Olivia Chapell Presenting at COEHP Honors Symposium
Author: Olivia Chapell | Major: Public Health; Biology | Semester: Spring 2025
My name is Olivia Chapell, and I am an Honors Public Health major at the University of Arkansas in the College of Education and Health Professions. Additionally, I have a major in Biology and a minor in Medical Humanities. I conducted my research under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Davis in the Department of Human Health Performance and Recreation during the Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025 semesters. Our study focused on help-seeking behaviors among University of Arkansas students experiencing problematic alcohol use. Using a survey that we posted around campus and shared online, we aimed to identify patterns, motivations, and barriers that influence whether or not students seek help for their alcohol use. I recently graduated Summa Cum Lauda with a B.S. in Public Health and high distinction with a B.A. in Biology. This fall, I plan to attend the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to pursue a Doctor of Medicine (MD) and continue working to address public health concerns through clinical care, patient advocacy, and community-based research.
Our research has meaningful real-world applications in the fields of addiction, mental health, public health education, and clinical care. By better understanding how personal, societal, and familial experiences affect help-seeking behaviors, healthcare providers can design more effective programs and reduce stigma around mental health and substance use treatment. These insights can guide preventative strategies tailored to young adults navigating the stress of college life. This work has shown me the power of data in driving change in policy and programming. I hope other students get to experience how research can directly impact the lives of their peers and contribute to a healthier community.
In Spring 2024, I took Health Behavior Theories with Dr. Robert Davis, and I was intrigued by the connection between psychological theories and the health behaviors of patients. I met with Dr. Davis to discuss his research. Soon after, I joined his research lab because of my interest in the intersection between public health interventions and clinical applications. Through this project, I learned about the complex factors that influence help-seeking behaviors, as well as the importance of empathy and cultural competency when approaching sensitive topics. One of the biggest challenges during our project was getting our Institutional Review Board (IRB) documentation approved, which was a timely and meticulous process that delayed our data collection phase significantly. After receiving our IRB approval, we posted a QR code to our survey around campus and distributed it on the University of Arkansas Newswire. We recruited over 300 participants who answered questions about alcohol use, drug use, depression, familial substance abuse, and treatment history. From there, we ran analytics on the collected data to draw meaningful conclusions.
Dr. Davis and his lab played a crucial role in guiding the study design, data analytics, and ethical considerations. During Spring 2025, I got to present our project with a poster presentation for the COEHP Honors Symposium, which was a valuable experience in communicating research findings to a broader academic audience. This taught me to think critically about my research and present complicated data to an audience with a variety of educational backgrounds. Next up, I plan to attend UAMS in Little Rock, where I hope to continue integrating research with patient care to better serve communities facing institutional barriers and stigma. I am excited for this next step at UAMS, and I am grateful for the experience that the University of Arkansas Honors College has provided me.