Christopher Wheldon

Dr. Christopher Wheldon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the College of Public Health, Temple University. His research is dedicated to reducing cancer disparities, with a strong focus on sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations. He leads the Cancer Health Equity, Education and Research (CHEER) Lab, which develops culturally responsive interventions to improve cancer prevention, screening, and survivorship care among underserved communities.

• PhD in Public Health – Community and Family Health, University of South Florida
• MEd in Curriculum Design and Instruction, University of South Florida
• MSPH in Public Health, University of South Florida
• BA in Psychology, University of South Florida

Dr. Wheldon's research centers on behavioral factors influencing cancer risk and care, including tobacco use, HPV vaccination, and healthcare delivery. He investigates how individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors shape health outcomes in SGM populations. His work often integrates data from national surveys such as HINTS and involves mixed-methods approaches to intervention development and evaluation.

His recent publications (2020–2025) show a consistent focus on HPV vaccination among mid-adults, tobacco use in SGM youth, loneliness in cancer survivors, and sexual health disparities in prostate cancer survivors. The articles span journals in public health, oncology, and behavioral medicine, indicating interdisciplinary impact in health equity and cancer prevention.

Dr. Wheldon has no publicly listed scientific awards in the provided text, but his high publication output in top-tier journals reflects significant scholarly contribution.

He advises and collaborates with multiple researchers, particularly on the Restore-1 and Restore-2 studies related to prostate cancer and SGM health. His lab, the CHEER Lab, is actively engaged in grant-funded research, including projects on HPV and PrEP integration, SOGI data collection, and tobacco denormalization in marginalized communities. He teaches undergraduate courses such as "AIDS and Society" (SBS 2203).

Dr. Wheldon directs the Cancer Health Equity, Education and Research (CHEER) Lab, a research team focused on developing and evaluating interventions to reduce cancer disparities in SGM and other vulnerable populations. The lab’s work includes clinical decision support tools, community-based participatory research, and health communication strategies.