Sara J. Paton, Ph.D.

Department:
Population and Public Health Sci
Title:
Associate Professor, Epidemiologist, Population & Public Health
Address:
2555 University Blvd Ste 210, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Sara Paton, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of epidemiology in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences. Dr. Paton is the Vice-Chair of the Population and Public Health Sciences Department and Director of the Master of Public Health Program.  She teaches epidemiology, community health assessment, and guest lectures in a variety of courses.  She is also the Director of the Applied Practice Experience (APE) and the Population Health Concentration.  Dr. Paton has conducted research in several areas, including maternal and child health, emergency preparedness, nutrition, animal science and pharmacology/toxicology. Her maternal and child health research interests include infant mortality, breastfeeding, low birth weight, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, breast cancer, and health disparities/equity. 

Dr. Paton has been at Wright State since 2001, initially in a post-doc appointment in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, before becoming a faculty member of the Department of Community Health in 2004. In 2015 she became the Director of the Mater of Public Health Program. Dr. Paton completed her Ph.D. at the University of Kentucky in 2001 specializing in nutrition. She received a M.S. in Animal Science at Angelo State University, and a B.S. in Biomedical Science and Animal Science at Texas A&M University.

Courses

  • Epidemiology
  • Community Health Assessment
  • Applied Practic Experienc
  • Maternal and Child Health

Research Interests

  • Maternal and Child Health issues—Low Birth Weight, Infant Mortality, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
  • Chronic Diseases--Breast Cancer
  • Health Equity
  • Epidemiology
  • Community Assessment

Active Projects

  1. Regional Community Health Assessment/Community Health Needs Assessment
  2. National Institute for Equity in Birth Outcomes 
  3. Infant Mortality Response Initiative
  4. Infant Mortality Prevention, Hawthorne Landing Apartments

Education History

Post-Doc Pharmacology and Toxicology, Wright State University, 2001-4

Ph.D., Animal Science/Nutrition, University of Kentucky, 2001

M.S., Animal Science/Nutrition, Angelo State University, 1996

B.S., Biomedical Science and Animal Science at Texas A&M University, 1993

Service

 

SERVICE

University Committee                                                                       Position                       Dates              

Department of Population and Public Health Sciences (DPPHS)     Faculty Member           2004–present

Human Center for Innovation                                                            Member                        2009–2015

Graduate Faculty, WSU                                                                     Member                        2011–present

Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society                                       Vice-President              2011–present

Master of Public Health Program (MPH)                                          Director                        2015-present

Biostatistics and Epidemiology Division, DPPHS                            Director                        2016-present

MPH Advisory Board                                                                        Chair                            2015-present

MPH Admissions Committee                                                            Chair                            2015-present

MPH Curriculum Committee                                                             Member                       2015-present

BSOM CME Committee                                                                    Member                       2018-present

National Committee                                                                         Position                       Dates              

Maternal Child Health Epidemiology Committee, Center for           Member                       2009–2014

   Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Medical Readiness                                              Member                      2009–present

Preventing Substance Exporsure in Pregancy Collaborative              Co-lead of Dayton      2010-2012

National Institute for Equity in Birth Outcomes—CityMatCH         Co-lead of Dayton       2013-present

CME Accreditation Committee, Boonshoft School of Medicine       Member                       2017-present

State Committee                                                                                Position                       Dates              

Ohio Infant Mortality Task Force                                                       Member                       2009–2010

Ohio Collaborative to Prevent Infant Mortality                                 Member                       2010–present

Ohio Department of Health, Health Assessment                               Advisory Member        2010-2018

Ohio Equity Institute                                                                          Travel Team                 2013-2016

Ohio Department of Health Cancer Group                                         Member                       2010-2018

Ohio Alliance for Innovation in Public Health                                  Executive Team           2018-present

Ohio Public Health Association-Epidemiology Section                    Member                       2018-present

Ohio Journal of Public Health-Editorial Board                                  Member                       2018-present

Regional  Committee                                                                        Position                       Dates              

Perinatal Data Users Consortium, Region II                                      Member / Evaluator     2004–2011

Regional Epidemiology Disease Specialists Southwest                     Member                       2004–2008

     Ohio

Regional Medical Response System steering committee                   Member                       2005–2015

March of Dimes Program and Grant Review                                     Grant Reviewer           2005–2015

Perinatal Nurse Managers Association                                               Evaluator                     2007–2012

Local Committee                                                                               Position                       Dates              

Montgomery County Strategic Planning Committee                         Researcher                   2015-2017

