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Karen Scherr

Assistant Professor in Family Medicine and Community Health
Family Medicine and Community Health, Family Medicine
2100 Erwin Rd, Marshall L. Pickens Building, Durham, NC 27705

Overview


I am an assistant professor in Family Medicine and Community Health.  I am a board-certified family medicine and obesity medicine physician.  My research focuses on clinic-community partnerships to improve treatment of patients with prediabetes and using social media to improve equity in treatment of pediatric obesity.

Education/Training:

BS, Texas Tech University, 2009
MD, Duke University, 2018
PhD in Business Administration, Marketing/Consumer Behavior, Duke University, 2018
Resident, Family Medicine, Duke University, 2018-Dec 2021
Fellow, National Clinician Scholars Program, Duke University, 2021-2023

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Assistant Professor in Family Medicine and Community Health · 2023 - Present Family Medicine and Community Health, Family Medicine, Family Medicine and Community Health

Recent Publications


Randomized Controlled Trial of a Text-Based Smokeless Tobacco Cessation Intervention for Rural and Medically Underserved Communities.

Journal Article Nicotine Tob Res · December 23, 2024 INTRODUCTION: Smokeless tobacco use remains prevalent in rural and medically underserved populations, leading to increased rates of tobacco-related cancers and chronic disease. While access to effective cessation programs is limited, text-based interventio ... Full text Link to item Cite

Willingness to trade-off years of life for an HIV cure - an experimental exploration of affective forecasting.

Journal Article AIDS Res Ther · August 6, 2024 BACKGROUND: In the US, 1.2 million people live with HIV (PWH). Despite having near-normal life expectancies due to antiretroviral therapy (ART), many PWH seek an HIV cure, even if it means risking their lives. This willingness to take risks for a cure rais ... Full text Link to item Cite

Communication, bias, and stigma

Chapter · October 25, 2023 Communicating with children, teens, and families about obesity can feel like walking a tightrope between the responsibility to promote health while also preventing harm. Providers use weight and BMI to guide screening, diagnosis, and treatment decisions. A ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


ADA Project

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by American Diabetes Association · 2024 - 2026

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Education, Training & Certifications


Duke University, School of Medicine · 2018 M.D.