Research InterestsMy research interests are generally focused within the rural contact and the unique circumstances and opportunities therein. My initial work examined sexually transmitted infection (STI) epidemiology and intervention - to include the use of Internet-based screening kits to increase screening uptake. I've also engaged in substantial work examining rural cancer disparities - to include aspects of genomic diversity in rural communities and screening outreach. Most recently, I've been engaged in expanding the use of disease screening and harm reduction services among rural people who use drugs.
I strive for my work to be translational in nature, and there are many synergies among the major topic areas. For example, I've performed pilot studies regarding increasing cancer screening and reducing infectious/STI risk among people who use drugs. Such work has highlighted the compounding barriers to health that many populations experience (e.g., people who use drugs; LGBTQ+) and how they might specifically be addressed.
Research Publications-- since 2022 --
1. Jenkins WD*, Beach LB, Schneider J, Friedman SR, Pho MT, Walters S, Ezell J, Young AM, Hennessy C, Miller W, Go VF, Sun C, Seal DW, Westergaard RP, Crane HM, Fredericksen RJ, Ruderman SA, Fletcher S, Ma J, Delaney JA, Plaisance K, Feinberg J, Smith GS, Korthuis PT, Stopka TJ, Friedmann PD, Zule W, Winer M. Sexual identity, sexual behavior, and drug use behaviors among people who use drugs in the rural U.S. J Subst Use Addict Treat. [in press]
2. Stopka TJ, Nance RM, Mixson LS, Spencer H, Tsui JI, Leahy JM, Pho MT, DeJace J, Feinberg J, Young AM, Yang WT, Baltes A, Romo E, Brown RT, Nolte K, Miller WC, Zule WA, Jenkins WD, Delaney JA, Friedmann PD. Serious Bacterial Infections and Hepatitis C Virus Among People Who Inject Drugs: A Syndemic or Intertwined Epidemics? Trop Med Infect Dis. 2025 Jan 9;10(1):17.
3. Jenkins WD*, Pho MT, Nance RM, Young AM, Zule W, Stopka T, Friedmann PD, Miller WC, Go VF, Korthuis PT, Westergaard R, Seal DW, Feinberg J, Smith GS, Crane HM, Tsui JI, Lanter T, Choudhary V. Influence of insurance type on healthcare utilization among rural people who use drugs. Drug Alcohol Depend. [in press]
4. Rains A, Augustine E, Miller K, Bresett J, Bolinski R, Thompson T, Ajayi BP, Nicholson W, Fletcher S, Jenkins WD, Pho MT, Ouellet LJ, Ezell JM. I Don't Want to Shoot up the Meth Anymore: Pipe Distribution as a Harm Reduction Service for People Who Use Methamphetamine. Subst Use Misuse. 2024 Dec 19:1-8.
5. Estadt AT, Kline D, Miller WC, Feinberg J, Hurt CB, Mixson LS, Friedmann PD, Lowe K, Tsui JI, Young AM, Cooper H, Korthuis PT, Pho MT, Jenkins WD, Westergaard RP, Go VF, Brook D, Smith G, Rice DR, Lancaster KE. Differences in hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and treatment by opioid, stimulant, and polysubstance use among people who use drugs in rural U.S. communities. Harm Reduct J. 2024 Nov 29;21(1):214.
6. Ballard AM, Kesich Z, Crane HM, Feinberg J, Friedmann PD, Go VF, Jenkins WD, Korthuis PT, Miller WC, Pho MT, Seal DW, Smith GS, Stopka TJ, Westergaard RP, Zule WA, Young AM, Cooper HL. Rural houselessness among people who use drugs in the United States: Results from the National Rural Opioid Initiative. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2024 Nov 14;266:112498.
7. Zinsli KA, Bhatraju EP, Feinberg J, Stopka TJ, Friedmann PD, Zule W, Cooper HLF, Young AM, Korthuis PT, Pho MT, Jenkins WD, Miller WC, Go VF, Seal DW, Westergaard RP, Fredericksen RJ, Delaney JA, Tsui JI. Buprenorphine Injection Among Rural Persons Who Inject Drugs. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Dec 2;7(12):e2450108.
8. McDaniel J, Jenkins WD, Hughes C. Establishing Diagnostic Criteria for Moral Injury in United States Military Veterans: An Exploratory Study. Health Behav Policy Rev [in press]
9. Tillewein H, Luckey G, Elgee M, Jenkins WD. Social influence on drug use and sexual behaviors among rural LGBTQ+ individuals. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2024 Sep 2;50(5):727-738.
10. Mixson LS, Whitney BM, Jenkins WD, Stopka TJ, Korthuis PT, Drumright LN, Ruderman SA, Friedmann PD, Pho MT, Young AM, Westergaard RP, Seal DW, Go VF, Miller WC, Zule WA, Feinberg J, Cooper HL, Tsui JI, Crane HM, Delaney JA. Behavioral and Health Outcome Differences by Heroin or Methamphetamine Preference Among People in Rural US Communities Who Use Both Substances. Subst Use. 2024 Aug 21;18:29768357241272374.
