J. (2012-2014). Meta-analysis of interventions to increase physical activity among older adults. National Institute of Nursing Research.
• Ruppar, T. (2007-2009). Medication compliance among older adults. Hartford Foundation. Pre-doctoral fellowship.
• Russell, C. (2005 – 2007). Medication compliance in older renal transplant patients. Hartford Foundation. Post-doctoral fellowship.
• Gretebeck, K. (2004–2006). Exercise intervention trial for older adults with heart failure. Claude Pepper Center Junior Faculty Fellowship (National Institute on Aging) at University of Michigan.
• Cochran, J. (2003–2006). Email intervention to enhance exercise among adults with type 2 diabetes. National Institute of Nursing Research Individual Predoctoral Fellowship.
• Pomeroy, S. (1999-2002). Church-based intervention to increase rural elders’ exercise. National Institute of Nursing Research Individual Predoctoral Fellowship.
• Burks, K. (1999-2001). The effect of self-management interventions on older adults with osteoarthritis. Veterans Administration Predoctoral Fellowship.

Presentations and lectures

• Conn, V. (2011). Meta-analysis of older adults’ health outcomes from supervised exercise interventions. Physical Activity and Aging International Conference. Athens, Greece.
• Conn, V. (2011). Physical activity interventions with healthy minority adults: meta-analysis of behavior and health outcomes. Sigma Theta Tau International. Cancun, Mexico.
• Conn, V., Phillips, L., Ruppar, T., & Chase, J. (2011). Meta-analysis of interventions to increase physical activity among healthy adults. National Institute of Nursing Research Symposium, Washington, D.C.
• Conn, V., Phillips, L., Ruppar, T. (2011). Meta-analysis CER: moderator analyses to compare interventions to increase physical activity. Council for the Advancement of Nursing Research: Comparative Effectiveness Research. Washington, D.C.
• Conn, V. (2010). Meta-analysis of interventions to increase physical activity among healthy adults. Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science. Washington, D.C.

Honors and awards

• Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) (2005)
• Study Section Member and Temporary Member, National Institutes of Health-Nursing Science Adults and Older Adults (NSAA) Study Section (1998-2008)
• Citation of Merit from Society of Behavioral Medicine

Memberships

• American Academy of Nursing (Fellow)
• American Academy of Health Behavior
• Editorial Board, Nursing Research, Journal of Gerongolotical Nursing, Research in Gerontological Nursing
• Midwest Nursing Research Society
• American Nursing Association