Kea Turner, PhD, MPH, MA
Associate Professor
Dr. Kea Turner is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and a Full Member of the Cancer Outcomes Research Program at the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. The goal of her research is to improve healthcare delivery for individuals with cancer through implementation science and digital health. She is currently leading several federally funded trials to develop and test strategies for expanding access to evidence-based nutrition care for individuals with cancer and a high risk for malnutrition. Additionally, she supports other research teams as an implementation science methodologist on several federally funded trials that expand access to evidence-based cancer care and trials that seek to de-implement low-value care. Her research program has been supported by funding from the Department of Defense (DoD), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN).
- 2023 Moffitt Cancer Center Junior Faculty of the Year Award, Population Sciences
- 2022 JAMA Ophthalmology Top 3 article by Altmetric Score for 2022
- 2019 University of Florida Master of Health Administration Teaching Excellence Award
- 2018 Canada Knowledge Translation Summer Institute Implementation Science Training Fellowship
- 2016 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Cancer Outcomes Research Program Travel Award
- 2015 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carolina Center for Public Service Community Engagement Fellowship
- 2015 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Office of the Chancellor Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award
- 2015 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Office of the Chancellor Student Undergraduate Teaching and Staff Award
- 2012 Department of Health and Human Services Presidential Management Fellowship
- 2011 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health Lucy Morgan Fellowship
- 2010 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The Graduate School Graduate School Merit Scholarship
Google Scholar
NCBI Bibliography
Turner K, Al Taweel M, Petrucci C, Rosas S, Potter C, Cramer E, Shorr RI, Mion LC, McNett M. Selecting and tailoring implementation strategies for deimplementing fall prevention alarms in US hospitals: a group concept mapping study. BMJ Qual Saf. 2025 Mar 26;. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2024-018391. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 40139778.
Turner K, McNett M, Potter C, Cramer E, Al Taweel M, Shorr RI, Mion LC. Alarm with care-a de-implementation strategy to reduce fall prevention alarm use in US hospitals: a study protocol for a hybrid 2 effectiveness-implementation trial. Implement Sci. 2023 Dec 5;18(1):70. doi: 10.1186/s13012-023-01325-9. PubMed PMID: 38053114; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10696656.
Turner K, Nguyen OT, Islam JY, Rajasekhara S, Martinez YC, Tabriz AA, Gonzalez BD, Jim HSL, Egan KM. Patient-provider communication about the use of medical cannabis for cancer symptoms: a cross-sectional study. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 2024 Aug 15;2024(66):298-304. doi: 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgad026. PubMed PMID: 39108232; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11303860.
Turner K, Kim DW, Gonzalez BD, Gore LR, Gurd E, Milano J, Riccardi D, Byrne M, Al-Jumayli M, de Castria TB, Laber DA, Hoffe S, Costello J, Robinson E, Chadha JS, Rajasekhara S, Hume E, Hagen R, Nguyen OT, Nardella N, Parker N, Carson TL, Tabriz AA, Hodul P. Support Through Remote Observation and Nutrition Guidance (STRONG), a digital health intervention to reduce malnutrition among pancreatic cancer patients: A study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2024 Apr;38:101271. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2024.101271. eCollection 2024 Apr. PubMed PMID: 38440777; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10910065.
HT94252310514
Turner (PI)
Role: PI
07/15/2023 – 07/14/2026
Department of Defense (DOD)
Remote malnutrition monitoring after surgery for pancreatic cancer patients
HT9425-23-PRCRP-TTSA-GG
Turner (PI)
Role: PI
06/01/2024 – 07/31/2028
Department of Defense (DOD)
Support through Remote Observation and Nutrition Guidance (STRONG) program to reduce malnutrition among gastroesophageal cancer patients
R01 CA291735-01
Kanetsky and Hay (MPI)
Role: Co-Investigator
7/1/2024 – 6/30/2029
National Institutes of Health / National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI)
A hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial to integrate precision skin cancer risk feedback in federally qualified health centers
U01CA1584229
Bui and Vidrine (MPI)
Role: Co-Investigator
08/12/2024 – 07/31/2029
National Institutes of Health / National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI)
Implementing Sustainable Mobile Health Technology to Optimize Smoking Cessation Program for Lao People with HIV
R01AG073408
Shorr and McNett (MPI)
Role: Co-Investigator
04/01/2022 – 03/31/2026
National Institutes of Health / National Institute on Aging (NIH/NIA)
Choosing Wisely: De-implementation Fall Prevention Alarms in Hospitals
NIH R01DA055298
Vinci and Brandon (MPI)
Role: Consultant
07/01/2022 – 05/31/2026
National Institutes of Health / National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH/NIDA)
Augmented Reality as an Adjunct to Quitline Counseling for Smoking Cessation
NIH U01 CA274971-01
Vadaparampil and Rollison (MPI)
09/01/2022 – 08/31/2027
Role: Consultant
National Institutes of Health / National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI)
Advancing Clinical Trials: Working through Outreach, Navigation and Digital Enabled Referral and Recruitment Strategies (ACT WONDERS)