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Asheley Cockrell Skinner

Professor in Population Health Sciences
Population Health Sciences
215 Morris Street, Suite 210, Durham, NC 27701

Overview


Areas of expertise: Implementation Science, Health Services Research, Child Obesity, Pediatric Population Health, Opioids

Asheley Cockrell Skinner, PhD, is a health services researcher whose work addresses a variety of population health issues, particularly implementation of programs to improve the health of vulnerable populations. She is currently a Professor in Population Health Sciences at Duke University. She received her PhD in 2007 in Health Policy and Administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  A nationally-known expert in childhood obesity, her work uses a data-driven approach to understand pediatric obesity and improve implementation of evidence-based treatment. She applies this implementation science approach to other populations, including those with opioid use disorder and people who use drugs. In addition to her many roles in research, she also currently serves as the Director of Graduate Studies for Population Health Sciences, directs multiple training programs, and actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students, fellows, and junior faculty.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor in Population Health Sciences · 2021 - Present Population Health Sciences, Basic Science Departments
Professor in Medicine · 2023 - Present Medicine, General Internal Medicine, Medicine
Professor in Pediatrics · 2024 - Present Pediatrics, General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Pediatrics
Member in the Duke Clinical Research Institute · 2016 - Present Duke Clinical Research Institute, Institutes and Centers

In the News


Published October 7, 2022
New DCRI Center Targets Ending Opioid Addiction
Published June 1, 2021
Asking New Questions in the Fight Against Childhood Obesity
Published February 26, 2018
Newest Data Shows Childhood Obesity Continues to Increase

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Recent Publications


Using Parks and Recreation Providers to Enhance Obesity Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Journal Article Pediatrics · February 10, 2025 OBJECTIVE: Intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment (IHBLT) is recommended for children aged 6-18 years with obesity. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of Fit Together, a health care and parks and recreation partnership to deliver IH ... Full text Link to item Cite

Increased BMI Velocity is Associated with Elevated Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Scores in Adolescents with Obesity.

Journal Article Child Obes · December 10, 2024 Existing studies that have demonstrated a positive association between obesity and depression have been among adults, did not utilize the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), or were conducted in a homogenous patient population. In this retrospective longit ... Full text Link to item Cite

Neighborhood Public Transportation Access and Adolescent Body Mass Index: Results from the FLASHE Study.

Journal Article Child Obes · July 2024 Background: Prior investigators have examined the relationship between neighborhood public transportation access and physical activity among adolescents, but research is lacking on the association with obesity in this age group. This study examines the ass ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Supporting Safe and Effective GLP-1 Prescribing in Pediatric Primary Care

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by American Heart Association · 2025 - 2028

NIH HEAL Initiative Research-Dissemination and Engagement Center (R-DEC). CORE 3: Project Management

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2022 - 2027

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · 2007 Ph.D.