11. Tillewein H, Luckey G, Miller K, Jenkins WD. Sexual Violence and Revictimization in Rural LGBTQ+ Communities. J Interpers Violence. 2024 Jul 27:8862605241264176.
12. Prusaczyk B, Tilmon S, Landman J, Seibert D, Colston DC, Westergaard R, Cooper H, Feinberg J, Friedmann PD, Go VF, Khoury D, Korthius T, Mixson S, Moellner A, Nolte K, Smith G, Young A, Pho MT, Jenkins WD. Barriers to Healthcare and Social Service Utilization Among Rural Older Adults Who Use Drugs. J Appl Gerontol. 2024 Jun 5:7334648241258018
13. Rudolph AE, Nance RM, Bobashev G, Brook D, Akhtar W, Cook R, Cooper HL, Friedmann PD, Frost SDW, Go VF, Jenkins WD, Korthuis PT, Miller WC, Pho MT, Ruderman SA, Seal DW, Stopka TJ, Westergaard RP, Young AM, Zule WA, Tsui JI, Crane HM, Whitney BM, Delaney JAC. Evaluation of respondent-driven sampling in seven studies of people who use drugs from rural populations: findings from the Rural Opioid Initiative. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2024 Apr 23;24(1):94.
14. Sibley AL, Klein E, Cooper HLF, Livingston MD, Baker R, Walters SM, Gicquelais RE, Ruderman SA, Friedmann PD, Jenkins WD, Go VF, Miller WC, Westergaard RP, Crane HM. The relationship between felt stigma and non-fatal overdose among rural people who use drugs. Harm Reduct J. 2024;21 (77).
15. Fadanelli MM, Livingston M, Friedmann P, Go V, Jenkins W, Korthuis T, Miller W, Pho M, Seal D, Stopka T, Westergaard R, Zule W, Young AM, Cooper HLF. Correlates of overdose among 2,711 people who use drugs and live in 7 rural US sites. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2024 Mar 8;258(11126)1
16. Jenkins WD*, Miller KW, Tillewein H, Walters S, Weatherly T§, Wickham H§, Luckey G, Fenner E. Healthcare Experiences and Health Outcomes Among Rural LGBTQ+ Individuals. Am J Health Promot. 2024 Sep;38(7):954-959.
17. Ballard AM, Falk D, Greenwood H, Gugerty P, Feinberg J, Friedmann PD, Go VF, Jenkins WD, Korthuis PT, Miller WC, Pho MT, Seal DW, Smith GS, Stopka TJ, Westergaard RP, Zule WA, Young AM, Cooper HLF. Houselessness and syringe service program utilization among people who inject drugs in eight rural areas across the USA: a cross-sectional analysis. Harm Reduct J. 2023 Oct 26;20(1):157.
18. Tsui JI, Whitney BM, Korthuis PT, Chan B, Pho MT, Jenkins WD, Young AM, Cooper HLF, Friedmann PD, Stopka TJ, de Gijsel D, Miller WC, Go VF, Westergaard R, Brown R, Seal DW, Zule WA, Feinberg J, Smith GS, Mixson LS, Fredericksen R, Crane HM, Delaney JA; Rural Opioid Initiative Consortium. Methamphetamine use and utilization of medications for opioid use disorder among rural people who use drugs. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2023 Sep 1;250:110911.
19. Ibragimov U, Livingston MD, Young AM, Feinberg J, Korthuis PT, Akhtar WZ, Jenkins WD, Crane HM, Westergaard RP, Nance R, Miller WC, Bresett J, Khoury D, Hurt CB, Go VF, Nolte K, Cooper HL. Correlates of Recent HIV Testing Among People Who Inject Drugs in Rural Areas: A Multi-site Cross-Sectional Study, 2018-2020. AIDS Behav. 2023 Jul 29.
20. Jenkins WD*, Friedman SR, Hurt CB, Korthuis PT, Feinberg J, Del Toro-Mejias LM, Walters S, Seal DW, Fredericksen RJ, Westergaard R, Miller WC, Go VF, Schneider J, Giurcanu M. Variation in HIV Transmission Behaviors Among People Who Use Drugs in Rural US Communities. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Aug 1;6(8):e2330225.
21. Cantrall J, Summers-Gabr N, Jenkins WD. Reconceptualizing Financial Stability in the Context of Food Insecurity. Amer J Health Prom [in press]
22. Jenkins WD*, Phillips G 2nd, Rodriguez CA§, White M, Agosto S, Luckey GS. Behaviors associated with HIV transmission risk among rural sexual and gender minority and majority residents. AIDS Care. 2023 Oct;35(10):1452-1464.
23. Walters SM, Felsher M, Frank D, Jaiswal J, Townsend T, Muncan B, Bennett AS, Friedman SR, Jenkins WD, Pho MT, Fletcher S, Ompad DC. I Don't Believe a Person Has to Die When Trying to Get High: Overdose Prevention and Response Strategies in Rural Illinois. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 16;20(2):1648.