United Way of Montgomery County                                                  Member                       2015-present

Low Birth Weight Task Force, Montgomery County                         Member                       2004–2012

Breastfeeding Coalition of Dayton, Ohio                                           Member                       2006–present

Health Caucus Consortium:  Montgomery County                            Member                       2006–2007

Incident Management Team, Public Health—Dayton &                    Member                      2004–2018

     Montgomery County

Montgomery County Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Task          Member / Evaluator    2008–2017     

     Force

Montgomery County Child Fatality Review Board                           Member                       2008–2018

Infant Mortality Coalition, Montgomery County                               Member                       2012-2018

Child Fatality Review Board                                                              Member                       2015-2018

Community Health Improvement Plan                                               Steering Committee    2015-present

Community Overdose Action Team, Montgomery County               Steering Committee     2016-present

Community Overdose Action Team, Montgomery County               Data Committee           2016-present

Ethics Board, Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County         Member                       2017-2018

Wright State University Breastfeeding Institute                                 Member                       2017-present

Project SAVE Advisory Board                                                            Evaluator                    2017-present

 

 

Publications

S. Silverstein, M. Orlowski and S. Paton. 2022. Pandemic Response Across Ohio’s Public Universities: Novel Approaches, Emergent Challenges and Future Opportunities. Journal of American College Health, accepted and pending.

D. Baker and S. Paton. 2021. Leveraging Local and Regional Partners to Implement Hospital Closed Point of Dispensing Sites. Ohio Journal of Public Health, 4(1): 45-52.

Brenna C. Heinle, Tim N. Crawford, Sara J. Paton, and Naila Khalil. 2019. Association of Perfluoroalkyl Substance with Lung Function in the US Population. Ohio Journal of Public Health, 2(2): 30-36.

J.A. Embree, T.N. Crawford and S.J. Paton. 2018. Suicide Rates in Rural Ohio: The Role of Population Density, Social Association, and Healthcare Access. Ohio Journal of Public Health, 1(1): 1-6.

Okeke, R., S.J. Paton, L.J. Smith, and N.Khalil. 2017. Association of Maternal Demographics With Breastfeeding of Low Birth Weight Infants in Ohio in 2012. Clinical Lactation, 8(1), 22-27.

Tyler, M., N. Khalil, and S. Paton. 2015. Increasing Knowledge with Food Safety Training at Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County. Food Protection Trends. 35(4): 262-269.

Mauck, B.S., S.J. Paton, J.B. Lucot, R.D. Grubbs. 2010. Cholinesterase inhibitors and stress: Effects on brain muscarinic receptor density in mice. Neurotoxicology, 31(5): 461-467.

Paton, S.J., and C. Croom. 2010. An overview of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders for physicians. Primary Care Reports, 16(1): 1-8.

Cote, B.L., D. Bejarno, V. Koob, M. McLean, and S.J. Paton. 2009. Socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant abortion-minded clients versus pregnant non-abortion-minded clients at a pregnancy crisis center. Persona y BioŽtica, 13(33): 137-51.

Eisenhauer, E., D.E. Uddin, P. Albers, S. Paton, R.L. Stoughton. 2009 Nov 12. Establishment of a low birth weight registry and initial outcomes. Maternal Child Health Journal [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19908132.

Mauck, B.S., S.J. Paton, J.B. Lucot, R.D. Grubbs. 2008. Subcutaneous exposure to carbamate acetylcholinesterase inhibitors does not induce apoptosis in mouse brain. Journal of Medical Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Defense, 6.

Dubovicky, M., J.R. Wells, M. Key, M. Morris, S.J. Paton, J.B. Lucot. 2007. Diurnal behavioral and endocrine effects of chronic stress in mice. Neuroendocrinology Letters, 28(6): 846-853.

Dubovicky M., S. Paton, M. Morris, M. Mach, J.B. Lucot. 2007. Effects of combined exposure to pyridostigmine bromide and shaker stress on acoustic startle response, pre-pulse inhibition and open field behavior in mice. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 27: 276-283.

Mach, M., R.D. Grubbs, W.R. Price, S.J. Paton and J. B. Lucot. 2004. Behavioral changes after acetylcholinesterase inhibition with physostigmine in mice. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 79: 533-40.

Richards, C.J., K.C. Swanson, S.J. Paton, D.L. Harmon, G.B. Huntington. 2003. Pancreatic exocrine secretion in steers infused post-ruminally with casein and cornstarch. Journal of Animal Science, 81: 1051-1056.

