Overview
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
Recent Publications
The influence of acculturation and stress on obesity in US latino dyads using systems science.
Journal Article Ethn Health · October 2025 OBJECTIVE: Pediatric obesity continues to grow in the US Latino population despite public health efforts. Little work has explored the link between acculturation and stress across caregiver-child dyads using systems science. METHODS: Semi-structured interv ... Full text Link to item CiteIncreased BMI Velocity is Associated with Elevated Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Scores in Adolescents with Obesity.
Journal Article Child Obes · June 2025 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 CiteUsing 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 CiteRecent Grants
Real world use of anti-obesity medications to treat adolescent obesity: moving beyond the clinical trial
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2029Implementing evidence-based obesity treatment for adolescents in primary care: an EHR-integrated implementation toolkit for diabetes prevention
ResearchMentor · Awarded by American Diabetes Association · 2025 - 2028Supporting Safe and Effective GLP-1 Prescribing in Pediatric Primary Care
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by American Heart Association · 2025 - 2028View All Grants