24. Walters SM, Frank D, Felsher M, Jaiswal J, Fletcher S, Bennett AS, Friedman SR, Ouellet LJ, Ompad DC, Jenkins WD, Pho MT. How the rural risk environment underpins hepatitis C risk: Qualitative findings from rural southern Illinois, United States. Int J Drug Policy. 2023 Feb;112:103930.
25. Jenkins WD*, Walters S, Phillips G 2nd, Green K§, Fenner E§, Bolinski R§, Spenner A, Luckey G. Stigma, Mental Health, and Health care Use Among Rural Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals. Health Educ Behav. 2024 Jun;51(3):477-489.
26. Ezell J, Pho MT, Walters S, Jenkins WD, Schneider J. "You’re friends until everybody runs out of dope”: Contextualizing the type, purpose, and value of social networks of people who use drugs. Social Networks. 2022;71:115-130.
27. Button D, Levander XA, Cook RR, Miller WC, Salisbury-Afshar EM, Tsui JI, Ibragimov U, Jenkins WD, Westergaard RP, Korthuis PT. Substance use disorder treatment and technology access among people who use drugs in rural areas of the United States: A cross-sectional survey. J Rural Health. 2022 Dec 27:10.1111/jrh.12737.
28. Rains A§, York M§, Bolinski R§, Ezell J, Ouellet LJ, Jenkins WD, Pho MT. Attitudes toward harm reduction and low-threshold healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic: qualitative interviews with people who use drugs in rural southern Illinois. Harm Reduct J. 2022 Nov 19;19(1):128. [IF 4.4]
29. Lee M, Mueller-Luckey G, Molina Y, Rose J, Bolinski R§, Van Ham B, Adjei Boakye E, Jenkins WD*. Rural cancer and the opioid epidemic: are screening disparities further exacerbated? Health Behavior and Policy Review. 2022 Sep;9(5):1037.
30. Jenkins RA, Whitney BM, Nance RM, Allen TM, Cooper HLF, Feinberg J, Fredericksen R, Friedmann PD, Go VF, Jenkins WD, Korthuis PT, Miller WC, Pho MT, Rudolph AE, Seal DW, Smith GS, Stopka TJ, Westergaard RP, Young AM, Zule WA, Delaney JAC, Tsui JI, Crane HM; Rural Opioid Initiative. The Rural Opioid Initiative Consortium description: providing evidence to Understand the Fourth Wave of the Opioid Crisis. Addict Sci Clin Pract. 2022 Jul 26;17(1):38.
31. Korthuis PT, Cook RR, Foot CA, Leichtling G, Tsui JI, Stopka TJ, Leahy J, Jenkins WD, Baker R, Chan B, Crane HM, Cooper HL, Feinberg J, Zule WA, Go VF, Estadt AT, Nance RM, Smith GS, Westergaard RP, Van Ham B, Brown R, Young AM. Association of Methamphetamine and Opioid Use With Nonfatal Overdose in Rural Communities. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Aug 1;5(8):e2226544.
32. Jenkins WD*, Rose J, Molina Y, Lee M, Bolinski R§, Luckey G, Van Ham B. Cancer Screening among Rural People Who Use Drugs: Colliding Risks and Barriers. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Apr 10;19(8):4555.
33. Walters SM, Bolinski RS§, Almirol E, Grundy S, Fletcher S, Schneider J, Friedman SR, Ouellet LJ, Ompad DC, Jenkins W, Pho MT. Structural and community changes during COVID-19 and their effects on overdose precursors among rural people who use drugs: a mixed-methods analysis. Addict Sci Clin Pract. 2022 Apr 25;17(1):24.
34. Keddie A, Amerson N, Johnson C, Jenkins W, Crumly D, Geiger SD. Leveraging secondary data for evaluation: Planning the expansion of the Illinois asthma partnership to reduce pediatric asthma related emergency department visits. Eval Program Plann. 2022 Mar 16;92:102077.
35. Bolinski RS§, Walters S, Salisbury-Afshar E, Ouellet LJ, Jenkins WD, Almirol E, Van Ham B, Fletcher S, Johnson C, Schneider JA, Ompad D, Pho MT. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Drug Use Behaviors, Fentanyl Exposure, and Harm Reduction Service Support among People Who Use Drugs in Rural Settings. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Feb 16;19(4):2230.
36. Pearson WS, Tromble E, Jenkins WD, Solnick R, Gift TL. Choosing the Emergency Department as an Alternative for STD Care: Potential Disparities in Access. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2022;33(3):1163-1168.
37. Lee M, Salloum RG, Jenkins W, Hales DB, Sharma A. Marijuana use among US adults with cancer: findings from the 2018-2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. J Cancer Surviv. 2022;10.1007/s11764-021-01138-z.
Honors and Awards2023 Frederick P. Li Impact Award from CEBP for substantial influence in rural cancer epidemiology
2012 Elected Member, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
2012 Member, Simmons Cancer Institute, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
2017 Elected Fellow, American College of Epidemiology (FACE)
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