Swanson, K.C., D.L. Harmon, K.A. Jacques, B.T. Larson, C.J. Richards, D.W. Bohnert, and S.J. Paton. 2000. Efficacy of chromium yeast supplementation for growing beef steers. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 86: 95.

Bohnert, D.W., B.T. Larson, S.J. Lewis, C.J. Richards, K.C. Swanson, D.L. Harmon, and G.E. Mitchell, Jr. 1999. Net nutrient flux in visceral tissues of lambs fed diets differing in supplemental nitrogen source. Journal of Animal Science, 77: 2545.

Presentations

Neeley, S., S.E. Ellison, and S.J. Paton. 2011. The Influence of school eating environment on children’s eating behaviors: an examination of the SNDA-III. Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference, New Orleans.

Kohake, K, S.J. Paton, and R. Heis. 2011. The relationship of maternal age, trimester of entry into prenatal care, maternal postpartum depression, and race with birthweight of infants born in Cincinnati, Ohio. City Match Conference, San Francisco.

Neeley, S., S.E. Ellison, and S.J. Paton. 2011. The Influence of school eating environment on children’s eating behaviors: an examination of the SNDA-III. City Match Conference, San Francisco.

Kohake, K, S.J. Paton, and R. Heis. 2011. The relationship of maternal age, trimester of entry into prenatal care, maternal postpartum depression, and race with birthweight of infants born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ohio Public Health Combined Conference.

Adkins, S., and S.J. Paton. 2010. Suicide and relative risk for nonmetropolitan U.S. residents. Ohio Public Health Combined Conference.

Jasin, L., S.J. Paton, and M.A. Swank. 2009. A prematurity education program for home health care providers. City Match Conference, Louisiana.

Arestides, C., D.E. Uddin, and S.J. Paton. 2009. Infant feeding choices and maternal infant interactions of low income, nurse home visited women. City Match Conference, Louisiana.

Eisenhauer, E., D. Uddin, P. Albers, S.J. Paton, and R. Stoughton. 2008. Establishment of a low birth weight registry and initial outcomes. Maternal Child Health Epidemiology Conference, Georgia.

Royer, L., P. Albers, and S.J. Paton. 2007. Identification of modifiable factors associated with low birth weight infants. City Match Conference, Colorado.

Royer, L., P. Albers and S.J. Paton. 2007. Identification of modifiable factors associated with low birth weight infants. American Public Health Association Conference, Washington, D.C.

Paton, S.J., R. Stoughton, P. Albers, E. Vest, S. Choliere, and M.A. Swank. 2006. Education of women with previous preterm delivery, a survey of home health care providers, Montgomery County, Ohio. City Match Conference, Rhode Island.

Mach, M, R.D. Grubbs, W.A. Price, S.J. Paton, and J. B. Lucot. 2004. Behavioral effects of subclinical doses of sarin alone and combined with stress or pyridostigmine in mice. 9th Interdisciplinary Slovak-Czech Toxicological Conference. Slovakia.

Adkins, S., and S.J. Paton. 2010. Suicide and relative risk for nonmetropolitan U.S. residents. Ohio Public Health Combined Conference, Columbus, Ohio.

Eisenhauer, E. D.E. Uddin, P. Albers, S. Paton, R.L. Stoughton. 2009. The factor of maternal stress In the delivery of a low birth weight infant. Ohio March of Dimes Conference.

Paton, S.J., C. Schlorman, and K. Aston. 2008. The Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR) approach: An analysis of feto-infant deaths in Montgomery and Clark Counties, Ohio. Ohio Public Health Epidemiology Conference.

Cote, B.L., V. Koob, M. McLean, and S.J. Paton. 2008. Retrospective comparative analysis of the socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant abortion-minded clients versus pregnant non-abortion- minded clients in a crisis pregnancy center in Montgomery County Ohio. Ohio Public Health Epidemiology Conference.

Cote, B.L., V. Koob, M. McLean, and S.J. Paton. 2007. Retrospective comparative analysis of the socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant abortion-minded clients versus pregnant non-abortion- minded clients in a crisis pregnancy center in Montgomery County Ohio. Ohio Public Health Combined Conference, Columbus, Ohio.

Royer, L, P. Albers and S.J. Paton. 2007. Identification of modifiable factors associated with low birth weight infants. Ohio Public Health Combined Conference, Columbus, Ohio.

Professional Affiliations/Memberships

  • American Public Health Association
  • Ohio Public Health Association
  • National Association of County and City Health Officials
  • Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society
  • Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
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